How Billy Napier Firing Impacts UCLA's Coaching Vacancy

The Bruins have one of the most interesting head coaching vacancies, but another big program firing its head coach

Florida head coach Billy Napier calls time out during the second half an NCAA football game in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 4, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ever since the UCLA Bruins relieved second-year head coach DeShaun Foster of his duties, things have been trending up in Westwood.

Interim coach Tim Skipper is on the brink of a season turnaround and the Bruins' coaching vacancy is slowly becoming one of the more appealing gigs on the coaching carousel. That was until yet another bomb was dropped after the firing of Florida head coach Billy Napier.

That Gators' gig undoubtedly becomes one of the most appealing jobs on the carousel, but where does that now slot UCLA's opening?

The Athletic's Chris Vannini revisited the best openings in college football following the Napier firing, and his ranking of the job openings was as follows:

1. Penn State
2. Florida
3. Arkansas
4. UCLA
5. Oklahoma State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Stanford
8. Oregon State
9. Colorado State
10. UAB
11. Kent State

Oct 18, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates with quarterback DJ Lagway (2) after a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Athletic's estimated valuation of UCLA is set at $343 million, which ties it for 43rd among Power 4 programs. Vannini gave the Bruins' vacancy a B grade. Here's what he had to say:

• "The idea of UCLA has long seemed better than the reality of UCLA. The Bruins haven’t won a conference championship since 1998 and haven’t posted a 10-win season in more than a decade. Fan apathy is showing up in the attendance figures at the Rose Bowl, and the athletic department’s financial problems have been piling up — the Bruins have been operating at a cumulative deficit of over $200 million over the last five years.

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A detailed view of UCLA Bruins helmet during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

• "But it’s a Big Ten job in Southern California. That doesn’t mean all Big Ten jobs are better than all ACC or Big 12 jobs. But it means the Bruins’ ceiling and the floor should be higher, and the path to success is easy to envision.

• "The school needs a coach capable of setting up a better recruiting operation in California and exciting the fans and donors to spend for success. The expectation should be annual bowl games with periodic 10-win seasons."

UCLA's interim head coach Tim Skipper celebrates after a Bruins touchdown against Michigan State during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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