Florida Gators’ head soccer coach Billy Napier is in a troublesome spot simply three video games into the 2024 season.
He entered this marketing campaign — his third in Gainesville — with a middling 11-14 report. By means of three video games in 2024, he is 1-2 with dangerous losses to Miami and Texas A&M.
Certain, Florida boat raced Samford, however beating inferior opponents whereas not being aggressive in opposition to the “huge boys’ isn’t the expectation in Gainesville.
A lot so that there is a ton of warmth on Florida to do away with Napier. There’s even reporting {that a} group of boosters has already pooled collectively the cash to cowl the buyout it might take to fireside him.
Napier’s ship is seemingly sinking, however not everybody has deserted him but. In reality, it is price noting that senior quarterback Graham Mertz appears to be absolutely in his coach’s nook.
“He has my absolute full help,” Mertz stated within the postgame information convention (h/t On3). “I’ve by no means seen any individual prep the best way that we prep, put together the best way we put together. We now have an awesome plan going into each sport. I do know everyone within the locker room trusts coach with the whole lot we received.”
The gamers should belief Mertz nevertheless it will not matter if the individuals pulling the strings of this system are already out on him — as they most likely ought to be.
Nonetheless, Mertz tried to place the blame on Florida’s gamers slightly than his coach.
“Actually, it’s as much as us and what we do in the course of the week, what we do in the course of the sport. Are you enjoying with coronary heart or are you not? And I feel that’s the place us, as a crew, we have to come collectively, and the gamers have to — we have to play the ball that we all know we will play,” Mertz stated.
Sadly, Mertz and the Gators could not have many extra alternatives to assist Napier flip this round. If he is not fired earlier than these video games, Florida nonetheless has to run by means of a gauntlet that options UCF, Tennesee, Georiga, LSU and Ole Miss.
