It hasn’t taken long for Billy Napier to find a new head coaching gig.
The former Florida football coach is finalizing a deal to become James Madison’s new football coach on a five-year deal, starting with the 2026 season, according to multiple reports. James Madison coach Bob Chesney is set to take over at UCLA in 2026, but will coach the Dukes through the Sun Belt championship and, potentially, a berth in the College Football Playoff.
The Dukes have an 11-1 record heading into the Sun Belt championship against Troy on Friday, Dec. 5, but will likely need help from the ACC and American championship games to make the playoff.
Napier was fired as the Florida head coach on Oct. 19 following a 23-21 win over Mississippi State. Napier ended his tenure with the Gators with an overall record of 22-23 in his four seasons at the school. Florida had losing records in three of its four seasons as Napier became the first coach since Raymond Wolf to finish his tenure at Florida with a losing record.
Before Florida, Napier was head coach at another Sun Belt program, leading Louisiana to a 40-12 record between 2018-21. He led the Ragin’ Cajuns to two conference championships in his tenure. Napier has also spent time during his career working under Nick Saban at Alabama and Dabo Swinney at Clemson.
Florida owes Napier nearly $21.7 million, according to contract information obtained by USA TODAY Sports, for firing him without cause. The Gators have to pay Napier 85% of his annual compensation, which expires Jan. 31, 2029. There was no offset language if Napier got a new job.
The Gators publicly courted Lane Kiffin before he picked LSU over Florida. The Gators hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall on Sunday, Nov. 30, as their new head coach.
Billy Napier age
Napier was born on July 21, 1979, in Cookeville, Tennessee. He will be 47 years old in 2026, his first season with James Madison.
Billy Napier record
Here’s a look at Napier’s record as a head coach:
2018 (Louisiana): 7-7, 5-3 Sun Belt
2019 (Louisiana): 11-3, 7-1 Sun Belt
2020 (Louisiana): 10-1, 7-1 Sun Belt
2021 Louisiana): 12-1, 8-0 Sun Belt
2022 (Florida): 6-7, 3-5 SEC
2023 (Florida): 5-7, 3-5 SEC
2024 (Florida): 8-5, 4-4 SEC
2025 (Florida): 3-4, 2-2 SEC
Career: 62-35