The Florida Gators are off to a disastrous 1-3 start in the 2025 season, with their only win coming against Long Island University, an FCS program.
Gators fans are clearly frustrated with head coach Billy Napier, and all signs point to a potential firing, though it hasn’t happened yet. One analyst recently explained why Florida is holding off on moving on from Napier while also naming a rival SEC coach as a possible replacement.
Florida May Target Rival SEC Coach as Billy Napier’s Exit Looms
After three straight losses to USF, LSU, and Miami, Gators fans have had enough of Napier as head coach. Both fans and analysts expect Florida to make a change at some point this season, but it hasn’t happened yet.
According to FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres, the delay is caused by the four-game redshirt rule. If the Gators fire Napier before Florida plays its fifth game, any player who has appeared in four games or fewer can preserve a year of eligibility and enter the transfer portal, which could be a significant setback for the program.
“I confirmed through two sources,” Torres said. “The only reason Billy Napier has his job right now is because of the four-game redshirt rule.” He added, “Basically, Florida was like ‘If we fire him now, all of our best players are going to redshirt and bounce and we don’t need that.”‘
As Torres notes, multiple sources have told him that Napier will be fired this season, and he believes it will happen before Florida takes on Georgia on November 1.
If Torres is correct and the Gators ultimately decide to move on from Napier, who is the likely replacement? Torres believes Lane Kiffin, the head coach at Ole Miss, is a strong candidate to take over in Gainesville.
“The name that I think is realistic this time, and sometimes it hasn’t been even though he’s in every coaching search,” Torres said. “It is Lane Kiffin.”
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As Torres points out, it seems that every time a high-profile coaching job opens up, Kiffin’s name is in the mix. The Ole Miss head coach has had a successful career and has consistently kept the Rebels competitive in the SEC.
While Kiffin appears happy at Ole Miss, Florida could offer him more money and resources than the Rebels, which might entice him to make the move to Gainesville.
Barring a significant turnaround in the coming months, Napier seems almost certain to be out. Once that happens, it will be interesting to see if Torres’ prediction is correct and the Gators can lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss.
