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Announcement: After Hurricanes thrash Gators, Napier’s hot seat is now flaming chair of condemnation as he’s given an ultimatum

The Florida Gators haven’t lost a season-opening game at home since 1989 when, coincidentally, the coach back then – Galen Hall – was fired four games later.

Napier’s Hot Seat Turns into Flaming Chair of Condemnation After Hurricanes Thrash Gators: Ultimatum Issued to Win Next Three Games or Face the Sack

“Miami outplayed us and they outcoached us,” a disappointed Napier said afterward. “It’s embarrassing, to be quite honest. That’s how I feel and that’s how our kids feel. There are no excuses. We need to keep our mouths shut and show up, go to work and get better. We’ve got to get it fixed. We’ve still got a lot of football ahead of us. The sun will come up tomorrow.”

Yes, the sun will definitely come up in Gainesville, Fla., but unfortunately, it will just increase the temperature for Napier’s already-simmering hot seat. Personally, I thought all of the “hot seat” speculation about Napier was premature coming into the season, but now I’m starting to think he needs to invest in some fire-retardant coaching britches.

This game was essentially a referendum on the two coaches – Napier and Miami’s Mario Cristobal – who were hired within eight days of each other in December 2021 to revive catatonic programs.

With both coaches beginning their third season Saturday, it appears the Hurricanes have finally risen from the dead under Cristobal while the Gators are still comatose under Napier.

The Hurricanes’ Dominance

After the cringe-worthy skull-buffing the Gators suffered at the hands of the ‘Canes, there is no other way to say it: Cristobal’s program is light years ahead of Napier’s at this point. If both programs were cars, Cristóbal has transformed the ‘Canes into a sleek and powerful Lamborghini. Napier puttered and sputtered out onto the field Saturday in the Beverly Hillbillies’ old jalopy of a truck.

Miami’s offensive line was better than Florida’s. Miami’s defensive line was better than Florida’s. And, oh my, Miami’s quarterback was much more dynamic than Florida’s.

Miami’s Cam Ward looked like the second coming of Charlie Ward. Florida’s Graham Mertz looked like the second coming of Fred Mertz.

Wisconsin transfer Mertz, who is entering his second season in Napier’s system, dinked and dunked his way to 11 completions in 20 attempts for 91 yards and no touchdowns before leaving late in the third quarter with a concussion. Meanwhile, Ward – the marquee transfer from Washington State – was spreading and shredding UF’s defense by completing 25-of-33 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns.

The Hurricanes didn’t just beat the Gators; they dismantled them. Miami’s 45-17 victory over Florida was a statement game, showcasing the wide gulf between the two programs. For Napier and his staff, it was a nightmarish outing that exposed deep flaws in their game plan, execution, and overall preparedness. The Gators were outclassed in every aspect, leading to widespread dismay among the fanbase and alumni.

Ward was tossing 35-yard downfield darts to his wide receivers, while Florida’s top best receiver Tre Wilson was catching bubble screens behind the line of scrimmage, trying to dodge a minefield of Miami defenders in hopes of gaining 5 yards.

On one play in the third quarter, Ward escaped pressure, rolled left and rifled a perfect strike across the field to Jacolby George in the back of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown – escapability, accuracy and arm strength all on display in one amazing play.

By the time the traditional playing of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” blared throughout the Swamp at the outset of the fourth quarter, the Gators trailed 38-10 and another Tom Petty song seemed more appropriate: “Even the Losers.”

Petty also had a song called “Making Some Noise,” and you better believe there will now be – as embattled former Gators coach Ron Zook used to call it – a cacophony of “noise in the system” moving forward.

This was the one outcome Napier could not afford. A victory over the ‘Canes in the home opener would have been awesome. A close loss would have been acceptable. But suffering the worst season-opening home loss in history and getting embarrassed in front of a sellout home crowd of 90,554 turns Napier’s hot seat into a flaming chair of condemnation.

Napier’s Situation Reaches a Boiling Point

Napier’s tenure with the Gators has been tumultuous, to say the least. Hired with the expectation of restoring Florida to its former glory, his results on the field have fallen far short of those lofty goals. The loss to Miami is the latest in a series of disappointing performances that have left the Gators at a crossroads.

Not only does Napier once again have to deal with the noxious negativity of angry fans, he’s also having to deal with the passive-aggressive sniping of his UF predecessor, Dan Mullen.

After Florida’s loss on Saturday, Mullen retweeted a social media post from a fan who wrote: “The Florida coach who got fired went to three consecutive New Year’s Six games in his first three seasons. And was let go in his fourth season.”

Said Napier of how his players must deal with the onslaught of negativity surrounding the program: “We’ll have to navigate it. We’ve got to be men, and we’ve got to show some maturity. … We can’t control it. It’s part of the job, and it’s part of our responsibility to the team.”

As much as many of us have been preaching patience and have been willing to give the UF coach the benefit of a doubt, it’s looking more and more like Napier is a great coach Sunday through Friday; a good man who has instilled discipline and structure in a program that was bereft of talent and character when he took over from Mullen. But, eventually, there has to be some progress on the scoreboard.

According to sources close to the program, the university’s patience with Napier is wearing thin. The loss to Miami has reportedly pushed the administration to its limit, resulting in the ultimatum that he must win the next three games to save his job. This directive underscores the gravity of the situation, signaling that the clock is ticking on Napier’s time in Gainesville.

The Ultimatum: Win or Else

This is Napier’s sixth straight loss dating to last season, and he is now 2-10 against ranked teams at UF. Even more troublesome is that this performance came after Napier overhauled his program during the offseason, hiring a new defensive coordinator, a new special-teams coordinator, a new head nutritionist and a new strength and conditioning coach.

Granted, this is only the first game of the season, but the problem is that Miami was supposed to be one of the more winnable games on a brutal UF schedule filled with eight ranked teams, a demanding conference slate and non-conference itinerary that includes UM, UCF and FSU.

Opening the season with such an embarrassing loss is the absolute worst-case scenario for a man who is fighting for his coaching survival.

Can the Gators pick up the pieces and put them back together for a thrilling comeback, or is Billy Napier’s career about to make a crash landing?

Facing this ultimatum, Napier is under immense pressure to deliver immediate results. The Gators’ upcoming schedule includes matchups that are critical not only to the team’s season but also to Napier’s future. He must guide his team to victory in all three games, a task that will require significant improvements in both strategy and execution.

This situation is far from ideal, with the team’s confidence likely shaken after such a humiliating loss. Napier’s ability to rally his players, restore their morale, and implement effective game plans will be tested like never before. Anything less than three consecutive wins could seal his fate.