Word on the street is that Billy Napier's job at Florida is on a one-way super highway to termination, regardless of what may happen on the field for the rest of the way.
Boosters and those in power at the University of Florida's athletic department are tired of losing football games, and the man at the top seems to be first up on the chopping block after seeing just one winning season since his hiring in 2021.
The Gators, after opening the year ranked in the preseason AP Poll, have plummeted to a 2-4 standing, and unfortunately, not even a win against Texas was enough to buy Napier some time, as he could be fired as soon as this weekend.
Mid-season coaching changes are all the rage this season -- you don't need to be filled in on what's been going on all year across the nation -- but when a team cuts off its own head, the question becomes where the hydra will sprout a new one. Translation: who will be Florida's next official head coach if Napier is out the door by Sunday?
Here are three quick-fix head coaches the Gators could Band-Aid on in Napier's absence.
1. Jabbar Juluke
Juluke is the Gators' current associate head coach and running backs coach. If the goal is to tread water before changing direction, he'd be a natural fit within the program. He knows the system, he understands the culture, and with the transfer portal opening upon the firing of a head coach, keeping a familiar face around could minimize an inevitable exodus.
However, Juluke's standing with the program is on thin ice, as he was served a three-game suspension following an altercation prior to the LSU game. Florida may prefer to clean house.
2. James Franklin
You know, a really good head coach just became available from a team that nearly reached the national championship last season.
James Franklin is the natural name to appear on this list. Penn State made it clear that they were tired of being nearly good enough to win it all by firing their head coach who, by all metrics, was a perfectly capable leader atop of the chain of command. Franklin's buyout stipulates that he must be actively hunting for a new coaching job. An SEC school may soon become available, and they'd likely take a 10-2 season over another 6-7 result.
3. Mike Gundy
Maybe a bit out of nowhere, but Mike Gundy built a highly respected program back at his alma mater in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Would Gundy be interested in building another program? That's uncertain, because a man who's older than 40 now may be happy to ride off into the sunset.
Still, if the Gators would like to build a solid foundation for sustained winning, Gundy could bring a much-needed culture shift.
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