Ascending Gators Ignoring Outside Expectation

The noise around the Florida Gators program heading into the 2025 season is loud, with expectations at their highest since Billy Napier came to Gainesville.

With a Heisman hopeful under center in DJ Lagway, its best rosterin recent years with depth, experience and young talent and a playoff-or-bust stigma developing, Florida has become one of the more attention-grabbing programs in the nation. However, the noise means nothing to the Gators.

“When we talk about expectation, I think the important part is what we expect from each other. I think we've learned that, right?” Napier said Wednesday at Florida's portion of SEC Media Day. “I think it’s not only do you need to block out noise, but it's absolutely necessary that you do it.”

Florida is widely regarded as an ascending team in college football, following a strong finish in 2024. The Gators were picked to finish sixth in this year's SEC Preseason Media Poll, up substantially from their No. 12 projection a season ago. Yet, the confidence from inside the brick walls of Florida’s facilities is what matters to Napier.

“We've gotta have high expectations for each other. We see each other every day. I think this is player to player; it's coach to player, coach to coach, all parts of our organization," Napier said. “I really believe that's when the magic happens, right, is when, you know, you look around that locker room and you trust the people.”

While the Gators' roster is built on youth and development over an increasingly popular transfer portal focus, this trust should come naturally and has been building for some time. 20 of Florida’s 22 projected starters are returning players, with 15 being with the program for two or more seasons. The roster is full of a familiarity that Napier believes will bring wins.

“There's a chemistry that's needed in this game," Napier said. “I think if you look at who's had success over the last couple years, it's veteran teams that have a really good connection."

Additionally, 41 percent of Florida’s projected 2025 starters come from the 2023 recruiting cycle, specifically, including an offensive line expected to be a top 10 unit in the country, with three of its five starters coming from that class. The group, now in their third year on campus together, should bring a chemistry that the Gators’ staff feel is critical for success.

With the nation's attention, high expectations from both inside and outside the program and a roster that Napier can finally call his own, all that is left is to prove it when the ball is spotted.

“I think that it's about execution. You talk about our schedule…I firmly believe that that'll be earned in the fall,” Napier said. “We can talk a lot about potential for the next 40 days, but we'll play the games in the fall.”

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