There's an aura of inevitability around the future of embattled Florida coach Billy Napier.
In the aftermath of two listless home blowouts and a seven-game losing streak to FBS opponents, Napier's poor record has essentially sealed his coaching fate in Gainesville. All that's remaining to figure out is the timing of his exit.
Napier's spiraling tenure intersects philosophically with a famous quote from Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. He tweaked a line from Henry Kissinger when he declared after firing Ron Zook in 2004: "If something needs to be done eventually, it must be done immediately."
The "eventually" part has been secured, as no one expects Napier back on the sideline for the Gators in 2025. The varied factors around doing something immediately then arises, as an impatient fan base awaits for some hope to cling to.
Florida heads to Mississippi State this weekend. A loss in Starkville ultimately cost Ron Zook his job back in 2004, which led to Foley's quote. That came seven games into the season in late October, which was considered jarringly early at the time. (Foley then outfoxed Notre Dame to hire Urban Meyer, one of the most significant hires in school history.)
The idea of late October being early is quaint now. Five power conferences coaches were fired by Oct. 2 in 2022. Here are five questions that must be answered as Florida decides on the future of its flailing football program.
1. Why make a change soon?
Generally speaking, the reason to make a change early in the season has to come with a clear path to improvement. If that path is uncertain, which it appears to be at Florida, the only reason to make the move would be as an emotional reaction to appease the fan base.