This was expected to be the biggest job available coming into the season. Everyone knew Billy Napier's day was numbered. Their expectations this season was playoffs or bust and at 3-4, they have certainly bust. The firing also comes after a 23-21 win against Mississippi State. They are now going into the bye week with a interim head coach and will start this new post Napier era in Jacksonville on November 1st against Georgia.
If you want to read more of my coach candidate lists, I will leave a link below:
https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/college_football/p/ehkeG_1Wbo6Yb-/coach-candidate-tier-list-links
Before they hired Billy Napier, Florida was known as one of the top programs in the SEC but struggled to recruit players in Florida because they lacked resources to compete against the Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, and Michigan's in the world who snatched and grabbed and promised CFP appearances year after year. Flash forward to 2022, and Billy Napier is pushing for more money and expenses and more facility upgrades to be able to compete with the big dawgs in recruiting and to catch up to the rise of the NIL. And they did just that, but they are still struggling recruiting in their own state. Their coveted five star quarterback came from out of state in Texas and they haven't really used the transfer portal as expected bringing in backup receivers expecting them to be top options. And to top it off, they became the subject of losing talent due to NIL. The Gators needed a change of scenery ASAP, and now they can. Here are a few names I believe they will consider.
Tell Me No
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss (2020-?)
This one may come as a shock as my number 1. Do I think he will be the next head coach? No. Is he the best option? Absolutely. After leaving Tennessee after one year and going to his dream job USC and just sputtered out of control to being fired on the tarmac, he has seemed to turn a 180. After spending three seasons learning from Saban, he has been 76-32 as a head coach having stints at FAU and now Ole Miss. In 2022, after Auburn fired Bryan Harsin, Kiffin's name was the top option and most believing was the only option. The rumor kept growing and growing to the point where people started to believe a Barstool guy who graduated from Mississippi State was some insider that knew what Kiffin was thinking. Turns out, the rumor was just to get him a bigger contract and stay in Mississippi. Here we are in 2025 and once again, he is the hottest name. If I had to guess, he is just trying to gain attention so when Alabama opens up, he can take it. I also believe that if USC ever calls him back, he would return in a heartbeat.
Cream Of The Crop
James Franklin, Penn State (2014-25)
Once Kiffin is off the board, Florida fans can look towards James Franklin. Now fired, he can probably control his own destiny. He can take Florida, take Virginia Tech, wait for Wisconsin or Florida State to open, or just shock everybody and take a job like Oregon State. A team like Florida will be stupid not to interview this guy. The only flaw is he rarely wins big games. If I'm Florida, I'll be fine if he gets up back on track.
Jedd Fisch, Washington (2024-?)
A Florida alum who has worked with tons of big name coaches from Bill Belichick to Pete Carroll to Sean McVay to Jim Mora to Steve Spurrier, the list goes on and on. He has also been the reason for Arizona's turnaround after slowly going 1-11 to 5-7 to 10-3 with a Alamo Bowl win against then number 12 Oklahoma. He is also somewhat of a receiver whisperer with Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan having a place in the NFL. In the off-season, I had Fisch as the guy I thought will replace Napier, and now with Franklin in the race and the Huskies are now 5-2, who knows who will take the job.
Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri (2020-?)
This could be a dark horse candidate, but there seems to be a lot of traction towards his name by fans. After one successful year at Appalachian State, he leaves for Missouri and struggles going 15-17 in his first three seasons. He somehow turned this team around with keeping his QB Brady Cook as the starter over high four, five star by some QB Sam Horn. It also didn't hurt having a five star WR Luther Burden and a Oklahoma transfer on your team in Theo Wease Jr. They ended up going back to back 10 wins and look destined for another 10 win season with a brand new squad with brand new faces.
Dark Horse Candidates
Rhett Lashlee, SMU (2022-?)
I have previously titled this "If The Top Four Say No" but decided to go with the old fashion dark horse title. If Lashlee leaves, I presume it will be Arkansas. If it isn't Arkansas, Florida makes a case for Lashlee. In his last season in the American and first in the ACC, he took them to their conference championships with a win in the American and a loss to Clemson in the ACC. Though 5-2, he could make a great case to return to the ACC Championship and get revenge now starting at 3-0 in the ACC and just beat Clemson on the road. He could be the kind of guy Florida wants to pursue.
Alex Golesh, USF (2023-?)
Just like Lashlee, this could be the type of coach Florida wants. Both of them are young offensive minds and both have massive wins under their belts. Golesh's South Florida team is 6-1 with wins against then ranked Boise State and Florida and then undefeated North Texas. Oh, and did I mention that Florida fans are familiar with him because USF upset the Gators?
Matt Campbell, Iowa State (2016-?)
If you go back to 2021 and look at who was on the list to replace Dan Mullen, Campbell might have been the only one on this list that would had been on that list. And he is still in Ames. I may be too much of a Matt Campbell stan, but I really don't see him leaving Iowa State any time soon. He seems happy having little pressure taking a team 9-3 and then lose majority of your starters to the draft and allowing the new guys just have fun the first season, then it's all serious and then back to 9-3 all over again.
Jon Sumrall, Tulane (2024-?)
I believe you will see Sumrall and Golesh's names on every hot board and candidate lists in every P5, specifically SEC or Big Ten schools. Golesh may end up in the ACC, but I see one team Sumrall will take if he leaves Tulane, and it's not Florida. It's that other blue school in the SEC.
Far Fetched
Brent Key, Georgia Tech (2022-?)
I have seen this name thrown around by fans in message boards. I don't think money will make this guy leave his own alma mater that he inherited after the previous coach started 1-3 and he took them out of the mud and led them to a 5-7 record and getting the interim tag removed. I think this school means to much for Key to just walk up and leave just like that.
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame (2021-?)
This is also another name thrown around. Though, he is more likely to leave than Key, I don't see that happening because he is getting paid a lot (presumably, nothing is public about his salary) and even if Florida offers him the bag, Notre Dame will counter it with extra benefits. Unless Freeman says, "I'm out" he won't leave.
Urban Meyer, former Florida (2005-10) and Ohio State (2012-18) Head Coach
There is a lot I can say. But I will just say he is 61 who retired twice due to medical reasons. Does anyone believe he can coach Florida for another six seasons without leaving due to another "health reason"?
There is my list. Might be shorter than most of the ones I have made. Colorado State will be short as well, but the Titans list is right at that spot I like, between 11-14. Leave a comment below. Let me know what you thought down below!