Billy Napier Named Potential Candidate to Replace $15M G5 Head Coach

Billy Napier was fired as Florida’s head coach in the middle of the season. Now, he has been linked with a Group of Five program, whose current playcaller reportedly agreed to a six-year deal with the Gators on Sunday.

Napier is included in Tulane’s head coaching sweepstakes. This demonstrates that he is still valuable and sought after. He remains in demand despite not leading the Gators to greater heights after more than three seasons.

Reporter Reveals Billy Napier Included in Tulane Head Coaching Race

Napier was fired on Oct. 19 after leading Florida to a 22-23 overall record and a 12-16 SEC mark. According to Fox 8 sports managing editor and reporter Garland Gillen, he was among five coaches on Tulane’s watchlist after Jon Sumrall left for Florida.

Joining Napier on Tulane’s watchlist are four other head coaching candidates: Shannon Dawson (offensive coordinator, Miami), Blake Baker (defensive coordinator, LSU), Will Hall (passing game coordinator, Tulane), and Slade Nagle (offensive coordinator, Houston).

Some names to keep an eye on for the Tulane coaching search:

Miami OC Shannon Dawson

Former Florida head coach Billy Napier

LSU DC Blake Baker

Tulane passing game coordinator Will Hall

Houston OC Slade Nagle

— Garland Gillen (@garlandgillen) November 30, 2025

Earlier in his career, Napier became Florida’s head coach in 2022, having led Louisiana to Sun Belt dominance from 2018 to 2021. The former Furman quarterback coached the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 40-12 record and three bowl wins.

MORE: ‘Is That Billy Napier?’ – Fans Voice Concerns Over Florida Hiring Jon Sumrall

If he is hired at Tulane, Napier returns to a Group of Five school and will attempt to redeem himself from the frustrations that plagued him at Florida, a Power Five school. A possible return to the G5 may serve as a tonic for Napier following his difficult stint in Gainesville.

Tulane had an excellent 2025 season under Jon Sumrall, guiding the Green Wave, ranked No. 24 in the AP poll, to a 10-2 record and a 7-1 conference record in the American Athletic Conference. Sumrall’s team earned a ticket to the American Championship Game against North Texas on Dec. 5.

Sumrall, who signed a five-year, $15 million contract extension with Tulane in December 2024, finalized a six-year, $44.7 million deal to coach Florida next season. The Gators and the 43-year-old agreed to the transaction on Sunday, and he will earn $7.45 million annually, according to reports.

Tulane must now decide whether to hire Napier or another coach from its watchlist. The new coach faces the challenge of continuing Sumrall’s success and will be closely watched next season.