Former Florida football HC Billy Napier to become next JMU head coach
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Former Florida football head coach Billy Napier is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next head coach at James Madison University, according to multiple reports. The move gives Napier a fresh reset after four rollercoaster seasons in Gainesville.
Before taking over at Florida in 2022, Napier turned the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns into a Sun Belt powerhouse, posting a 40-12 record (.769) across four seasons. His teams won double-digit games three years in a row, including a 12-1 finish in 2021 that ended with a No. 16 ranking in the AP poll. He also went 2-1 in bowl games at Louisiana.
Florida proved to be a tougher climb. Napier went 22-23 (.489) in his four seasons with the Gators. Despite the turbulence, he delivered moments of progress, including an 8-5 season in 2024 capped by a Gasparilla Bowl win and multiple appearances in the AP Top 25. But too much inconsistency led the Orange and Blue to make a change.
Napier's background — strong recruiting ties in the Southeast and a history of success in the Sun Belt — makes this a solid hire for JMU after their previous coach, Bob Chesney, left to coach the UCLA Bruins after leading the Dukes to an 11-1 record this season as well as a No. 19 ranking.
For Napier, this represents a reset and a return to his coaching roots. Away from SEC pressure and back in a conference where he thrived, he'll have the opportunity to rebuild, develop and win at a place with momentum already baked in.
A formal announcement of the hire is expected to come out on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Former Florida football HC Billy Napier to become next JMU head coach
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