Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier took the podium Wednesday in Nashville, Tennesse, at the 2023 SEC Media Days event as he looks to improve upon a 6-7 first season in Gainesville heading into year two. Napier discussed several topics surrounding his team, but three key topics he discussed stood out.
Napier comments on the Gators QB Situation
Florida HC Billy Napier – George Walker IV/AP
The question that looms large regarding the Gators going into the 2023 season will be how they replace last year’s starting QB, Anthony Richardson, who was drafted 4th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Gators landed former Wisconsin Badgers starting QB Graham Mertz out of the transfer portal last December to compete with QB Jack Miller for the starting job.
Napier discussed each player, particularly pointing to how the competition has improved and motivated both of them.
When discussing Mertz, Napier said, “Graham’s an accomplished player, but more importantly, I’ve been impressed with the person, the leader. This guy has an incredible motor and work ethic. He is in the building, and he is fanatical about his preparation.”
Napier talked about how the QB competition has influenced Miller. “I think it has caused Jack to respond. Jack’s had an incredible offseason, and he’s in position for a great camp….”
Napier also mentioned redshirt freshman QB Max Brown, who also plays baseball at Florida, as another player in the QB competition.
“We’ve been really pleased with a young player Max Brown. He’s had a good Summer. He’s impressed the staff. He’s impressed his teammates.”
Florida QB Graham Mertz (15) – AP Photo/John Raoux
As far as placing a timeline on when a potential decision will be made on a starting QB, Napier said, “It’ll go into training camp and we’ll make a decision when we see fit for the team.”
Billy Napier talks NIL and Florida Victorious
One of the hottest topics in college football is name, image, and likeness from both a state and federal level. Napier spoke about how much he’s learned about NIL and how it continues to evolve.
“We’ve learned a lot. I think every head coach would tell you that. We kinda walked into an unprecedented time in college football and there was no manual for it and listen, this thing continues to change. There’s a number of variables that contribute to that, but I can tell you at the University of Florida, I’m very pleased with where we’re at.”
The University of Florida works with a NIL collective, Florida Victorious, which Napier commended for how much it has impacted Florida’s student-athletes.
“We’ve benefited from a group called Florida Victorious, who has great leadership. I think the state laws have allowed us to go down a better path. I think we are benefitting from that. We’ve got great leadership… we’re in a state with 22 million people. There’s strength in numbers relative to NIL and I think we’ve created some great oppurtunities through this organization that is doing NIL, I think, with class and integrity.”
The Future of the Florida-Georgia Game
Scoreboard at TIAA Bank Field – MikeEhrmann/Getty Images
A big topic of discussion this Summer in both Gainesville and Athens has been the future of the Florida-Georgia game. The SEC is adding both the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns from the BIG 12 conference on July 1st, 2024, resulting in the current divisional format being temporarily done away with for 2024. The realignment placed the future of the Florida-Georgia game in doubt beyond 2023, but clarity was provided to the situation back on May 24th when the University of Florida and the University of Georgia announced that they were exercising their contract options for 2024 and 2025 to have the game be played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
That being said, the Jacksonville Jaguars submitted plans to completely renovate TIAA Bank Field and the surrounding area on June 7th which could potentially put the future playing sight of the game after 2025 in question.
Napier was asked about the Florida-Georgia game going to a potential home-and-home format in the future, to which he said, “There’s a ton of economical implications relative to these decisions. We’re going to have to cross that bridge at some point due to the renovations in Jacksonville, but there’s a benefit to a home-and-home from a recruiting perspective and I think there’s also a benefit from an economic standpoint for both athletics departments and institutions.”
For now, though, Napier said, “I’ve got enough grass to mow right now, so I’m going to focus on the things in front of me.”
