“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator,” he continued, expressing confidence that the program can return to the level it expects to be at under Napier’s guidance.
Florida is 1-2 in its last three games, losing to College Football Playoff No. 7 Tennessee (7-1, 4-1 in SEC) and No. 3 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 in SEC) and beating Kentucky (3-6, 1-6 in SEC).
The Gators are 15-18 under Napier. They’re 4-4 this season and play No. 5 Texas (7-1, 3-1 in SEC), No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-1 in SEC) and No. 16 Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 in SEC) over the next three weeks. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Gators a 48 percent chance of ending the season with six wins and being bowl-eligible.
If it fails to reach six wins, Napier will become the first Florida head coach since Josh Cody (1936-38) to begin his tenure with three consecutive losing seasons. Cody was fired after going 5-5-1 in 1939.
Per 247 Sports, Florida ranks 15th in the SEC in 2025 high school recruiting rankings, ahead of only Vanderbilt.
It’s strange that Sticklin is adamant about retaining Napier but was unhappy with former head coach Dan Mullen going 34-15 from 2018-21.
The most significant factor in the patience being afforded to Napier may be freshman quarterback DJ Lagway.
Per ESPN college football insider Andrea Adelson, “There is a sense that losing Napier would mean losing Lagway, who chose the Gators to play for Napier.”
Lagway, a five-star 2024 recruit, has appeared in eight games this season and is 56-of-92 (60.9 percent) for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 114 yards on 37 carries.
The program has fallen from the country’s elite, and Stricklin’s endorsement of Napier suggests it will remain an afterthought in 2025.
Florida travels to LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, hosts Texas and Tennessee and plays Georgia in Jacksonville next season. It’s schedule isn’t any easier than this year, and with Napier returning, Stricklin may have already sealed the Gators’ fate.
