Florida football coach Billy Napier took the podium at SEC football media days in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday expressing confidence in his team’s leadership and experience.
The majority of the questions Napier faced centered on a schedule that ESPN’s Football Power Index rated as the most difficult in the country. It begins for the Florida Gators in The Swamp on Aug. 31 with a game against state-rival Miami and concludes with a November gauntlet against five teams that finished in the Top 14 in the CFP Football Playoff rankings last season — vs Georgia in Jacksonville (Nov. 2), at Texas (Nov. 9), LSU (Nov. 16), Ole Miss (Nov. 23) and at Florida State (Nov. 30).
“Great thing about our schedule, we don’t take it on as individuals, but as a team,” Napier said. “I tell the team, ignore the noise and don’t believe the hype.”
Florida has gone 11-14 overall and 6-10 in the SEC in Napier’s first two seasons. Last season, Florida went 5-7, closing the season with five straight losses to miss a bowl game for the first time since 2017.
Two of the five losses were by three points or less, including an overtime loss to Arkansas at The Swamp (39-36) and a 33-31 loss at Missouri in which the Gators could have closed out of the game, but allowed Missouri to convert on a 4th-and-17 play in the closing seconds.
“We’ve been involved in a lot of close games,” Napier said. “We need to learn to close those games out.”
Florida running back Montrell Johnson Jr. said that players are using the difficulty of the schedule as motivation.
“We’re looking at it as 12 opportunities to prove ourselves to the nation,” Johnson said.
Napier praises Florida football QB Graham Mertz
Napier offered his highest praise for starting quarterback Graham Mertz, who decided to return for his final season of eligibility last December. Mertz led the SEC in completion percentage (72.9 pct) last season while ranking fourth in the league in yards per game (263.9).
“What Graham did is he proved himself on the field last year with the way he competed, the toughness, the grit.” Napier said. “He’s the best thing that happened to Florida football this offseason.”
Napier said that Mertz is “primed to have a breakout season” based on his familiarity entering his second season in the offense.
“He’s one of the more fun players to coach in my career,” Napier said. “He matches you with his level of preparedness.”
Napier offers injury update on Florida football DT Joey Slackman
On the SEC Network set, Napier offered an injury update for defensive tackle Joey Slackman, who underwent biceps surgery in the spring after tearing his muscle early in spring camp.
A transfer and Ivy League defensive player of the year from Penn, 6-foot-3, 304-pound Slackman has brought leadership intangibles to the defensive line position group, according to Napier.
“He looks great right now and I think he’s got a chance to make the Gators better,” Napier said.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football coach Billy Napier discusses 2024 schedule at SEC Football Media Days
The Gainesville Sun
