Billy Napier doesn’t sound like a coach who’s days at Florida are numbered

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Billy Napier didn’t sound like a coach who’s days at Florida are numbered.

Napier was ready to get to work during the bye week as the Gators prepare for an Oct. 5 visit from UCF (3-0).

A 45-28 win Saturday at Mississippi State was a start, but much ground remains to make up.

“It’s good to win a game like that and go into the open date,” Napier said. “I told him in the locker room, Look, we’re going to rest and recover, but when you show up Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week, we’re working.

“We have work to do to improve, and we’ve got to put all of our heads together to try to get it shored up.”

Many wondered whether Napier, now 13-16 at UF,  would get a chance to coach beyond his team’s first open date, even if the Gators won in Starkville. A Sunday ouster, however, did not unfold.

But while Florida (2-2, 1-1 SEC) snapped a seven-game losing streak to FBS foes, the win came against a program at the start of a rebuild under a first-time head coach. Napier’s offense had 503 yards against the Bulldogs (1-3, 0-1) behind a two-quarterback system and revived run game, yet at the expense of the SEC’s second-worst defense.

The league’s last-ranked D belongs to Florida, an often-discombobulated unit allowing an average of 499 in three games against power conference competition. Mississippi State finished with 240 each passing and running as Jeff Lebby’s up-tempo attack caught the Gators flat footed.

“We got to get it fixed,” Napier said.

Florida defense might be too broken and missing too many pieces.

Veteran coach Ron Roberts came on board in January after two seasons near the bottom of the SEC — 12th in 2022 and 11th in 2023 — under two different coordinators, Patrick Toney and his successor Austin Armstrong. With Roberts at the helm, the Gators sit 16th in the expanded SEC.

In the search for answers, the offensive-minded Napier reportedly pitched in on the other side of the ball last week. At Mississippi State, Roberts moved up to the coaches booth at Mississippi State to get a better vantage point, but the view changed little.

Veteran safety Trikweze Bridges, a sixth-year player who transferred from Oregon, said Roberts also simplified the scheme, yet communication issues continued when the Gators tried to line up prior to the snap.

“That’s kinda what it was today versus the tempo — just lining up to them,” he said.

Costly penalties are among Napier’s other concerns.

UF averages just 48 yards in penalties against FBS competition, third fewest in the SEC. Entering Saturday, the Gators gift-wrapped four touchdowns with defensive penalties during its two FBS games.

A questionable personal foul call on tailback Montrell Johnson Jr. erased an electrifying 65-yard touchdown by sophomore receiver Aidan Mizell.

“They’ve got a hard job to do, much like we have a hard job to do,” Napier said of the officials. “Those are tough judgment calls.”

A pair of pass interference calls in the span of four plays by on nickel back Sharif Denson, including on 4th-and-3, gave Mississippi State 1st-and-goal but the Bulldogs fumbled three plays later following a poor pitch during an option play.

“Big, big momentum play,” Napier said. “Really great to see our defense kind of stand up there.”

It was a rare sight at Mississippi State. Napier hopes signs of hope await during the bye week.

“We have to develop practice plans that reflect the areas where we need to improve,” he said. “That’ll be the challenge on all three parts of our team. We got to really take a good look at where our issues are at, at the self scout, and then getting ready for a Power Five opponent coming to the Swamp.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at moc.lenitnesodnalro@nospmohtge