Saturday night, Oct. 18, Florida football players departed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium full of smiles and off one of the most dramatic wins in recent program history.
After a tumultuous week and with a bye week approaching, the players looked forward to some much-needed time off.
Less than 24 hours later, they piled into the Heavener Football Center on a Sunday afternoon under overcast skies. Inside the facility, their beloved coach said goodbye.
Billy Napier told his players of his firing at a meeting Sunday at 2 p.m. Shortly after, Scott Stricklin officially announced his decision to the world.
Billy Napier’s powerful final message to Florida football
Offensive lineman Jake Slaughter said what Napier told the team will remain private, but it is clear it was an emotional scene.
“It was a powerful message, and we all greatly appreciate Coach Napier and the kind of man he was for us,” Slaughter said.
A redshirt senior, Slaughter was already on the team when Napier arrived in Gainesville. He didn’t know the coach in high school, but he said Napier treated him like one of his recruited players.
“He cared for me more than anything, and he taught us all so much. Just being a good man, being a good ball player, taking care of your guys,” Slaughter said.
The firing left him upset, but he understands it’s a production business. He was on the team when Dan Mullen was fired, and as an 18-year-old, he remembers how veterans like Stewart Reese treated young players like himself.
“(They) really took care of the young guys,” Slaughter said. “Ultimately, it’s about playing ball and taking care of your guys. I feel like that’s something that stuck with me my whole career.”
DJ Lagway has held a special bond with Napier from the beginning. The highest-ranked QB in the Class of 2024, Napier convinced Lagway to come to a middling Gator program, despite offers from every other school in the country.
Gators ready to move on
Lagway said he’s forever grateful for Napier, but he knows it’s time to move on.
“At the end of the day, we still got to continue to get better,” Lagway said. “Me, personally, I got to continue to take each and every day as another day to improve at my craft and I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Sunday afternoon, linebacker Myles Graham posted a picture of him and Napier on social media with the caption “Thank you for everything coach.” He wanted to show how much the coach meant to him.
“He taught me so much. I learned a lot of lessons from him throughout my time here, even when I was a recruit,” Graham said. “I’m really thankful for him.”
The biggest lesson Napier taught Graham was the ability to move forward.
“He tuned out all the bad stuff throughout his whole career, all the negative stuff, and he just kept rolling,” Graham said. “He just kept pushing no matter what, and that was really just significant to me.”
Graham said it helps that Napier’s final message to the team was to finish strong. That makes the process of moving on easier.
“I’m focused on rallying the guys for these last five games and making the most of what’s left,” Graham said
Graham’s father, Earnest Graham, dealt with a coaching change when Ron Zook replaced Steve Spurrier in 2002. Graham said Earnest reminded him to be present and not worry about outside noise on what’s next.
Excitement to play for Billy Gonzales
Slaughter might not have known Napier in high school, but he knew Gonzales. That’s because Gonzales son, Cole, was Trinity Catholic’s quarterback in Slaughter’s senior season. He said that gives him a unique experience with Gonzales that others don’t have.
Gonzales spoke heavily about his love for the “logo.” He’s served under three Gator coaches and proclaimed how much the university means to him. That holds weight with Slaughter.
“The type of guys that he’s been around as coaches, the type of players he’s developed here at the University of Florida. He talked about the logo. Him, Coach Mike P, those are the guys you want to make proud,” Slaughter said. “The guys that get it, the guys that truly care about the place.”
Both Slaughter and Graham emphasized the fire and energy Gonzales has at practice. It shows with his wide receiver room with Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson.
“He (Dallas Wilson) plays like his hair is on fire. He practices like his hair is on fire,” Slaughter said. “Coach Gonzales, he’s fired up. He loves his guys. He expects a lot out of them. You can see that.”
“That room plays tenacious, they play relentless. They get the job done,” Graham said. “I’m excited to play with Coach Gonzales and give it up and give my all for him.”
Napier’s firing brings mass changes to the offense, but the defense will remain intact with defensive coordinator Ron Roberts continuing to call plays. That brings relief to Graham and the unit, which has kept Florida in every game this year.
“We know what to expect. It’s not going to be much different than practicing, and we know what we need to bring every single day to play with football,” Graham said.
The Gators will take the field for the first time without Napier on November 1 vs. rival No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football players discuss Billy Napier’s final goodbye, interim coach Billy Gonzales
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
