The Florida Gators are stuck in no man’s land a bit when it comes to the status of their head coach, their strength of schedule, and their roster construction. The 2024 season is a big one for Billy Napier, as he enters it on the hot seat. A recent NIL lawsuit brought forth by former signee Jaden Rashada has some people thinking Napier might not even make it to the start of the season.
Also, the schedule for the Florida Gators doesn’t do Billy Napier any favors when it comes to winning enough games to keep his job. Florida has the toughest schedule in the country, with only one game you can say they will win with 100% confidence.
With so much uncertainty surrounding the Florida Gators program, how will they navigate so many things being stacked against them?
How Long Will Billy Napier Be the Florida Gators Head Coach?
Billy Napier has not been as successful as the Florida Gators head coach as they were expecting him to be. A hot commodity while at Louisiana, Napier was hired at Florida after going 40-12 with the Ragin’ Cajuns. Since arriving in Gainesville, Napier has gone 11-14 with two losing seasons. The Florida faithful are starting to lose faith and patience with their head coach. That’s not the only thing working against him.
On May 21, former Florida Gator signee, Jaden Rashada, filed a lawsuit against Napier, a Florida staffer, and a booster. The lawsuit claimed Napier and the others committed fraud and misrepresentation while recruiting Rashada. The deal was worth nearly $14 million, but once it became clear a payment was never coming, Rashada transferred to Arizona State.
The Florida Gators Have a Ridiculously Loaded Schedule
Florida starts its 2024 season with a big game against the Miami Hurricanes. Miami has done a good job of setting up its roster through the transfer portal. With the additions of quarterback Cameron Ward, running back Damien Martinez, and wide receiver Samuel Brown, the Hurricanes should have the ability to score a lot of points. How the Florida Gators fare in this matchup could determine how the rest of their season goes.
After what should be an easy win against Samford, Florida then hosts Texas A&M. The Aggies will be trying to establish a new culture after hiring Mike Elko away from Duke to replace Jimbo Fisher. This will truly be a toss-up game. Florida then travels to Starkville to face Mississippi State in the easiest of their road games.
In another toss game, Florida hosts Central Florida. Even though Florida could likely be favored to win, UCF will be a tough matchup. Former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson transferred in and head coach Gus Malzahn always has difficult schemes to prepare for.
After the Florida Gators play UCF, they begin an unbelievable gauntlet in which they travel to Tennessee, host Kentucky, face Georgia, travel to Texas, host LSU and Ole Miss, and end the season at Florida State. Florida has the toughest schedule in the country and a trip to a bowl game could be in jeopardy.
Season Prediction: 4-8
How Does the Florida Gators Roster Stack Up in the SEC?
The Florida Gator roster is very much a middle to lower-tier roster inside the Southeastern Conference. Offensive lineman Jake Slaughter, wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, running back Montrell Johnson, and defensive lineman Caleb Banks are the best players in Gainesville for the 2024 season. However, they may not get enough help from the remainder of the roster to win enough games to keep Billy Napier employed.
Quarterback Graham Mertz will start the season as the starter, but he will need to be good enough to hold off incoming five-star freshman DJ Lagway.
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About the Author
Tom has been writing about professional wrestling, college football, NFL, and fantasy football for over a decade and is an avid sports fan. He has been known in the fantasy football industry for his dynasty and devy knowledge, but he is also very versed in betting.
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