Billy Napier explains why it was important for him to pen letter to fans

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•06/28/22•

ZachAbolverdi

Billy Napier penned a 569-word open letter to Gator Nation last Friday. The gesture was meant to thank fans for their enthusiasm and support they showed during the spring speaking tour and throughout his first offseason as Florida’s head football coach.

Unfortunately for Napier, the fan base took it the wrong way. His letter had been planned in advance, but the timing and tone did not sit well with some fans after a turbulent week on the trail.

Many perceived Napier’s letter as a response to recruiting, despite him only broaching the subject once. He focused more on the season ahead, his mission statement and his plans for NIL and GatorMade.

RELATED: Billy Napier addresses the state of UF recruiting and his 2023 bump class

During his interview Monday with Hays Carlyon of 1010XL, Napier discussed why it was important for him to write a letter addressing Gator Nation.

“I think it’s that time of the year, you know. As we prepare for the season, we’re six months into the job. Couldn’t be more thankful for Gator Nation and how they’ve embraced our staff, our families. We’ve hired phenomenal people hire. We’ve hired a great group of people inside the organization that are taking tremendous pride in their role and working extremely hard; players being at the core of that, right? I’m so proud of guys and they continue to impress me with their work ethic,” Napier said.

According to the players, Napier and his staff won them over this offseason with better culture, structure and resources. But judging by the online response to his letter, Napier is already under fire from some fans who want immediate results in recruiting before he’s coached a game.

As he tweeted Monday night, Napier won’t back down from the pressure or expectations at UF.

“I think the people inside the building, we’re all thankful to be at the University of Florida. We understand the expectations,” Napier said. “We take great pride in representing all the people that came before us, and we look forward to the challenges. I think a lot of people talk about pressure. To me, I see opportunity. This is an incredible place, and we have such a great product to sell. As we move forward, we’re going to continue to improve. We’re going to focus on the things that will help us improve, and that’s where we’re at as a program right now.”

Sharrif Floyd on Napier

One of the positive quote tweets to Napier’s letter came from former Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, who is back in school and helping the team as a student assistant.

Floyd began his role under the previous staff and has seen the football program evolve this offseason under Napier. He also experienced a coaching change at UF as a player, going from Urban Meyer to Will Muschamp.

Floyd took to Twitter last Saturday on behalf of Napier.

“Gator Nation @coach_bnapier is building a championship level program over here! Be patient and trust the process! We want the right guys who will play and live up to our Gator standards and represent that logo like a Champ in everything they do!”

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