Is This Billy Napier's Last Stand with the Gators?

Billy Napier has been the constant subject of job security talks, none hotter than this week ahead of Florida's game against Mississippi State.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier could be coaching his last game in the Swamp. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

After a week of intensifying rumors surrounding his job status, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier still has the matter of playing Mississippi State.

While the voices calling for Napier's firing continue to grow in volume, he still coaches the Gators against an MSU team that wants to edge closer to bowl eligibility. Saturday could be Napier's last stand, win or lose.

He spoke about the external noise during Wednesday's media availability.

"Well, it's been a part of the job for a long time. I think anytime you don't get results you wanted at this caliber, this level of competition, you get a couple of years into your tenure, and then all of a sudden, anytime you have a tough performance, there's always going to be a little bit of noise," he said.

The noise amounts to much more than a little.

Social media, message boards and sports talk unite in wanting Napier gone. Is that viewpoint warranted? For starters, a 21-23 record with a team loaded with elite talent up and down the roster does not help his case. Moreover, the way Florida lost these games hurts even more.

Spitting and a meltdown cost them against South Florida.

On top of that, there's the LSU debacle. Aside from DJ Lagway's five interceptions, the team could not score in the second half. The second-half offensive failures continued to mount.

If Florida did not throw behind the sticks on third down (TAMU), the defense could not get a meaningful late stop (LSU, Miami, and TAMU). All of this falls at Napier's feet. He's the one who cashes million-dollar salaries, refusing to relinquish playcalling abilities while the offense collapses around him.

Napier, while taking blame himself, has also emphasized that execution needs to be better. Still, he's the head coach, and that ultimately falls on him

"So it comes with the territory, not only for myself but for the entire organization of the players, right?" Napier said. "So we've dealt with it for a couple years now, you know, and we’ve dealt with it in recruiting. Certainly, when you get to the season, when you don't play well, there's going to be criticism at every level of football, right?"

Granted, the lack of execution also resides with the players, whose sole job on the field is to successfully run the plays that the coach calls. However, are some of the struggles due to not believing in the play calls? Teams will play harder for a system that they truly believe in and buy into.

Has the locker room become weary of Napier's message? Although the answer is yet to be determined, an elite roster that struggles to overcome its own obstacles is telling. A head coach needs to steward the program, integrating the talent into a scheme that fits and maximizes talent.

For example, J. Michael Sturdivant, a highly touted portal addition, caught 12 balls in six games. On top of that, although freshman Vernell Brown III leads the team in receptions (27) and receiving yards (368), he has not scored a touchdown.

Is that play design or not calling on the ones that bring out the best in the freshman?

Napier could walk out onto the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium again. Granted, he would have to wait until Nov. 22 to do so, and he'll have to beat Georgia, Kentucky and Ole Miss to make it to that point.

Blocking out the noise at this point seems rather impossible. Instead, if Florida loses, Napier will not have to worry about hearing any noise from that stadium or fanbase.