Most would agree that the Billy Napier era is fast-approaching an end for the Florida Gators.
“Fire Billy” chants broke out in the second quarter of last week’s 33-20 loss to Texas A&M, prompting the University of Florida Board of Trustees to call a meeting the next day.
Conversely, Matt Hayes of USA Today reported that Florida boosters came up with the money to pay Napier’s buyout, seemingly putting all the pieces in place for Napier to get canned in the not-too-distant future.
The likely biggest hold up the school is facing now is finding a suitable replacement for Napier, which is exactly what ESPN’s Heather Dinich alluded to on Thursday morning.
“This is a disaster every which way you look at it,” Dinich said . “Napier is going to get fired, it’s just a matter of when — and that’s Florida’s biggest problem. It’s not a matter of money — the school can afford the $27 million buyout. It’s a matter of timing, and the College Football Playoff calendar has made it more difficult for the Gators to make a home-run hire because the caliber coach Florida needs — like Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin — is likely going to be preparing his team for a run at the 12-team playoff, which won’t determine its national champion until Jan. 20.