Scott Stricklin releases statement on Billy Napier firing, addresses Florida coaching search

After weeks of uncertainty, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin finally pulled the trigger Sunday and fired Billy Napier as the Gators’ head football coach after 3 1/2 seasons in Gainesville. Napier’s tenure comes to an end following Saturday’s 23-21 win over visiting Mississippi State to bring his record at Florida to 22-23 overall and 12-16 in SEC play.

Shortly after On3’s Pete Nakos, Chris Low and Brett McMurphy broke the news of Napier’s ouster Sunday afternoon, Stricklin released a lengthy statement confirming the move, which included naming receivers coach Billy Gonzales as the Gators’ interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season.

“Today I met with Coach Napier and informed him that a change in leadership of our football program would best serve the interests of the University of Florida,” Stricklin wrote in a statement published to the team’s official website. “On behalf of Gator Nation, I want to sincerely thank Billy and his family for their tireless commitment to the Florida Gators. Billy built a tremendous culture of accountability and growth among the young men he led each day. His organized and detailed approach had a meaningful impact across all levels of our program. As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field.

“I have named Billy Gonzales as the interim head coach. Coach Gonzales has been a valued member of our program for many years, including being a part of multiple championship teams. He is a Gator through and through. His deep understanding of our culture, our student-athletes, and what it means to represent the University of Florida makes him well-suited to lead our team.”

Stricklin described the timing of the move, with the Gators entering their Week 9 bye, as an opportunity for the entire team to “regroup, refocus, and prepare for the challenges ahead.” Those challenges begin with Florida’s Week 10 showdown vs. No. 5 Georgia in what was formerly known as “the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” The Bulldogs have won four straight in the series — including all three with Napier as head coach — and seven of the last eight.

“Making this decision during the open date provides our team valuable time to regroup, refocus, and prepare for the challenges ahead. The timing also allows us to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and well-informed search for our next head coach. We remain fully committed to utilizing every resource available to identify the right leader to guide Gators Football into the future,” Stricklin’s statement continued. “I will conduct the search with a high degree of confidentiality to protect the privacy of those involved. The search will focus on the hiring of an elite football coach who will embody the standard we have at the University of Florida, and we will continue to provide all of the necessary resources for that coach, his staff and the players to be successful.”

Stricklin’s statement ends with a commitment to reestablishing Florida as a legitimate SEC and national championship contender, which hasn’t happened to the Gators since Urban Meyer roamed the sideline in Gainesville in the late 2000s.

“The standards and expectations for Gators football are to win championships — not simply to compete. We exist to win, and will not settle for less.  UF has never been more invested in the success of this football program – elite facilities, robust NIL opportunities and comprehensive support for our student athletes and staff – than we are today,” Stricklin’s statement concluded. “The University of Florida is a destination – a place where people come to achieve excellence.  With our resources, passionate fan base, and unwavering commitment, we are determined to return Gators football to championship form.  I understand and accept the responsibility to deliver a football program that reflects the greatness of this university and I thank Gator Nation for their continued support as we begin this next chapter together.”