CFB insider points to the advantage Billy Napier' Florida Gators carry over SEC programs like Alabama and Georgia

The 2025 season could be important for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators. After closing the season with four straight wins, expectations are high in Gainesville, and insider JD Pickell believes there is reason for the Gators to believe.

On Thursday’s edition of “The Hard Count”, the On3 college football insider talked about the one advantage the Gators have over other SEC teams in 2025.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the SEC at quarterback, a lot of new faces," JD Pickell said (31:58 onwards)."Of Florida’s eight conference opponents, four of them will be starting somebody new they didn’t start last year at quarterback.

“Meanwhile, Florida is playing a guy that some people would argue has the most upside in all of college football period in DJ Lagway. I know he’s 6-1 as a starter. I know he’s finished the year white hot with wins over Ole Miss and LSU."

Lagway finished the 2024 season with 1,915, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Willis, Texas native also ran for 101 yards. Even though the Florida quarterback could still improve heading into 2025, especially in the passing game, he showed he could lead the team in big games late in the season.

In contrast, other top teams in the SEC still have some question marks at quarterback.

“The top three best odds in Texas and Georgia, Alabama. All good rosters, all well coached, all good teams. There’s no guarantee what those teams are going to have at quarterback. There’s confidence, I don’t think there’s guarantee,” JD Pickell added.

Texas has Arch Manning coming in as the starter and while he may not have extended starting quarterback experience, he’s as promising as few other quarterbacks.

But Georgia and Alabama are having position battles at quarterback this offseason. In Athens, Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi will duke it out for the starting jobs, while the Crimson Tide will have Ty Simpson and Keelon Russell competing for a spot.

Florida adds the son of legendary coach to its staff: Report

Billy Napier’s staff added one more name this Wednesday, and it’s a special one for fans in Gainesville. Steve Spurrier Jr. will be joining the Florida Gators as an analyst according to a report from On3. Spurrier is the son of longtime Gators’ coach Steve Spurrier, who led Florida to its first national title in 1996 and holds the school records for wins.

Spurrier’s addition comes on the heels of assistant Dan Enos leaving to become the quarterbacks coach at Wake Forest. The new Gators coach is coming over from Tulsa, where he was offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach in 2024. He previously worked at Mississippi State, Washington State and South Carolina, among other schools.