Florida Gators hire Billy Napier as head football coach

The Florida Gators have hired Billy Napier as head football coach, the team announced Sunday afternoon.

>> Read more trending news

Here are the latest updates:

Update 3:49 p.m. EST Nov. 28: In a statement, Napier said he was “humbled and honored to accept” the position.

“Our team, staff and entire organization will work daily to establish a program with integrity and class that we all can be proud of. More importantly, we will build a culture that is centered around making an impact on our players: as people, as students, and on the field,” read the statement, which appeared on the Gators’ website.

Napier is set to arrive in Gainesville on Dec. 5, the team said.

>> Who is Billy Napier? 5 things to know about Florida’s new football coach

“I’ve followed and studied Billy Napier’s career with interest, and he became the primary target immediately after this position came open,” Florida athletics director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. “We felt confident he would be an excellent leader for the Gators, which is why he was the only candidate I met with about the job.

Original report: The Florida Gators are planning to hire Billy Napier as head football coach, The Associated Press is reporting.

An unnamed source who spoke on condition of anonymity told the news agency Sunday about the move, which had not yet been publicly revealed. The team was expected to announce Napier’s hiring later in the day, according to the AP.

The 42-year-old Napier, who is head coach for the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns (11-1), likely will stay in his current post through the end of the week, the AP reported. He will then move on to the Gators, who fired their former coach, Dan Mullen, last week.

Over the past four seasons, Napier has logged 39 wins and 12 losses with the Ragin Cajuns, according to the AP.

Yahoo Sports was the first news outlet to report the move.

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

©2021 Cox Media Group