By Mike Huesmann
This one feels inevitable. Billy Napier‘s slim chances to save his job appear to be gone. It was always unlikely to mount a successful season against that gauntlet of a schedule. I’m not here to talk about how that could’ve happened or if there is salvation, I’m here to talk about the next guy and who it could be. I’ll break it down into five strong candidates, some old and some new. This is an update of an article we published two weeks ago. On this list, we keep three names, but replace James Franklin and Fran Brown.
Billy Napier's days appear to be numbered. Who will Florida hire as their next head coach? I dive into 10 guys here for @mfarrellsports. Who do the Gator faithful want? @Thirdand_Gators @LockedOnGators @nederveldcfb https://t.co/Ct1Xx8q0bq
— Mike Huesmann (@HuesmannCFB) September 15, 2024
Lane Kiffin
Head Coach, Ole Miss
If there is a current coach with the attitude and persona of the Old Ball Coach, it’s Kiffin. He’s barely put a foot wrong since being at Ole Miss. His team, and this is a pattern we will see, is far better than Florida now, but the Gators are still probably a bigger job with a higher ceiling. Doubters will point to the Alabama job and say he didn’t leave last year, I don’t think he was offered that one. He will at least listen and have his agent field calls.
Lane Kiffin blasts Hugh Freeze: He'll try to steal The Grove NIL staff 'like he's tried all of our coaches'
(h/t @SpiritBen) https://t.co/K7sH3ryibc pic.twitter.com/sCqC9KOyUD
— On3 (@On3sports) September 25, 2024
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Eli Drinkwitz
Head Coach, Missouri
Another SEC head coach. Drinkwitz did a good job at Appalachian State and now has done great at Mizzou. His team is far better than Florida right now, but Mizzou still isn’t as big of a job. I have to believe he’s near the top of this list when calls start being made.
Coach Eliah Drinkwitz was looking forward to binging some CFB all day Saturday during the @MizzouFootball bye week…then he checked in with his Director of Family Operations pic.twitter.com/HnPYrm08Df
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) September 25, 2024
Jedd Fisch
Head Coach, Washington
A former Gator assistant under Steve Spurrier, does he want to come back to Gainesville? If he was coming from Arizona I’d say it’s a lock but being in year one at Washington complicates things. Leaving so soon is not something some guys want to do. His brand of football, building from the trenches, may be what the Gators need.
Washington will fly 2,400 miles east this week to play Rutgers in its first road game of the season. For coach Jedd Fisch, it's a chance to educate his team on the process of a road trip. https://t.co/MXBMImJKeZ
— Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) September 25, 2024
Jamey Chadwell
Head Coach, Liberty
Jamey Chadwell is a fantastic coach who should already be a P4 head coach. His success at the FCS level, Coastal Carolina, and Liberty is unimpeachable. He is one of the best X’s and O’s guys in the game. That being said, I don’t know if he’ll be the guy. I’d love the hire for Florida, and anyone, but I do not believe Florida hires a G5 head coach again. We don’t see teams repeat the mistake hire they recently made, and that is what this would be.
Jamey Chadwell and Liberty are aiming for their 18th consecutive win in the regular season https://t.co/DMl928bNFR
— Athlon Sports (@AthlonSports) September 26, 2024
Glenn Schumann
Defensive Coordinator /Inside Linebacker’s, Georgia
Another coach from the Saban/Smart tree. He was a student assistant and graduate assistant for the Tide before going to UGA with Kirby Smart. Schumann has won 6 national titles as an assistant, 4 with the Tide and the last 2 with Georgia. Schumann has continually climbed the ladder and looks to get the chance to be a head coach sometime soon. I don’t know if Florida will require head coaching experience, if I was them I would, but Schumann could be a guy they look at here. He checks most of the boxes they’ll want.
Glenn Schumann on how he goes about game planning for a variety of offense pic.twitter.com/WcaWCypqpZ
— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) August 8, 2023