Rece Davis Names Major College Football Head Coach He Thought Was ‘Done’

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 1:04 PM ET

The pressure cooker in Gainesville cooled down, but only slightly. Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier enters the 2025 season still walking a fine line between revival and replacement.

After a brutal start in 2024, when the Gators lost two of their first three games, home losses to the Miami Hurricanes and Texas A&M Aggies, many believed Napier’s time was coming to an end.

One of them was ESPN’s Rece Davis. During a recent episode of his "College GameDay Podcast," Davis admitted he thought Napier was done after the Miami loss. But the fight Florida showed late in the season during a four-game winning streak gave Davis and Florida leadership reason to hold off on making a change.

Florida’s Championship Past Makes the Job Harder

Davis pointed to the heightened expectations in Gainesville as a unique burden. Florida is a program used to national relevance. Under Steve Spurrier, the Gators became an offensive powerhouse in the 1990s, claiming a national title in 1996.

Urban Meyer raised the standard even higher with two national championships in three years from 2006 to 2008.

That legacy casts a long shadow over any modern coach. Fans who lived through the glory days of Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow are not interested in rebuilding timelines.

As Davis put it, “Florida fans are used to winning.” So when the Gators stumbled through another rocky start in 2024, it looked like Napier’s time was up.

But Florida didn’t quit. Davis highlighted the fight and cohesion he saw from the team, even in the face of mounting losses. He praised Napier’s ability to keep the locker room unified, something not often seen in today’s transfer-heavy college football environment.

DJ Lagway’s Health Could Make or Break Florida’s Season

Davis emphasized that the key to any Florida resurgence in 2025 hinges on quarterback DJ Lagway. The rising sophomore showed flashes of brilliance last season before injuries began to derail his progress.

Lagway went down against the Georgia Bulldogs after helping the Gators go blow-for-blow in the first half. He also dealt with shoulder problems and a calf injury that put him in a walking boot during the early part of fall camp.

Florida expects Lagway to be ready for the season opener, but durability is a major concern. If Lagway stays on the field and continues to develop, Davis believes the Gators have enough surrounding talent to pull off a surprise run in the SEC.

Napier is not out of the woods, but with a healthy quarterback and a competitive locker room behind him, the Florida rebuild may still have life.

The Gators open at home against the Long Island Sharks at 7 p.m. ET Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: