“Can’t believe he survived that”: Josh Pate drops a blunt assessment of Billy Napier’s disappointing 2024 run

Billy Napier and the Florida Gators had a tough start to the 2024 regular season. They lost five out of their first nine games, knocking themselves out of the expanded College Football Playoff picture.

Those losses were against the Miami Hurricanes, Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Volunteers, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns. The Gators won just two games over ranked teams throughout the season, which is typically a worrisome sign in the stacked Southeastern Conference.

While on the "Flo Factory," college football analyst Josh Pate said that he was surprised Napier wasn't fired.

"I can't believe he survived that, and not saying that to say that he should have lost his job," Pate said on Wednesday. "I'm saying that it doesn't matter what I think because I'm not the decision-maker there.

"If you go back to halfway through the season last year you remember the talk. You probably participated in the talk. It wasn't will be lose his job, it was who we are going to hire when he does lose his job."

Florida bounced back from its uninspiring run of form. The team won its last three games of the regular season to seal bowl game eligibility.

The Gators proceeded to blow out the Tulane Green Wave in the Gasparilla Bowl. The game saw starting DJ Lagway throw for 305 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Billy Napier has a point to prove in 2025

Billy Napier earned his stripes as an analyst and wide receiver coach with the Alabama Crimson Tide. He contributed to two national championships and three SEC titles with Nick Saban's team. Napier later spent a brief time as the offensive coordinator of the Arizona State Sun Devils before he took over the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns job.

He shined at Louisiana, winning two Sun Belt championships and four consecutive Sun Belt West Division titles. Napier then decided to take his talents to Florida and assume the role vacated by Dan Mullen.

However, his time with the Gators hasn't been a roaring success. It's been underwhelming by his high standards. He posted two losing seasons to start his tenure and only avoided a third straight in 2024.

Many eyes will be on the offensive-minded coach in 2025, as he attempts to take the Gators back to their glory days. Anything less than a marked improvement from last season might cost Napier his job.