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Billy Napier

Updated: Wikipedia source

Billy Napier

William Hall Napier (born July 21, 1979) is an American football coach who is currently the head football coach at James Madison University. He previously served as head coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 2018 to 2021 and the University of Florida from 2022 to 2025. At Louisiana, he amassed a 40–12 record in four seasons with three consecutive 10+ win seasons and two seasons finishing in the AP Poll, both firsts in the program's history. Before becoming a head coach, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arizona State University in 2017.

Infobox

2005
South Carolina State (QB)
2011
Alabama (analyst)
2012
Colorado State (AHC/QB)
2017
Arizona State (OC/QB)
Born
(1979-07-21) July 21, 1979 (age 46)Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
1999–2002
Furman
Position
Quarterback
2003–2004
Clemson (GA)
2006–2008
Clemson (TE/RC)
2009–2010
Clemson (OC/QB)
2013–2016
Alabama (WR)
2018–2021
Louisiana
2022–2025
Florida
Overall
62–35
Bowls
3–2
Title
Head coach
Conference
Sun Belt
Team
James Madison
Record
0–0
2026–present
James Madison

Tables

· Head coaching record
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) (2018–2021)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) (2018–2021)
Year
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) (2018–2021)
2018
2018
Year
2018
Team
Louisiana
Overall
7–7
Conference
5–3
Standing
T–1st (West)
Bowl/playoffs
L Cure
2019
2019
Year
2019
Team
Louisiana
Overall
11–3
Conference
7–1
Standing
1st (West)
Bowl/playoffs
W LendingTree
2020
2020
Year
2020
Team
Louisiana
Overall
10–1
Conference
7–1
Standing
1st (West)
Bowl/playoffs
W First Responder
Coaches#
16
AP°
15
2021
2021
Year
2021
Team
Louisiana
Overall
12–1
Conference
8–0
Standing
1st (West)
Bowl/playoffs
New Orleans
Coaches#
18
AP°
16
Louisiana:
Louisiana:
Year
Louisiana:
Team
40–12
Overall
27–5
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (2022–2025)
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (2022–2025)
Year
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (2022–2025)
2022
2022
Year
2022
Team
Florida
Overall
6–7
Conference
3–5
Standing
T–4th (Eastern)
Bowl/playoffs
L Las Vegas
2023
2023
Year
2023
Team
Florida
Overall
5–7
Conference
3–5
Standing
T–4th (Eastern)
2024
2024
Year
2024
Team
Florida
Overall
8–5
Conference
4–4
Standing
10th
Bowl/playoffs
W Gasparilla
2025
2025
Year
2025
Team
Florida
Overall
3–4
Conference
2–2
Florida:
Florida:
Year
Florida:
Team
22–23
Overall
12–16
Total:
Total:
Year
Total:
Team
62–35
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
Year
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
Year
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Bowl/playoffs
Coaches#
AP°
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) (2018–2021)
2018
Louisiana
7–7
5–3
T–1st (West)
L Cure
2019
Louisiana
11–3
7–1
1st (West)
W LendingTree
2020
Louisiana
10–1
7–1
1st (West)
W First Responder
16
15
2021
Louisiana
12–1
8–0
1st (West)
New Orleans
18
16
Louisiana:
40–12
27–5
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (2022–2025)
2022
Florida
6–7
3–5
T–4th (Eastern)
L Las Vegas
2023
Florida
5–7
3–5
T–4th (Eastern)
2024
Florida
8–5
4–4
10th
W Gasparilla
2025
Florida
3–4
2–2
Florida:
22–23
12–16
Total:
62–35
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. Napier left for Florida before UL's bowl game
  2. Florida fired Napier after seven games.
  3. 2000 Furman Football
    http://eweb.furman.edu/athletics/football/seasons/2000/mathews-wright.pdf
  4. The Daily Citizen
    https://www.dailycitizen.news/sports/local_sports/chatsworth-native-napier-named-head-coach-at-louisiana-lafayette/article_1678386e-738b-5fb7-b882-6b24550c928e.html
  5. 103.3 The G.O.A.T
    https://1033thegoat.com/getting-to-know-possible-ul-football-coach-billy-napier/
  6. Great Falls Tribune
    https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28078614/grizzlies_13_furman_6_box_score/
  7. Press release furman.edu
    http://eweb.furman.edu/athletics/football/seasons/2001/%2701pressreleases/NationalChampionship.pdf
  8. The Citadel Athletics
    https://citadelsports.com/news/2002/12/3/12_3_2002_3287.aspx
  9. Clemson Tigers
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180321192947/http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=205521699&SPID=103701&SPSID=657769
  10. Clemson Tigers
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180321193016/http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=205525803&SPID=103701&SPSID=657769
  11. The Advocate
    https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/sports/ul_lafayette/former-alabama-clemson-assistant-billy-napier-to-take-helm-as-ragin-cajuns-football-coach/article_88a67e56-e1c2-11e7-b10e-0bbb17c00098.html
  12. Clemson Tigers
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180321193158/http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=205523412&SPID=103701&SPSID=657769
  13. Miami Herald
    https://miamiherald.typepad.com/florida-state/2013/01/seminoles-finalize-2013-coaching-staff-add-napier-sanders.html
  14. Tampa Bay Times
    https://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/fsu-football-loses-seventh-assistant/1276147/
  15. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2017/01/28/arizona-state-football-billy-napier-offensive-coordinator-alabama/97206252/
  16. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2017/12/15/arizona-states-hiring-herm-edwards-scrutiny-departure-billy-napier/956347001/
  17. NOLA.com
    https://www.nola.com/sports/ul-lafayette-hires-former-alabama-assistant-billy-napier-as-football-coach/article_e0e26378-7f15-564f-b80e-c4633578d158.html
  18. RaginCajuns.com
    https://ragincajuns.com/news/2019/7/18/football-eight-ragin-cajuns-named-to-sun-belt-preseason-all-conference-teams.aspx
  19. CBSSports.com
    https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/florida-hires-louisianas-billy-napier-as-coach-gators-swipe-one-of-most-in-demand-names/
  20. Sports Reference
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/2022-schedule.html
  21. Sports Reference
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/2023-schedule.html
  22. The Independent Florida Alligator
    https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/11/billy-napier-turning-point-underwhelming-season-florida-football?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured
  23. 247Sports
    https://247sports.com/longformarticle/college-footballs-15-toughest-schedules-in-2024-ranked-225439838/
  24. College Football HQ
    https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/ncaa-football-rankings/college-football-schedule-rankings-2024-season
  25. 247Sports
    https://247sports.com/college/florida/article/gators-thrashed-by-rival-hurricanes-in-first-home-opener-loss-since-1989-235429075/
  26. Sports Reference
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/2024-schedule.html
  27. Sports Reference
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2024-12-20-florida.html
  28. Orlando Sentinel
    https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/19/florida-gators-sec-football-billy-napier-scott-stricklin-lane-kiffin-marcus-freeman-eli-drinkwitz/
  29. Gainesville Sun
    https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/florida-gators/2024/09/04/urban-meyer-florida-football-miami-gators-painful-fox-billy-napier/75076747007/
  30. CBS Sports
    https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/billy-napier-fired-florida-gators-coach/
  31. www.msn.com
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/gators-ad-scott-stricklin-suggested-billy-napier-delegate-offensively/ar-AA1OQaAS
  32. Gainesville Sun
    https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/09/29/florida-football-coach-billy-napier-gives-reasons-for-holding-on-to-play-caling/86327017007/
  33. CBS Sports Network
    https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/james-madison-billy-napier-head-coach-florida/
  34. The Daily Advertiser
    https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2020/05/17/louisiana-football-day-coronavirus-era-life-ul-cajuns-coach-billy-napier-opens-school/5205624002/
  35. Sports Spectrum
    https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/football/2021/11/24/billy-napier-god-louisiana-historic-success/
  36. sunbeltsports.org
    https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2020/12/17/sun-belt-conference-championship-football-game-canceled.aspx
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