The night belonged to Billy Napier. The future is even less certain

GAINESVILLE – At the end of the night, the condemned man appeared to be at peace with the world.

He stood near the north end zone and listened to the Gator band play. He stopped near midfield for a radio interview and then, with the crowd still cheering and the music blaring, casually walked to the Florida locker room as if no one was watching.

It wasn't until his young son, Charlie, ran across the field and jumped into his arms that the head coach seemed to realize what had just happened.

Yes, Billy Napier's Florida career will live on for another day.

The Gators beat UCF 24-13 on Saturday night, winning two straight games for the first time in a year and, more importantly, momentarily quelling the chorus of voices calling for the coach's head.

“These kids got beat up pretty bad here in the first month of the season,” Napier said. “I'm busy putting the players in the best position. I've been watching these kids work since the offseason started, right? I want them to enjoy the work they have done. So we try to push every button.”

His record at UF is still unsightly (14-16) and his future remains in question, but Napier exudes an unmistakable sincerity and compassion. His players seem to love him, and pride and humility have kept him from looking for excuses for the many disappointments of the last two-plus seasons.

Still, it looked more like a respite than a turnaround. The Gators have made progress, but the road ahead remains daunting.

Five of Florida's next six opponents are currently ranked in the top 13. If the Gators won half of those games, it would be a shock. If they won more, the Vatican would send investigators to look for signs of a miracle.

The odds are he won't survive a third losing season in a row, but every week Napier stays at the top is another week in his favour.

“I think it's a combination of hard work and effort from the players, and I think our coaches have done a good job,” he said. “But let’s be honest, there are bigger challenges ahead, right? That’s why we have to continue to improve all parts of our team.”

Still, for a few hours on a windy Saturday night, Gator fans could imagine a different reality.

A past without coaching takeovers, without embarrassments against Kentucky or Vanderbilt, without wondering how it all went wrong.

The Gators looked sharp, fast and confident. Graham Mertz was efficient and DJ Lagway was promising. The defense had its best game in ages and Florida maintained a lead of at least two points for nearly three quarters.

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In recent games, Napier remained on the pitch until the last player had left, meaning he had to run the gauntlet of angry fans shouting insults at him as he made his way to the tunnel under the stands. This time they applauded wildly as if the losses to Miami and Texas A&M had never happened.

“I always had a strong feeling that you get paid for work,” Napier said. “You were put here to do a job, and you want to do that job for the people who believe in you and gave you a chance.”

The celebration in the stands was, in its own way, evidence of the program's decline.

This wasn't Alabama. Or LSU. Or any top 25 opponent. A win against UCF should be an item on your to-do list, not a highlight in your scrapbook.

But considering Florida had lost four of its last five games against 2021 in-state opponents, the party mood was understandable. A starving man will not criticize the quality of his steak.

And the reality is that the Knights came into the game as slight favorites. Despite playing on the street. Despite a 27-point loss to a mediocre Colorado team. Although Florida had a week off to prepare.

So yeah, relatively speaking it was a good win.

But judging by the forums and radio stations, most fans have already moved on from the Napier era. They spend their free time checking the bios of Lane Kiffin, Jedd Fisch and any other college coach who might be interested in coming to Gainesville. They welcome reports from anonymous sources that UF supporters have already raised the roughly $25 million needed to buy out Napier's contract.

With that in mind, what should you think about Saturday night's win? Do you welcome the performance or do you fear that gradual improvement could ultimately give Napier another season?

Anyway, this was his night. While he wanted to give credit to the players and other coaches, this was the night Napier reclaimed some of the reputation that got him here in the first place.

It may not last, but Billy Napier deserves it.

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