Billy Napier Shares Plan for Florida Gators Coaching Responsibilities
Over the next few days, Billy Napier will begin constructing his coaching staff for the Florida Gators.
Reportedly, that process has already begun, as FootballScoop shared on Sunday that Napier intends to bring two assistants from Louisiana to Gainesville: Ragin Cajuns' defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach Patrick Toney and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic added to the report on Monday, sharing that Toney would assume the role of co-defensive coordinator at UF.
Napier wouldn't rush to confirm the original report when he was introduced to local media on Sunday, but he didn't exactly deny the exposition either.
"There'll be a plan for that in terms of releasing the new hires. And then I'll comment specifically about each one of those individual people," Napier said. "But, I think you're onto something, that's all I'll say."
In addition, Napier reportedly will not retain current Gators cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar and quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee.
Whether the Louisiana assistants join Napier's staff or not, his first task as the Gators' head coach is to assemble a quality group of coaches before fully diving in on recruiting responsibilities ahead of the December early signing period and February's national signing day.
"I firmly believe that hiring talented people with integrity in an organization decides how far we go," Napier said.
Napier will certainly have the resources required to surround himself with an elite staff, one that he said will be "unprecedented," as Florida has allotted a $7.5 million budget for hiring assistant coaches, compared to Dan Mullen's $6.1 million pool this past season.
The enhanced budget for a coaching staff was an integral part of Napier's negotiations with UF athletic director Scott Stricklin, as well as additional resources in order to build the program the way he envisions it.
"I think in today's era, in this college football dynamic that we compete in, it's truly an organization. We're talking about a very specific plan and all these different areas that affect your ability to compete," Napier said. "And in this league, you know, the proof's in the pudding. I think the two that played for the championship game [Georgia and Alabama on Saturday], there's evidence relative to the way that they've created their organization.
"So we're going to increase the manpower, if that makes sense. We're going to create very specific plans in personnel, recruiting, development, nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports science, the training room, Name, Image and Likeness, our journey program which we're going to create from the ground up.
"We've got a very specific plan here. Their willingness to create those resources and put the finances that need to be in place to do that. So that combined with the salary pool, they were willing to do what we wanted to do. Can't compliment them enough for that."
Along with his duties as the CEO of Gators football, Napier will have a role alongside the assistants in preparing Florida to play games. Napier expressed his desire to call plays offensively for UF, and added that he will also develop quarterbacks with an analyst assistant.
As a result, UF will employ two offensive line coaches, a unique approach compared to previous regimes.
"I think it gives us an advantage, in my opinion. We're one of the only teams in the entire country to have two offensive line coaches," Napier said. "We will construct our staff on both sides of the ball and put a premium on the line of scrimmage -- the offensive line, the defensive line. The edge players will be very important.
"Certainly, when you're coaching offensive line, you've got to coach five players," he continued. "Nobody's got one coach coaching five [defensive backs]. I don't know why you wouldn't have two guys coaching the offensive line. I'll coach the quarterbacks with the help from an offensive analyst and call the plays. And we'll have the advantage of having two offensive line coaches."
Expect the staff to begin coming together in the very near future, with dominoes already beginning to fall when it comes to current staff retention and reports of Louisiana coaches joining Napier starting to surface.
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