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  Florida fired coach Billy Napier on Sunday, dumping him a day after an error-filled win against Mississippi State that included more head-scratching calls and offensive lulls like those that marked much of his four-year run with the Gators. Athletic director Scott Stricklin made the move following a 23-21 victory that looked like it was going to be gut-wrenching loss until defensive tackle Michai Boireau picked off a pass with 21 seconds remaining and the Bulldogs near field-goal range. The game-sealing takeaway energized the Swamp, but the home crowd quickly turned on Napier and booed him as he sprinted off the field.

Stricklin had seen enough and pulled the plug on a run that most of the Florida faithful thought lasted longer than it should have. "While his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field," Stricklin said in a lengthy statement. Napier went 22-23 in four seasons at Florida, including 12-16 in Southeastern Conference play. He was 5-17 against ranked opponents, including 0-14 away from home, and declined to give up his play-calling role despite calls to do so. Equally damning: his 3-12 mark against rivals Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee includes the fewest wins by a Florida coach in such games since the late 1930s. Receivers coach Billy Gonzales is the interim head coach for Florida's remaining five games, beginning against rival Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) on Nov. 1 in Jacksonville. The Gators (3-4, 2-2) have an off week to regroup from the chaos that often comes with a coaching change. Jettisoning Napier will temporarily quell a frustrated fanbase, but the group won't truly be satisfied until the Gators hire someone with a proven track record at college football's highest level. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin is expected to top the list, although Stricklin passed on him when he hired Napier from Louisiana-Lafayette in November 2021. Louisville's Jeff Brohm, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman also could be targets. - AP College Football


(DS#7 QB) So/2028 QB DJ LagwayFlorida
News Source: AP College Football


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