ATLANTA -- For the third time in Florida's past four head football coach hires, the Gators have turned to a former Nick Saban assistant.
Billy Napier, 40-12 at Louisiana-Lafayette the previous four seasons, is the latest Florida coach who was previously an assistant for Saban at Alabama or LSU.
Florida and Napier are hoping things work out better this time.
Previous Saban assistants who didn't last longer than four seasons at Florida were Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain, though they had some success.
Muschamp, now Georgia's co-defensive coordinator, led Florida to an 11-2 record in 2012, but his 28-21 overall record led to his firing.
Jim McElwain, now Central Michigan's coach, won back-to-back SEC East titles in 2015-16. But Alabama beat the Gators 29-15 and 54-16 in the SEC Championship Game, and he was fired late in 2017 with Florida at 3-5.
Dan Mullen, a former Florida offensive coordinator who led Mississippi State to eight consecutive bowl games, returned to Gainesville to replace McElwain and the Gators were 29-9 from 2018-20.
Things went bad quickly for Mullen last season and he was fired after a 2-6 start. He's taking a break from coaching.
So what makes Napier think he can be like Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer -- who won SEC and national titles at Florida -- and not be the next guy who doesn't last to the final game of his fourth season?
"I think timing is important in every job," Napier said last week at SEC Media Days. "These are big decisions and a lot goes into the research leading up to those decisions.
"I have been impressed with the leadership at Florida in terms of their awareness, what's required to be competitive at this level, their investment in [facilities]. They were committed to our vision and our plan."
Napier, Alabama's receivers coach from 2013-17 and Arizona State's offensive coordinator in 2018, is emulating Saban's approach by putting together a massive support staff. He has expanded Florida's staff by 20% for a total of more than 60.
"Coach Napier brought an army with him," Gators senior linebacker Ventrell Miller said. "He's got everybody in place to help us win."
Florida has the financial resources for Napier to assemble a Saban-like army that Louisiana-Lafayette couldn't match.
"We've modernized the approach," Napier said.
Sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson said Napier's confidence is unmatched and he has good people skills.
"He puts people before himself, and I really respect that because I try to do the same thing," Richardson said. "His confidence is the main thing that has rubbed off on all of us."
Napier already endeared himself to the Gators through some decisions that didn't involve Xs and Os or practice schedules.
"I feel like it's been a smooth transition, because when Coach Napier first came in, he took care of some problems we'd been having real quick," Miller said. "That made it easier for guys to trust him."
Problems?
"The two main things were parking and food," Miller said.
Those problems have now been fixed, Miller said, especially better food and a wider variety of selections.
"Coach Napier is definitely a players' coach," offensive tackle Richard Gouraige said. "He was very receptive to improving things for us when we asked him.
"If there's something that needs to be fixed, he gets it corrected. He's made a high priority of whatever the team needs, he's definitely going to make sure that it gets done."
Among the Gators' needs on the field are a big season from Richardson.
"He's got some good feet. That man can run for sure," Gouraige said. "He can throw the ball, and he can use his legs when he needs to do that, too. He's just very versatile."
Miller said Richardson, 6-4 and 232 pounds, will be fun to watch.
"He's a big athlete that can really do it all," Miller said. "I'm excited to see what he does this year. There's going to be some special things I think he's going to do.
"He's made good plays throughout the spring and summer. He's taking that next step."
Richardson played in eight games last season and completed 38 of 64 passes for 529 yards and 6 touchdowns with 5 interceptions and rushed 58 times for 401 yards and 3 touchdowns.
"As far as Anthony Richardson is concerned, I've been impressed," Napier said. "I think he's remained humble. He's got a little bit of an edge. I think he wants to prove himself.
"He's still a relatively inexperienced player. ... He has tremendous ability. He's working hard to develop, improve as a person, as a leader. He's working hard to increase his football IQ. I think he's primed to have a phenomenal year.
"But we've got a lot of work to do. I told him I can still remember in the spring game, I could see he had some urgency about him. I told him, 'It's important, this energy that you feel right now. You've got to bring that and channel that energy between now and the next opportunity in the stadium.' "
The Gators open at home against Utah, then get into SEC play against Kentucky and Tennessee in two of the next three games.
A strong start will help Florida try to close the gap in the SEC East on defending national champion Georgia after the Gators were 2-6 in conference play last season.
"I like our football team," Napier said. "I like how they've embraced the work.
"I think they love to compete. I think they're tough. I think we do have a little bit of an edge. I think there's a sense that there's respect to be earned.
"Year one, new staff, new place, new group of players, new roster, I mean, we're a work in progress. I would tell you this: Every team in the country's got its own set of issues and problems, right? We're all working through that. That's exactly where we're at."
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NoneGators at a glance
2022 Schedule
All times Central
DATEOPPONENTTIME/TV
Sept. 3Utah6 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 10Kentucky*6 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 17S. Florida6:30 p.m. (SECN)
Sept. 24at Tennessee*TBA
Oct. 1Eastern Washington11 a.m.
Oct. 8Missouri*TBA
Oct 15LSU*TBA
Oct. 15 vs. Georgia*^3:30 p.m.
Nov. 5 at Texas A&M*TBA
Nov. 12 South Carolina*TBA
Nov. 19 at Vanderbilt*TBA
Nov. 24 at Florida State6:30 p.m.
*SEC game
^at Jacksonville, Fla.
LAST SEASON 6–7, 2-6 (sixth SEC West)
COACH Billy Napier (first season at Florida, 40-12 in 4th season overall)
RETURNING STARTERS Offense 6, Defense 8
KEY PLAYERS QB Anthony Richardson, WR Justin Shorter, OT Richard Gouraige, LB Ventrell Miller, LB Brenton Cox, CB Jason Marshall
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR Rob Sale (first season)
DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS Patrick Toney and Sean Spicer (first season)
SEC EAST TITLE SCENARIO
There is talent on both sides of the ball — this is Florida after all — but the Gators have work to do to catch up with defending national champion Georgia. A realistic goal in Napier’s first season is a winning SEC record and finishing ahead of Kentucky and Tennessee.