Readers comment on proposed zoning changes, the Supreme Court and more, Readers comment on a forum for local candidates, preventing COVID-19 and more, Readers comment on the benefits of high gas prices, COVID-19 vaccines and more. Ms. Boardingham meant it both literally and figuratively. However, you have to trust the architect. Theyre tired of looking up at SEC rivals in the College Football Playoff. Hope seemed bleak in the eyes of many. You just see where Louisiana is compared to the rest of the league, and its pretty fascinating. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 4 overall by the Indianapolis Colts, making him the highest-drafted UF Hes been groomed by some quality, big-time coaches, and hes kind of emulating them, a rival Sun Belt head coach said. Just because a candidate seems likeable does not mean they are able to make good decisions. Phenomenal person. Florida football could end up with two players picked in tonight's first round of the NFL Draft -- quarterback Anthony Richardson and offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence. This guys the real deal, they said. s Billy Napier underpromises, overdelivers for 22, 2023. Swinney dismissed Napier. Napier earned all-conference accolades despite passing statistics tamped down because he so frequently checked into running plays at the line. Phil Sears/Copyright 2022 the Associated Press. Over the last few months, 15 highly-touted prospects have announced their plans to join Billys army in Gainesville. Were going to be okay.. He was highly rated as a recruit, but nowhere near cant-miss status. On the call for this interview with Ms. Boardingham you could tell that she was just shaking her head at some prospects that went elsewhere and were already regretting it. Protest at the balloting by voting out the anti-abortionists, the rightists, the supremacists and all those who are bent upon destroying democracy in America and turning America into the land of the oppressors rather than the land of the free. 3. That means wearing suits on game-day bus ride to the stadium, and a minute-by-minute system of getting into the locker room and out on the field. asking out of his Letter of Intent with UF. Napier Hes got a lot of confidence in his plan and a lot of confidence in himself. The Gainesville crowd, however, received a bonus visit from new mens basketball coach Todd Golden. And it all starts with the head coach. Its a smart move to open up these $20,000-a-year paying jobs, with no benefits, and get those 23- and 24-year-olds that are still on their parents insurance, said a Sun Belt coach who can only fantasize of having so much help. They wanted to come back and do something special.. 3 in the league in yards per attempt three times, and his quarterbacks 67-15 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past three seasons was tops. COVID-19 vaccination requirements will end May 11 for international travelers, federal employees, Biden administration announces, took over as the school's exclusive NIL arm last week. I have people that arent in this program who have hit me up on Twitter, other moms, who have told me how Coach Napier has affected their sons and how they are the people they are because they spent time with him.. Look: New Florida Head Coach Billy Napier Lands in And then they care not only for one another, but for the players they are responsible for. Their connection with him began years earlier, however, back when the 12-year-old showed up at their camp intent on going through drills with the high school players. They are almost all new to the University of Florida since its Napiers first year as head coach in Gainesville, but almost all of them have connections from the past with others on the staff and the familiarity is something that is noticed when around the group for a while like on recruiting visits. Florida football coach Billy Napier makes overdue trip to Clay County UF-GATORS Clay County Gators welcome UF football coach Billy Napier for a long overdue Taking place at Holloway Touchdown Terrace was the last of nine dates on Coach Napiers tour. The Wilsons were seemingly heavily leaning to Georgia before they visited Gainesville. Napier and Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin appeared on the 45-minute Zoom Call with Florida Victorious founder Jose Costa and ESPN studio host/reporter and Florida alum Laura Rutledge, who is on the new collective's board of directors. A new era of Florida football has officially arrived as new Gators head coach Billy Napier landed at the Gainesville Regional Airport around 11:48 a.m. Sunday. Bobby Lamb served as Furmans offensive coordinator and Tim Sorrells coached quarterbacks during Napiers playing days at the FCS program from 1999-2002. The event was hosted by the Gator Boosters and presented by the Fighting Gator Touchdown Club. Spring goalsFlorida football: 5 storylines for Gators this Napier's upcoming speaking engagements: March 29: Lakeland, Hosted by Polk County Gator Club. All rights reserved. Off the field, Mullen grew frustrated by players consistently parking illegally in a lot beneath the stadiums south end zone. My first thought when seeing Lauren Poe's byline was, "Why would I read anything written by a primary driver of and voter for the biomass debacle when he was a commissioner some years ago?" They chanted and then paused, then started chanting again, these couple hundred shaker-waving fans clustered on the corner of Stadium Road and Lemerand Drive. Its why the people who have faced Napier believe his success at the Group of 5 level will translate to becoming a Power 5 boss. He was brash and thought he knew it all, and that really reset him.. Instantly we got good vibes from him. After taking Napier on a tour of the stadium, Stricklin said a coach asking for resources wasnt remarkable. The stockpiling of manpower stunned Lamb in 2020 when at age 57 he began a season in Lafayette working alongside his former player. Email. I feel like weve known him forever, Sorrells said. So, I assume they will be on the west side of town. Buchholz High (Gainesville) for talent, and the latest name to catch the teams eye is defensive lineman Kendall Jackson.. Swamp247 is reporting that Jackson will be in town for an official visit on June 2 and is also set to visit Kentucky a few weeks later on June 16. Phelan M. Ebenhack/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) scrambles for yardage during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) rushes for a 45-yard touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack), Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson poses for a portrait during the NFL Scouting Combine, Thursday, March 2, in Indianapolis, In. Published: Apr. They connect the dots to tell you how they are family, how he came from here, who came from here and brought him along, they too worked together and brought him along. Thursday evening, head football coach Billy Napier completed his speaking tour with a stop in Gainesville. Subscribe to our email list and receive the latest GUIDE news and articles. Copyright 2020 by Guide to Greater Gainesville | Powered by TheRipal, Almost Best Case Scenario for 2023 Gators Even After Successful MLB Draft, Hollywood Bobs Wishes for Every 2022 Gator Drafted or Signed to an NFL Team, Todd Eckstein: Teacher of the Year at Alachua County Public Schools, UF Womens Basketball on the Rise Under Kelly Rae Finley, Barber Excited for Opportunity at Left Tackle, Bagen Law: Gainesvilles Trusted Advocates for Accidents and Injuries, Milestone Win for Bryan Shelton Puts Gators in ITA National Team Indoor Championships. John Raoux/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. Probably the best thing to ever happen to him, Lamb said. His office at Lafayette featured NFL helmets of the high draft picks he coached or recruited at Alabama college stars such as Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Cam Robinson and Trevon Diggs. And I know my parents were not very proud of me in that moment. He was highly rated as a recruit, but nowhere near cant-miss status. Billy Napier discusses newly hired Florida DC Austin Armstrong. Gators hit a grand slam by hiring Billy Napier; just ask those who However, both schools lacked the alignment of leadership Napier enjoyed at Louisiana and desired at his next stop. ). Managing Floridas much larger recruiting budget and salary pool shouldnt feel too big either, considering how Napier built a cadre of quality control staffers and analysts at UL that dwarfed its counterparts. Nice full-page letter from new head football coach Billy Napier in last Sundays Sun. Napier said player proximity was one of the reasons why the Florida gig is one of the elite in college football. Message boards were set ablaze when Florida didnt immediately shoot to the top of the recruiting boards under the former Louisiana-Lafayette coach. He gave such a compelling reason as to why these things are going to help make the Gators better, Stricklin said. That comfort level is staff wide. Billy Napier teaching Florida fans a valuable lesson in patience "I think what you're seeing here is the Gators aren't going away on the recruiting trail, Napier said. "He's got a 36 (inch) arm," Napier said. He feels he landed a frontman who can remedy the Gators deficiencies, a coach who will be respected inside the program and out. Napiers tenure under Saban was enlightening. Patience is a virtue, a virtue Napier is quickly teaching Florida fans. It will pay athletes to work with charities such as the Ronald McDonald House of North Central Florida, Habitat for Humanity of Alachua County and the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank. Floridas Billy Napier: Whomever Drafts QB Richardson Is Getting a Florida Victorious took over as the school's exclusive NIL arm last week, absorbing the Gator Collective and Gator Guard three months after Jaden Rashada's botched NIL deal (worth a reported $13.8 million) led to the five-star quarterback asking out of his Letter of Intent with UF. He thought, OK, this is not going to work out here, so where is the best place for me to learn and try to get better? He talked his way in there with Saban, and most people who have done that have picked up on the good parts.. Florida head coach Billy Napier: 'Theres not been many "If we're going to do NIL at the University of Florida, let's do it with class, and let's do it in a way that has checks and balances, that's NCAA approved, that's state-law approved, with people with great integrity and a good heart and that's what I would say about this group.". Theres zero doubt that some guys are going to bounce out of here once he starts putting in the Napier Way., The new coach made a pledge: We will have elite toughness here. [My father] could tell that it was getting to meIts killing me. Gainesville, Florida Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs), (You must log in or sign up to reply here. Stricklin responded by saying he believed it was Costa's vision to support every Florida student-athlete when it's fully funded. The reset involved asking to join Sabans support staff at Alabama as an analyst. Wouldnt be standing up here without herso when you see me, just remember: thats the real boss, okay? Napier, on his wife of 14 years. He has instilled that, and theyre really disciplined. The election is only a few months away. In fact, a lot of times it looks downright terrifying dust everywhere, sheets all over the place it doesnt look like it can ever be livable. Florida football could end up with two players picked in tonight's first round of the NFL Draft -- quarterback Anthony Richardson and offensive lineman Pictures: Gators introduce new football coach Billy Napier No denying Anthony Richardsons stardom after Florida Gators Why didn't they make it a federal law then? The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It was unbelievable.. The lone Power 5 conference title from the group of coaches was Malzahns SEC champion in 2013, which required Kick Six magic to accomplish. He started laughing.. Hes going to have to do in one week what other coaches did in two weeks in terms of home visits.. Florida football coach Billy Napier makes overdue trip to Clay County Later in the call, Costa pointed out that Florida Victorious is already supporting athletes from five different UF women's programs and that donors can earmark specific contributions for women's sports programs on the association's website. Translation: The Gators can buy athletes with the best of them! 3. Billy Napier The photo included his late father, who coached 19 high school football players that went on to play college ball. Florida hires Billy Napier as head football coach than-life figure from Chatsworth, Billy Napier A guy that was by the books, he didnt sugar coat anything. Napiers dad, Bill, a longtime high school coach in north Georgia, brought his team to Furman each summer and his seventh-grade son wasnt going to be left behind. Billy Napier's football army is taking shape at Florida Gators Rileys behind-the-scenes dealings with USC clearly were more advanced than he lets on, and a bidding war against LSU for Kelly might have only resulted in costing Florida its chance at Napier. He hosts the weekly sports podcast and has worked on staff for five semesters. Sometimes you have to force it or teach someone to do it, but not Billy.. After conquering the hard part learning all the names Lamb witnessed Napiers process for delegating duties and motivating staffers to attack their assignments. He was Billy has been pretty wise at waiting for the right job to come and hasnt just jumped at anything. We couldve taken our time and gone to interview five or six people, Stricklin said. footballmail@gators.ufl.edu. Napier threw two interceptions in the national championship game when the Paladins lost 13-6 to top-seeded Montana. Less than seven months into his tenure as head coach of the Florida Gators, Billy Napier penned an open letter to Gator nation. Napier says Richardson received feedback from 10 teams that viewed him as a first-round pick. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Its also his personality that shines through letting the mommas and daddies know that he will be there for their sons. After taking a few more questions, Eric Cavanaugh of the FGTC wrapped up the event by presenting Coach Napier with a check. Offensive guard OCyrus Torrence became the third Gator drafted in the 2023 National Football League Draft Thursday. That was the case with Floridas highest rated prospect from the 2022 class, Kamari Wilson and his family. John Raoux/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. Classic coachs son. "The more people we can get engaged helping our athletes, the better the experience those athletes will have with NIL and it's going to give the University of Florida a huge leg up on the people that we go out there and ask our young people to compete with, compete against on a regular basis.". The staffs want the families to feel like their program is the one that will be the best fit not only for the prospect, but the people they love and love them. 0:06. But a messy wedge between the administration, boosters and fans which ultimately nixed defensive coordinator Kevin Steele being promoted as Malzahns replacement served as a red flag. It's part of the fundraising but that is our intent. Theyre going to be okay. Billy Napier - Football Coach - Florida Gators The moral ambiguity is not the historical influence of racism in post-war housing developments and mortgage access. | Swamp Gas Forums Welcome home, fellow Gator. Were going to hire an army of people here, he said. Florida QB Anthony Richardson brings 'generational talent' to 2023 Billy Napier muss die Scherben aufsammeln, nachdem Dan Mullen das Fuballprogramm in Florida verlassen hat Ruinen.. Es mag ein Anbruch eines neuen Tages in Gainesville sein, aber das heit nicht, dass es fr einen Billy Napier einfach sein wird, ein unterdrcktes Fuballprogramm in Florida zu bernehmen. The Gator Nation's oldest and most active Offensive guard OCyrus Torrence became the third Gator drafted in the 2023 National Football League Draft Thursday. Florida fans wanted results now. Things started off great when Florida upset No. The super-athletic Witt converted from tight end to tackle in the middle of a game in 2021, and only started playing college football two years ago. Billy Napier's Family--Acclimated To Gainesville and Florida Life? 2/27/2023. The Colts continued to draft players with high-end athletic traits on the final day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Because he wont change who he is, Sorrells said. Napier has preached to his players, to the fans, and to the media about the closeness of his program. But that does not mean single-family zoning should be eliminated in Gainesville. You can tell that he has worked all those contingency plans for different situations, so theyre ready for anything that happens, one said. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images. He talked briefly about some of the opportunities hes attempting to create for players off the field. Find your dream seats at our Select-A-Seat event taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium on May 6! Less than 24 hours after winning a Sun Belt title at Louisiana, he took the first step toward plotting a winner at Florida, where the conference championship drought spans 13 years. The 20-play, 90-yard drive that consumed the final 10:26 of a 28-27 win at Arkansas State on Oct. 21. I encourage the use of sunscreen and wide-brim hats along with seeking shade as often as possible. Shes incredible. Billy Napiers goal: Build the best football program in the SEC She works as a host & Edutainer at ITProTV, and as a student producer, writer, voice, & sports coordinator for ESPN Gainesville. Four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney committed to Florida State a half hour after leaving his visit to Gainesville. Hull rushed for 2,417 yards in four seasons at Northwestern. The Gainesville Sun 0:05 0:24 In the latest jobs report, the Labor Department reported the nations unemployment rate had dipped to a pandemic-era low of 3.9%. An NFL source told The Athletic on Thanksgiving Day that Lane Kiffin would accept the Florida job following that nights Egg Bowl. Hes hired more staff than anywhere in the country and he utilizes the staff numbers to make sure the needs of the current players are taken care of. Spring impressionsFlorida football: 3 quick takeaways from Gators' first spring practice in rainy Gainesville. I know that this is a different kind of question or thread title but it's been on my mind for weeks regarding Billy's family his wife, Ali and there three children. The new collective sponsored UF's spring game last week. So I was able to observe all the different areas of that organization and how they worked.. He took a calculated risk and look at him now hes about to be the guy at Florida, so he knew what he was doing., (Top photo: Courtesy of UAA Communications). If I can have the opportunity to run your program, I wont talk to anybody else, well shut it down, and well come to Gainesville.. Following a Friday night game, Coach Napier sent Rainey and a fellow assistant to scout a possible playoff opponent in Gainesville, Ga., 80 miles away. 158 overall) selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Kamari committed on Wednesday, we left Gainesville that Sunday before that Wednesday. No dead time with people wandering around.. So sad. Hometown Hero: Gators Coach Billy Napier's Debut and Napier knew he was in a good situation at Louisiana and decided to stay for another year. NFL Draft Profile: Florida guard OCyrus Torrence In his recent column, Lauren Poe predicted that Gainesville's population will grow by 60,000 in the next 10 years, which is highly improbable since it took the past 40 years for the city to grow by that amount.