Billy Napier arrived in Gainesville as a champion.
That is, as the 2021 Sun Belt Conference champion, after he led the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to a 24-16 win over Appalachian State in the conference title game.
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Now leading the Gators, the expectation will be for Napier, 42, to win more championships.
“We’re going to build the best football team in the SEC conference. We’re going to build the best football program in the SEC conference. We must have a championship approach in everything that we do to accomplish this goal,” Napier said at his introductory news conference. “Every choice, every decision, every habit that we build along the way, we’re going to begin with the ending in mind, and that is to be a champion.”
He’s learned from some of the best, including Nick Saban at Alabama. During Napier’s time with the Crimson Tide, Alabama won two national championships (2011 and 2015).
NAPIER’S GOAL: ‘Build the best football program in the SEC’
Napier said that he’s “a football junkie” and is “well aware of the history and tradition” at Florida.
“This is one of the few places in the country — you’re talking about a championship culture,” he said.
He has a plan to make the Gators champions again — a very detailed one at that. It’s broken up into eight phases, which he listed: “Foundation, identity, spring practice, discretionary period, summer regimen, training camp, in-season and postseason.”
With his introduction to Gator Nation out of the way, it’s now time to execute that plan.
Gators Breakdown host David Waters gives his thoughts on Napier’s first day and opening news conference in this podcast episode. In another episode, David and Gators Breakdown listeners have a call-in-style chat to look back at the newser.
And, ICYMI, David also has an episode with Josh Cole of Ragin Review Podcast, and Kevin Hagan, Bama insider on the Bill King Show, to get an in-depth look at the new Gator in charge.
💵 Details of Napier’s contract
Napier has more than tripled his salary moving from Louisiana to Florida.
Napier signed a term sheet Sunday that outlines key points in his seven-year, $51.8 million contract, the Associated Press reported. He will make $7.1 million in his first season and get a $100,000 raise annually before each of the remaining six years.
MORE DETAILS: Napier gets 7-year, $51.8M contract at Florida
That’s not all. The deal also includes annual performance bonuses that could total up to $1.5 million more. He gets a $100,000 signing bonus to help with moving expenses, two luxury cars, 16 tickets to every home and away game, 18 seats in a suite for home games and use of the University Athletic Association aircraft for personal use that’s valued up to $70,000 a year.
💰 ‘Scared money don’t make money’
“Scared money don’t make money.”
That’s become Napier’s catchphrase that has followed him to Florida.
As the AP tells it, it all started just before halftime of Louisiana’s home game against Ohio in mid-September. The Ragin’ Cajuns were at the Ohio 1-yard line with just a few seconds to go in the second quarter. Leading 14-3, Napier easily could have settled for a chip-shot field goal and a two-touchdown lead.
Instead, he made the decision to keep his offense on the field and told his assistants over the headset that “scared money don’t make money.” Louisiana scored, barely.
Napier was then asked about his aggressive approach during a halftime interview and repeated the phrase on camera. It’s caught fire and has stayed with him since.
It was also repeated last week when quarterback Anthony Richardson used it to seemingly show his commitment to the new regime.
🏈 Napier filling out coaching staff
Napier has hired four assistants who spent the last four years with him at Louisiana.
Patrick Toney was announced as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Toney served as Louisiana’s defensive coordinator for the last two seasons, as well as coaching safeties and outside linebackers during his tenure there. In 2021, Toney’s defense finished first in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (18.3), tying for fourth nationally.
Mark Hocke was announced as associate head coach and director of football strength and conditioning.
Hocke began his collegiate coaching career at Alabama in 2009, spending six seasons on Saban’s staff and was with Napier in Tuscaloosa during the 2011 and 2014-15 seasons. He helped coach three teams that won BCS National Championships (2009, 2012, 2013) and trained more than 35 players who signed NFL contracts, including 10 first-round draft picks.
He served as the head strength and conditioning coach at Georgia in 2015. He was on the strength and conditioning staff at Florida State in 2016 and Texas A&M in 2017.
Jabbar Juluke was named the run the running backs coach and associate head coach-offense.
At Louisiana, Juluke coached two running backs who were drafted in back-to-back years (2020-21). Under Juluke, the Ragin’ Cajuns set school records in rushing yards (3,604) and rushing touchdowns (42) in 2019.
Juluke spent a season at Texas Tech in 2017. In 2016, he was the running backs coach at LSU, where he worked with Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice.
He began his collegiate coaching career at Louisiana Tech where he spent two seasons (2014-15) as the running backs coach. Juluke was also heavily involved in recruiting efforts, helping land three 2017 NFL draft picks.
Napier also announced that Ryan O’Hara will serve as offensive analyst (quarterbacks).
O’Hara will work closely with Napier and the quarterbacks. He spent the last four years at Louisiana, where he contributed in the development of quarterback Levi Lewis, who was named the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game MVP.
According to the AP, Napier negotiated a $7.5 million salary pool to hire 10 full-time assistants. He also got a $5 million pool to build a support staff that includes analysts. He is expected to part ways with most or all of Dan Mullen’s staff.
In an episode of Gators Breakdown, David and Will Miles discuss the new hires.
⬇️ Recruiting ranking drops
Napier has a plan for recruiting, too, sharing that he breaks the recruiting calendar into six stages.
But there might not be enough time for the plan to salvage the Gators’ 2022 recruiting class ahead of the early signing period.
Four players have decommitted from Florida in two days, including quarterback Nick Evers. In this Gators Breakdown episode, David has the latest after chatting with Evers’ mother.
The class now includes seven members and was ranked 76th in 247Sports’ 2022 team recruiting rankings at last check.
🏟️ Playoff semifinals & bowl games set
The four College Football Playoff teams are set. And while Georgia still made it even after its 41-24 letdown lost against Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, the No. 3 Bulldogs will have to face No. 2 Michigan in the Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 31.
ICYMI: Alabama rolls Georgia for SEC title
Before that, the Crimson Tide, who rose to No. 1, will then take on No. 4 Cincinnati — the first Group of Five team to make the CFP — at 3:30 p.m. in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
A LOOK AT THE HISTORIC PLAYOFF: Alabama-Cincinnati, Michigan-Georgia
As for the Gators (6-6, SEC), they will be staying in Florida for a date with Central Florida (8-4, American Athletic Conference) in the Gasparilla Bowl at 7 p.m. Dec. 23 in Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.
You can see the entire 2021-22 college football bowl game schedule here.
🎠 Coaching carousel explodes
Just when things couldn’t get crazier in this cycle’s coaching carousel ... they did.
Brian Kelly DID leave Notre Dame for LSU. The Fighting Irish then promoted defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to head coach.
READ MORE: LSU hires Kelly away from Notre Dame to be Tigers next coach | LSU, Kelly agree to 10-year contract worth at least $95M | Notre Dame promotes Freeman to replace Kelly as coach
Meanwhile, Oklahoma has found its man after Lincoln Riley headed west to Southern Cal: Longtime Clemson DC Brent Venables.
ADDITIONAL STORIES: Oklahoma hires Clemson’s Venables to replace Riley | New Oklahoma coach turns attention to players
And to top this all off, Mario Cristobal departed Oregon for his alma mater, Miami, which fired Manny Diaz after three seasons.
RELATED: Oregon’s Cristobal takes Miami coaching job after Diaz fired | Cristobal arrives at Miami, says it’s ‘time to go to work’
😬 Men’s basketball team no longer undefeated
The Gators men’s basketball team was upset 69-54 on Monday night in Gainesville by previously winless Texas Southern.
Texas Southern became the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to beat a ranked Southeastern Conference program in the AP poll era dating to 1936, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
“We were thoroughly outplayed, outcoached, out-everything,” said Florida coach Mike White.
GAME RECAP: Previously winless Texas Southern stuns Florida
Monday’s loss followed a 74-67 defeat to Oklahoma last week to snap Florida’s six-game win streak to start the season.
Up next: Florida (6-2) hosts North Florida on Wednesday evening.
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