Billy Napier once shared why he turned down multiple offers to become head coach at Florida: "It was a special moment"

Florida Gators coach Billy Napier is one of the most scrutinized coaches in college football after a poor start to the 2024 season. His team began the season in disastrous fashion with blowout losses to the Miami Hurricanes and the Texas A&M Aggies, which started the rumor mill about his job security.

Napier had a storied career before he became the Florida coach. He worked under some of the most decorated coaches in college football including Dabo Swinney for the Clemson Tigers from 2006-2010 and now-retired coach Nick Saban at the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2011-2013.

The body of work that got him the Gators job was his stint as head coach of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns between 2017 and 2021. Napier won the Lending Tree Bowl and First Responders Bowl during his tenure there which bolstered his reputation.

Before he took the Gators position, he had a lot of job offers from other schools, and during an appearance on the "Paul Finebaum Show," he revealed why he turned down the other offers while waiting for the Florida job.

"The job wasn't complete, not with the people and the job wasn't complete on the field. We worked hard there. We were chasing down Appalachian State there and certainly to culminate that four years of work with a twelfth win, twelve in a row. It was a special moment to host the conference championship game and a special moment for that group of people that had worked so hard," Billy Napier said (3:45).

Billy Napier details lessons learned from Dabo Swinney & Nick Saban

The embattled Billy Napier worked under Dabo Swinney as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before being fired and being hired as an offensive analyst and later wide receivers coach under Nick Saban for Alabama.

During SEC Media Days in 2023, Napier talked about the lessons that he had learned while working under Swinney and Saban that have helped him in his coaching journey.

“I would say that a lot of the things that you learn from those guys stand the test of time," Napier said. "I think simple things like defining expectations, being really consistent and fair, everyone understanding their role, and you know, kind of putting the ego aside and working to earn more.

“You know, I think they are good at what they do because they have conviction about what they want their football team to look like, and there’s a big picture plan relative to purpose, right? I know for me, our purpose is the player, right? We want to create a life-changing organization that has impact on the person, the student and the football player."

Even as he fights for his future as coach of the Florida Gators, Billy Napier has extensive experience while working under some of the best coaches college football has ever had.