Perhaps the greatest college football head coach of all time — and certainly this generation — Nick Saban praised Billy Napier for his coaching job at Florida this season on ESPN’s College Gameday Saturday.
The Gators have yet to put together a winning season under Napier, but Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin has committed to sticking with the head coach into the 2025 season. The decision to bring Napier back for a fourth year has drawn much criticism from a fan base eager to return to the top of the Southeastern Conference, but Saban says it’s the right choice for the Orange and Blue.
“Here’s the thing that I really appreciate: that somebody out there for this administration recognized the fact that Billy Napier has done a heck of a job of coaching this team,” Saban said. “They’ve had a lot of adversity, a lot of injuries, a lot to overcome, but yet every game, they start out and they play great in the first half, which tells me they’ve done a great job preparing their team with the players they have.”
One of the biggest reasons Napier still has support is the connection he has with star true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. The former five-star recruit has impressed throughout the season and taken over for senior Graham Mertz, who’s done for the year following an ACL tear.
Lagway is now dealing with his own injury, a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered in the first half against Georgia. Florida started third-string walk-on and Yale transfer Aidan Warner against Texas on Saturday.
“The quarterback situation is going to be tough to overcome,” said Saban, “but I think (Napier) has built a good nucleus, and most importantly, culture, a culture that can win. If I was a recruit, I would recognize that and say this is a place I’m going to consider.”
Lagway practiced throughout the week and could return as soon as next week against LSU.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Coaching legend Nick Saban praises Billy Napier
