How Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier lost his intro press conference
The Florida Gators hired Billy Napier last week to replace Dan Mullen as the program's head coach. On Sunday, Florida officially introduced Napier. And let's just say he didn't "win the press conference". Napier was asked some questions about recruiting and he made it a point to say that fans shouldn't get consumed with signing […]
The Florida Gators hired Billy Napier last week to replace Dan Mullen as the program's head coach.
On Sunday, Florida officially introduced Napier. And let's just say he didn't "win the press conference".
Napier was asked some questions about recruiting and he made it a point to say that fans shouldn't get consumed with signing four-star and five-star players. He also said the Gators probably won't sign many players during the early signing period.
Napier's comments aren't necessarily wrong — coaches go off their own evaluations, not the evaluations of the recruiting services.
However, the recruiting services, for the most part, usually get it right. Sure, there are a few "diamonds in the rough" that get missed. But typically the teams that sign the four-star and five-star players are the teams competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Florida is a program that should land its fair share of elite recruits. Lowering recruiting expectations at the introductory press conference doesn't feel like a wise move by Napier — especially when Mullen was heavily criticized for his comments about recruiting earlier this season.
Napier might end up being the next great college football coach. Or he could be the next Scott Frost — a coach who excelled at the Group of Five level but couldn't cut it at a Power-5 program. No one knows how this will work out.
One thing, however, is certain: Napier failed at the easiest part of his job — winning the press conference. Things will only get tougher for him from here as he adjusts to life in the SEC.
Featured image via Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
