Billy Napier reveals what he learned during his first SEC coaches meeting

The SEC meetings were this week, meaning Florida coach Billy Napier got his first taste of the experience. He seemed to walk away impressed.

All 14 SEC coaches met in Birmingham, Alabama, to get ready for the 2022 football season with commissioner Greg Sankey. Napier he enjoyed hearing from his fellow coaches and gave Sankey credit for organizing the event.

“I though it was great,” Napier told reporters Friday. “Very informative, certainly first one for me. Certainly a lot of things relative to the current dynamic that were discussed. So I thought it was very informative. Sankey’s an absolutely professional and one of the leaders in college football and does a fantastic job.”

Napier is getting ready for his first season in Gainesville after coming from Louisiana. He takes over for Dan Mullen, who was fired prior to the last week of the regular season. He still has work to do for the Gators, who went 6-7 in 2021.

Mike Leach offers reporters hilarious advice at SEC coaches meetings

Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach got a word in with reporters as he walked into Thursday’s SEC coaches meetings. In classic football coach fashion, the Bulldogs headman advised the media to drink more water and stay hydrated as they perch themselves outside of the SEC meetings in Birmingham.

Typically a well-covered event due to the appearance of all 14 SEC coaches, including some new faces, the meeting this year is getting wall-to-wall coverage. The media queued up early to get the first shot of head coach Bryan Harsin following a very turbulent week. The Auburn administration reviewed his future with the program and, after his presence at the coaches meeting sends, decided to retain him as the school’s head football coach.

That’s when Leach gave the media some good advice.

“Drink more water,” he said as he walked in. “Stay hydrated.”

Leach is unlikely to make the big headlines this week, but there’s no telling what the Pirate will do or say next. The group of coaches welcomed two new SEC coaches on Thursday. Florida head coach Billy Napier and new LSU head coach Brian Kelly finally join the elite table.

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher will come face-to-face with Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin for the first time since the two exchanged jabs regarding NIL after signing day. Fisher said he had no problem talking it out with any coaches that have issues.