Of course, the county's newfound backing of the Gators traces directly to Billy Napier and his father, the late Bill Napier, who died five years ago this month after a four "NIL is going to be a numbers game, right," Stricklin said. Billy Napier's Family--Acclimated To Gainesville and Florida Life? Its pretty impressive. I know that this is a different kind of question or thread title but it's been on my mind for weeks regarding Billy's family his wife, Ali and there three children. This meal-prep favorite is a staple in my house. Auburn. They have all displayed ineptness, arrogance and poor judgement. I can assure you that no one has higher expectations for what we want to accomplish than me.. It was maybe 120k when I moved there in '73. Billy Napiers father passed away in 2017 due to ALS. Hes hired more staff than anywhere in the country and he utilizes the staff numbers to make sure the needs of the current players are taken care of. View photos of Florida QB Anthony Richardson, selected fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts. He is expected to arrive in Gainesville on Sunday. His rise into an SEC head coaching job couldve transpired a year ago, according to sources familiar with the South Carolina and Auburn searches. I felt like there were thousands of people on their sideline, the rival coach said. Instantly we got good vibes from him. I dont know if the balls pumped or stuffed!, Later, Coach Napier showed a photo of himself with Levi Lewis, former quarterback for the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. My first thought when seeing Lauren Poe's byline was, "Why would I read anything written by a primary driver of and voter for the biomass debacle when he was a commissioner some years ago?" Richardson is different. Scott has versatility for the Indy defense, playing both safety spots and at nickel corner in college, and could be an instant candidate to log special teams snaps. Spring impressionsFlorida football: 3 quick takeaways from Gators' first spring practice in rainy Gainesville. It wasnt mere proximity to Saban and Swinney that benefitted Napier or shaped him as a coach. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) rolls out of the pocket to throw a pass during an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in All rights reserved. This wont be April 11: Buchholz High (Gainesville) for talent, and the latest name to catch the teams eye is defensive lineman Kendall Jackson.. Swamp247 is reporting that Jackson will be in town for an official visit on June 2 and is also set to visit Kentucky a few weeks later on June 16. Friends, alumniand boosters, this is your call to open your wallets. After confirming that he did, in fact, buy a house in Gainesville, Coach Napier showed a photo of his extended family. Florida football could end up with two players picked in tonight's first round of the NFL Draft -- quarterback Anthony Richardson and offensive lineman Find your dream seats at our Select-A-Seat event taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium on May 6! The Gainesville Sun 0:00 1:47 Billy Napier ran out of the tunnel and into The Swamp for the first time Saturday night. Spring goalsFlorida football: 5 storylines for Gators this 158 overall) selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. He will make $7.1 million in his first season and get a $100,000 raise annually Billy was able to be exactly himself, regardless of who he was around, Sorrells said. He was highly rated as a recruit, but nowhere near cant-miss status. Unless you count the trip he made here for a game as an Alabama analyst in 2011. The Buffalo Bills picked Torrence with the 59th The lone Power 5 conference title from the group of coaches was Malzahns SEC champion in 2013, which required Kick Six magic to accomplish. 2025 QB set to visit Florida this spring. WebHead Coach. Napier attacked the 2022 class first, working the transfer portal and pushing hard on National Signing Day to bring the class to a respectable 17th overall position on 247Sports. Letters must include the writer's full name and city of residence. By Ethan Budowsky. April 3: Orange Park, Hosted by Clay County Gator Club. He started laughing.. By that point, players had amassed thousands of dollars in parking tickets and some had their cars booted. Maybe that's all of Alachua county? But there is more to this staff. "The more people we can get engaged helping our athletes, the better the experience those athletes will have with NIL and it's going to give the University of Florida a huge leg up on the people that we go out there and ask our young people to compete with, compete against on a regular basis.". Torrence grew up in Greensburg, La. In the last four seasons, Louisianas run-heavy offenses twice led the Sun Belt in yards per play and perpetually ranked among the top three in scoring. (Logan Bowles via AP), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) fakes a handoff to running back Nay'Quan Wright (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) looks for a receiver in front of Utah defensive end Jonah Elliss (83) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) first down gained on a fourth down play during an NCAA football game against Utah on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 in Gainesville, Fla. Florida defeated Utah 29-26. Despite Lamb networking on his behalf, Napiers attempts at landing a graduate assistants job were proving fruitless. Napier said player proximity was one of the reasons why the Florida gig is one of the elite in college football. I too have a feeling church will be a big part of their lives. Some contend Napier desires to know everything about everything his fingerprints on every decision, his soaring standard of acountability. In his recent column, Lauren Poe predicted that Gainesville's population will grow by 60,000 in the next 10 years, which is highly improbable since it took the past 40 years for the city to grow by that amount. Clemson ranked third in the ACC in scoring in 2009 but dipped to 10th in 2010 and finished with a 6-7 record. "We don't want to confuse people anymore, and we want to have one community that's best in class and where everybody can participate," Costa said. Golden then quipped about his first day at University of San Francisco, where former head coach Kyle Smith warned him about the West Coast Conferences hiring history: Before moving on to the Q&A, Golden finished up with some remarks about coming to Florida: I never anticipated getting the opportunityI was very honest with [Scott Stricklin], I said, I want to be here with you. Has Gainesville really grown to 340,000? He just seemed like a really good guy. Later in the call, Costa pointed out that Florida Victorious is already supporting athletes from five different UF women's programs and that donors can earmark specific contributions for women's sports programs on the association's website. Youre calling the plays. Im 28! "He's got a 36 (inch) arm," Napier said. Napier threw two interceptions in the national championship game when the Paladins lost 13-6 to top-seeded Montana. He was brash and thought he knew it all, and that really reset him.. Head football coach Billy Napier calls his team during a spring practice March 29, 2022. Every month my Gainesville Regional Utilities bill reminds me of the colossal mismanagement of our municipal utility, with as yet no one held accountable. I made it clear I didnt want to interview him, Stricklin said. Sometimes you have to force it or teach someone to do it, but not Billy.. Tim Tebow territory? Less than seven months into his tenure as head coach of the Florida Gators, Billy Napier penned an open letter to Gator nation. thatguy Moderator. A month later, when Todd Graham was looking for an offensive coordinator at Arizona State, Napier won the gig. I have people that arent in this program who have hit me up on Twitter, other moms, who have told me how Coach Napier has affected their sons and how they are the people they are because they spent time with him.. "This is a dollars and cents game. The overall passing numbers ring pedestrian compared to some other spread-attack stats: Levi Lewis 217 yards per game in 2018 marked the height of the Napier era. Napier followed Jim McElwain to Colorado State as quarterbacks coach for one season. Patience is a virtue, a virtue Napier is quickly teaching Florida fans. There's not been many players like Anthony Richardson in the history of this game. He would always be sitting with different guys during pregame meals just pulling people to be near him. Billy Napier enters his second season as Florida's head coach after being named the 29th head coach in Rather it was Napiers detailed assessment as to why each new position is necessary and beneficial. Message boards were set ablaze when Florida didnt immediately shoot to the top of the recruiting boards under the former Louisiana-Lafayette coach. (Logan Bowles via AP), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) throws the ball during an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sep. 3, 2022, in Gainesville,Fla. Such sly tactics are not persuasive. Its like remodeling a house: Sometimes, you have to tear the foundations down to the studs in order to create something better. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) scores against South Florida during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) eludes South Florida linebacker Brian Norris during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson plays against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) is pressured by Florida State defensive back Jammie Robinson (10) before Richardson threw an incomplete pass on the last play of an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State won 45-38. Eighteen of the 20 commits in the 2023 class are four stars, only trailing Notre Dame who has 19 for the most in the country. Rather, the ambiguity cants toward people who have made what for many is the largest investment they will ever make in buying their home. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Although he hasnt coached a game yet at the University of Florida, Billy Napier is already a Hall of Famer. Spring impressionsFlorida football: 3 quick takeaways from Gators' first spring practice in rainy Gainesville. On Thursday night, former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson was drafted No. Phenomenal person. The word gets tossed around pretty casually among college recruiters to the prospects and families they are recruiting. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Arm talent, phenomenal athlete. And you take the quarterback, Lewis. Napier and his kids enjoyed all of the fun at the All Pro Dad event in Gainesville. Hes got these young, eager kids who are fresh out of college, and they work their tails off, Lamb said. Decisions should be based on such long-term inevitabilities. GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: head coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators But you cant put 10 pounds in a five-pound bag. Probably the best thing to ever happen to him, Lamb said. Two days later, on Nov. 23, Stricklin flew to Lafayette no staff, no agents, no formal pretense and arrived at the Napiers home. "We've already had a lot of people do that," Costa said. Additional guidelines for submitting letters and longer guest columns can be found at bit.ly/sunopinionguidelines. Email. We pay a lot of attention to people, especially my husband, she said. I remember I used to have to go in certain portions of the house, so I had to go outside or stand in a room just to get phone service, said Torrence. Napier was ready to prove himself as a head coach. Theyre in there trying not only to impress Billy Napier, but also trying to impress the position coaches because they want to move up in this profession. Napier has six wins, seven losses and one full recruiting class for fans to judge. ). Considering the Gators were at one time outside the top-70, that shouldve been seen as a massive win. The headlines started to roll in from national outlets. His coaches mostly recall a galvanizing and authentic personality, traits that make him a productive recruiter today. The 20-play, 90-yard drive that consumed the final 10:26 of a 28-27 win at Arkansas State on Oct. 21. Really happy for his family and all of the people that contributed. Taking place at Holloway Touchdown Terrace was the last of nine dates on Coach Napiers tour. Based on their voting records, none of the outgoing commissioners should be elected to any office. The LED ribbon boards inside the stadium read Welcome to The Swamp, Coach Billy Napier, and it truly was a welcoming, considering Napier accepted the job Swamp unseen. (Todd Rosenberg via AP), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) celebrates and screams during an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Logan Bowles via AP), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) hands the ball off to running back Nay'Quan Wright (5) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-33. Auburn had a more prestigious vacancy brought on by the firing of Malzahn and seriously courted Napier. Napier and his staff grabbed four four-star defenders in a two-day span a couple weekends ago, including three along the defensive line, a position of dire need. USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer put together his rankings of the five SEC coaches feeling the most pressure ahead of the 2023 season, with Napier coming in at No. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images. The Indianapolis Colts selected Cal safety Daniel Scott with their fifth-round (No. I mean, they had guys everywhere all with clipboards, writing and watching and charting. Florida football coach Billy Napier makes overdue trip to Clay County UF-GATORS Clay County Gators welcome UF football coach Billy Napier for a long overdue Subscribe to our email list and receive the latest GUIDE news and articles. I told Coach Napier, either you got them on their Ps and Qs or you are just this nice of a guy, Boardingham said. Protest at the balloting by voting out the anti-abortionists, the rightists, the supremacists and all those who are bent upon destroying democracy in America and turning America into the land of the oppressors rather than the land of the free. The reset involved asking to join Sabans support staff at Alabama as an analyst. @Swamp_247 pic.twitter.com/yibng46o1h. Hes got an army of people helping him, but theyre all aligned and they know what he wants to do.. Phelan M. Ebenhack/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. It seems like if he wants something he goes and gets it., An assistant from another Sun Belt school was shocked during warmups against the Ragin Cajuns this season. Why is Napier cut out to fare better at Florida? In this league, the proofs in the pudding, Napier said. He hosts the weekly sports podcast and has worked on staff for five semesters. Torrence joined Billy Napier at Florida. Florida isnt close to done with this class either. Web3/1/2023. All rights reserved. Hell just be himself and thatll be good enough.. Loved to play it too, and when Napier claimed the starting job as a junior, he led Furman to a No. However, both schools lacked the alignment of leadership Napier enjoyed at Louisiana and desired at his next stop. He took it hard, but once we got back for spring term, he took it up a notch and had a phenomenal senior year to get us back in the playoffs.. 0:06. Things started off great when Florida upset No. We're going to be diligent. These commissioners have lost sight of why people would want to move here. Efficient, thats the best description for his offenses, an opposing head coach said. Following a Friday night game, Coach Napier sent Rainey and a fellow assistant to scout a possible playoff opponent in Gainesville, Ga., 80 miles away. It also peeved him to be bypassed for the chance to call plays when Lane Kiffin left for FAU during the CFP run. Napier has preached to his players, to the fans, and to the media about the closeness of his program. The Buffalo Bills picked Torrence with the 59th overall pick in the second round. Napier wrote, As we enter a new era of college football with Name, Image, and Likeness, we are fortunate to be at a place that is not only rich in history and tradition on the football field, but also at a top 5 public institution with more than 470,000 living alumni and incredible resources. Adebawore has positional versatility but said he feels most comfortable as a defensive tackle. Napier's upcoming speaking engagements: March 29: Lakeland, Hosted by Polk County Gator Club. Includes must-see content on Gainesville.com and Gatorsports.com, breaking news and updates on all your devices, and access to the eEdition. He is a machine.. Napier inherited a thinner-than-usual cupboard at Florida, and his Louisiana tenure Phil Sears/Copyright 2022 the Associated Press. What's it like to be a kid in grade school, leaving your friends and schoolmates there in Lafayette, Louisiana, with a population of a bit over 120,000 to Gainesville, with a combined population of a over 340,000? 863 Views. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. One of the first questions asked of Coach Golden was about Jason Jitoboh, the Gators center who underwent eye surgery in January. Billy Napier discusses newly hired Florida DC Austin Armstrong. Napier ended his Louisiana tenure on an 11-game winning streak overall and with 15 consecutive victories over Sun Belt competition. 4128. "We're going to plan our work, work our plan. Instead, the 7th-grader stood out. You can tell that he has worked all those contingency plans for different situations, so theyre ready for anything that happens, one said. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Florida head football coach, Billy Napier, took the day off work to do the job he says is most important to him: being a dad. Even when they were running around with their heads cut off in the first month they were on campus, they managed to pull off some big prospects. The Gators finished 6-7 in Napier's first Jose has built the vehicle. With the hiring being finalized Sunday afternoon, Mondays meeting became anti-climactic. The things he said sounded real genuine. Fifteen of the 20 recruits in the 2023 class are from Florida, including Orlando native wide receiver Aidan Mizell, who used live alligators to announce his commitment to UF July 29. During the event, Coach Golden elaborated on the hiring of Taurean Green, and Coach Napier spoke about his eight-phase plan. We decided early on that Billy was going to be our target.. GAINESVILLE, Fla. BILLY! Thats a guy whos ethical with integrity, an SEC recruiting coordinator said. "We have to be competitive with our experience and our product relative to NIL, but I think we're doing what maybe college athletics should be doing," Napier said. He gave such a compelling reason as to why these things are going to help make the Gators better, Stricklin said. The election is only a few months away. Whether Stricklin couldve enticed a mega-coach remains conjecture. All rights reserved. Theyre sincere about that. The issue of fairness of Title IX when it comes to collectives has been raised by several women's sports advocates, including Title IX attorney Nancy Hogshead-Makar and Women's Sports Foundation CEO Donna Lopiano. I think the two that played for the championship game (Saturday) night, theres evidence relative to the way that they created their organization.. You just see where Louisiana is compared to the rest of the league, and its pretty fascinating. Billy has been pretty wise at waiting for the right job to come and hasnt just jumped at anything. However, you have to trust the architect. So, I assume they will be on the west side of town. Florida was best because they say the word family everybody says family in all the visits (to the different programs) its family, family, family, family. Classic coachs son. Coach Napier said that as time went on, it became harder to cope with the situation. The other path was to identify the guy we think is the best fit for us and get it done. Join me this summer in getting to know your own skin through the #SkinCheckChallenge and become comfortable with identifying anything new, changing, or unusual. ", "Generational talent." Theyre tired of looking up at SEC rivals in the College Football Playoff. The Louisiana athletic departments approval for making atypical hires was a resource Napier maximized by essentially seeking out hungry coaching apprentices. It looks like the start of beautiful relationship. Really just a unique talent. Pursuing a different caliber athlete at the Group of 5 level didnt change Napiers approach. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S., with one in five Americans estimated to be diagnosed in their lifetime. Poe's plea for affordable housing rings hollow given the proliferation of high-rent apartments permitted in Gainesville during his tenure as commissioner and mayor. Their connection with him began years earlier, however, back when the 12-year-old showed up at their camp intent on going through drills with the high school players. Despite calling for patience in his opening press conference back in December 2021, Florida fans seemed to have forgotten that notion. All rights reserved. BILLY!. She worked with her and she brought her along. This is the inside story of how the Colts, collectively, decided on Anthony Richardson as the right quarterback to select with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Napier knew he was in a good situation at Louisiana and decided to stay for another year. Grace Hingtgen, medical student, University of Florida. All rights reserved. Visit www.gainesville.com/subscribenow to sign up. I wanted to meet him and have a conversation face-to-face.. This guys the real deal, they said. He has been elected to the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame, a nod to the UF coachs playing days. Given that we live in the Sunshine State, those odds are not in our favor. Blake Alderman. I feel like weve known him forever, Sorrells said. GAINESVILLE, Fl (KLFY) The Billy Napier era of Florida Gators football officially began on Sunday. Its a real family, its real.. He was Im thankful for coach Saban for giving me that opportunity. Its his philosophy on the details that really made the difference to some. I think if you dont, youre doing them a disservice. We all know how to read census reports. Here is what Toppmeyer had to offer on the topic. I was in a very humbled place after the Clemson firing, Napier said. And then they care not only for one another, but for the players they are responsible for. Were going to be okay.. He was highly rated as a recruit, but nowhere near cant-miss status. After some words about his family, Coach Billy Napier walked through his several years in various positions on college football staffs: Clemson, Alabama, and finally, Louisiana. Florida fans wanted results now. The Colts continued to draft players with high-end athletic traits on the final day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Napier, before we came there, he came to my job in Port St. Lucy. That culture starts from the top., And that starts from the lesson handed down by Napiers father, who used to remind Billy on rides to school: You know your last name, so you need to represent it the right way today.. For those who didnt read Matt Howlands departure letter, he spent most of it praising the outgoing commission for making tough decisions and spoke disparagingly of those who disagreed, calling them old.This same disregard for their constituents has been obvious for anyone who has been keeping up with current commission meetings. But according to mothers of freshmen currently enrolled in Gainesville, when Billy Napier and his staff talk about a family atmosphere in Gainesville they mean it. That GA stint fast-tracked Napiers career. He wants to know everything about a recruit.. (AP Photo/Wade Payne), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson warms up before an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) rolls out to throw a pass during an NCAA college football game against South Florida, Saturday, Sep. 17, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. Florida defeated South Florida 31-28. Never seen anything like it before, he said. That's whacky. GAINESVILLE, Fla. Following a late-morning flight from Louisiana and a police escort from the Gainesville Air Center, Billy Napier planted his feet on the University of Florida campus at 12:12 p.m. Sunday. They wanted to come back and do something special.. Florida fans seem to be coming around on the whole trust the process idea. I encourage the use of sunscreen and wide-brim hats along with seeking shade as often as possible. A very straight forward guy. Copyright 2020 by Guide to Greater Gainesville | Powered by TheRipal, Almost Best Case Scenario for 2023 Gators Even After Successful MLB Draft, Hollywood Bobs Wishes for Every 2022 Gator Drafted or Signed to an NFL Team, Todd Eckstein: Teacher of the Year at Alachua County Public Schools, UF Womens Basketball on the Rise Under Kelly Rae Finley, Barber Excited for Opportunity at Left Tackle, Bagen Law: Gainesvilles Trusted Advocates for Accidents and Injuries, Milestone Win for Bryan Shelton Puts Gators in ITA National Team Indoor Championships. ), where the cell phone service was so spotty that he had to move to one corner of his house or step outside to take You better have unbalance checks, and a lot of defenses only have one. The new collective sponsored UF's spring game last week. The Gator Nation's oldest and most active Witt converted to left tackle from tight end during the 2021 season and impressed scouts in the pre-draft process with his athleticism and natural talent. Florida was the first school that gave Kamari his first scholarship offer and he stayed home.. Napier recalled his third year at Clemson when Dabo Swinney promoted him to offensive coordinator and joked about his age at the time: He [Swinney] walks in there and tells me Im firing the OC. Two sources within the Gators program said the AD had ruled out Kiffin from the get-go.
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