Billy Napier on physicality Florida showed vs. Texas: ‘That’s who we have to be’

Amid a three-game losing streak in September, the pressure surrounding Billy Napier and the Florida Gators was immense. The noise around the program had grown louder with every setback, and questions about his leadership were mounting.

But on Saturday, Napier’s team answered in a big way. Florida delivered a statement 29-21 upset victory over the Texas Longhorns at home. It was the kind of win that reestablishes belief inside the locker room and among the fanbase.

The season had started on the wrong foot, and Napier has never shied away from acknowledging that. Still, against Texas, Florida showed what they could be — a team built on physicality, execution and balance that had been missing in 2025. For Napier, it was more than a win — it was a glimpse of what his program is supposed to look like.

“I think that’s who we have to be to win here,” Napier told the media. “You know, if you’re gonna win in this league, you’ve got to be built in the trenches to go toe to toe. And we’ve been doing that on defense to some degree.

“Thought we did it consistently today to hold them to two yards of rush, you know. And I think we rushed the ball 37 times, and DJ — I don’t think DJ ran it, right? So no quarterback involved there. So yeah, that’s the recipe that’s worked for us in the past. We played to that formula today, and it worked for us.

“Our teams look like that when they’re playing at their highest level. You know, eight years as a head coach — that’s complementary ball. That’s what it should look like.”

All in all, Napier’s philosophy was on full display. Florida’s defense dominated the line of scrimmage, holding Texas to just 2.0 yards per rush on the ground, while the offense leaned on a solid run game and fantastic execution from quarterback DJ Lagway.

After scoring only seven points in a loss to Miami and just 10 the week before against LSU, the Gators’ 29-point outburst, while averaging 7.0 yards per play, marked a major step forward.

The victory snapped Florida’s three-game skid and provided a much-needed spark. Napier understands the stakes remain high, but he sees Saturday’s performance as a foundation to build on. Next up, Florida travels to Texas A&M — a chance to prove the Texas win wasn’t an anomaly, but the start of a turnaround for the Gators.

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this article.