Former Gators QB, TV Star Confident in Team Heading into 2025 Season

The Florida Gators head into the 2025 season with plenty of optimism surrounding the program, including a vote of confidence from Former Florida quarterback and TV personality Jesse Palmer.

While joining David Pollack’s podcast, the former Gators captain spoke about his shared confidence in Napier and Florida heading into the year. Without mentioning names, Palmer explained how there is conviction spread amongst many Gators alumni.

“The confidence in the locker room but also just amongst the alumni…I think we feel really good about it,” Palmer said. “The nucleus looks pretty good for next year.”

Despite being in the booth while Florida fans booed Billy Napier out of the Swamp after a week three loss vs Texas A&M, as well as calling the week one disaster against Miami and blowout at Texas, Palmer knows just how important the four game win streak the Gators have heading into next season can be.

“It’s amazing how winning just one or two games changes their recruiting landscape…their portal…how the roster looks like,” Palmer said. “I think people were afraid if they fired Napier, they would lose… some of these really good true freshman players.”

With how important Florida’s final four victories on the season were towards Billy Napier saving his job, it feels somewhat overlooked at how important they went towards player retention as well. In the wildness that is the portal, Florida spent a lot of their time this offseason working to retain what they have.

Florida lost only four total players who played over 200 snaps last season and only one player who was likely to be slated for a starting role next year, cornerback Jakeem Jackson. This compares to a season prior where the Gators lost 11 total players who played over 200 snaps, including two of their best in Trevor Etienne and Princely Umanmielen.

On top of retention, Palmer mentions the Gators culture as a positive under Napier.

“Every coach tries to build that(culture)...one thing we were constantly hearing about Napier is that there was a buy-in and people were believing.” Palmer said, “And then you could see it getting better…the win against Kentucky, Playing Georgia close, to comeback and beat Ole Miss, LSU, FSU.”

While it is clear Florida seems headed in the right direction, a big year would mean overcoming a serious schedule. Palmer mentioned how Florida will play almost the same schedule as last year, which was ranked sixth toughest in the FBS, yet it could be getting harder. Their schedule this year was recently ranked third most difficult in the nation by 247’s Brad Crawford, with seven of their 12 opponents projected to be ranked.

“The schedule is still brutal,” Palmer said. “But the SEC also looks a lot different with guys like Milroe leaving and Jaxon Dart leaving and all those different players.”

For now, Florida will have to continue the momentum and hope to sustain their late-season success, yet it is safe to say the Swamp will see plenty of excited fans heading into the new year.

“There is way more excitement in Gainesville and around the program than there was a year ago,” Palmer said. “No question.”