Billy Napier addresses Steve Spurrier's involvement, hiring son to Florida staff

This offseason, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier made an addition to the offensive staff that caught plenty of people’s attention in Gainesville. He hired Steve Spurrier Jr. as an offensive analyst.

The son of legendary Florida coach Steve Spurrier, there were some who wondered if the relationship led to him landing with the Gators. At SEC Media Days, Billy Napier addressed that, both praising Spurrier Jr. and his father, and how they can help the program.

“Yeah, Steve’s been a great addition to the staff,” Billy Napier said. “Steve’s an accomplished coach. He has great experience in the SEC and the NFL. He’s coached some great players. I think he’s got a good understanding of the DNA of the University of Florida.”

Steve Spurrier Jr. was a wide receiver at Duke during his playing career. He then quickly followed his father to Florida and became a GA for the Gators in 1994. From there, he’s bounced around as an assistant coach. That’s included both in the NFL and college, and working for his father at times, and as his co-offensive coordinator at South Carolina. However, since his father retired, he’s bounced between five different schools.

Billy Napier didn’t share if Steve Spurrier played any role in that decision to bring in Steve Spurrier Jr. However, he did emphasize that he likes to keep the legendary coach around the program. After all, he is someone who wants the school to succeed and can offer advice to players when need be.

“Obviously, Coach Spurrier has been around. What an incredible resource. The Head Ball Coach. To be able to greet recruits and speak to recruits on the official visit. To get a phone call from him on Sunday morning with some wisdom and insight, and some comments on the game. That’s one of the things that makes our place special. There’s been some of the all-time greats,” Napier said. “The most iconic coaches in all of sports have been at the University of Florida. A guy that played, coached. So, he cares deeply for the place, and he wants the football program to have success. So, it’s always great to have him around.”

Officially, Steve Spurrier Jr. is going to be an analyst with the Florida offense. That role can have several different meanings and the day-to-day can vary depending on the school. Regardless, he does offer Florida experience, both in the form of someone who knows the program and someone with decades of experience coaching offenses.