SEC insider claims $44.8 million buyout coach on hot seat and it's not Billy Napier
Despite swirling speculation and mounting fan frustration, Billy Napier is staying put in Gainesville. Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin shut down rumors on Nov. 7 last year, confirming Napier will return for the 2025 season.
While Napier’s job status had been the loudest topic in SEC coaching circles for weeks, an insider has now pointed to another name with a hotter seat, a coach carrying a $44.8 million buyout.
Now three years into his first head coaching gig, Oklahoma's Brent Venables owns a 22-17 record, a stretch that includes a 6-7 stumble in Year 1, a 10-win rebound in Year 2 and a disappointing 6-7 finish last fall, which also marked the Sooners’ rocky debut in the SEC (2-6 in conference play).
One SEC coach, speaking anonymously to Athlon Sports, said:
“It’s a hot-seat situation for sure. They’re banking on an instant impact from [Ben] Arbuckle and [John] Mateer, the way Vanderbilt brought in the New Mexico State coach/QB combo. That could happen. Their receivers were nonexistent last year, but a lot of that was injury. They should bounce back and give Mateer some options.”
The Sooners hired Arbuckle from Washington State to run the offense, and Mateer transferred in from Texas State. Whether that pairing clicks fast enough could decide how long this staff lasts in Norman.
“It’s a huge gamble that Mateer can come in and immediately acclimate to playing against the defenses in this league,” the coach added. “We’ll see if he can do it because that’s what will determine this staff’s future.”
Venables, who made his name as a defensive play-caller at Clemson, is reportedly taking more control of the defense this fall.
“Normally, it’s not a great idea when a head coach goes back to play-calling,” the coach said. “But hey, Venables was one of the best in the nation at it when he was at Clemson. He wants to have more control over what he knows.”
The buyout? $44.8 million, a steep price, but not necessarily a deal-breaker if things go south fast. Another figure floating around? $34.9 million, what the Sooners would reportedly owe if they fired Venables during or after the 2025 season.
Billy Napier enters 2025 with a seat that’s warm enough to roast marshmallows
Through three seasons at Florida, Billy Napier’s record sits at 15-18 overall, including an 8-13 mark in SEC play. That’s not the kind of math Gators fans want to do.
After 30 games, he was 14-16, and while the 2024 campaign showed a pulse with an 8-5 finish and a bowl win, it still fell short of expectations for a program that measures itself against championships, not progress reports.
If Florida slips in 2025, Napier might not get a fourth chance.
Firing Billy Napier would cost Florida north of $26 million, a buyout that would rank as one of the largest in college football history, according to Front Office Sports. His deal runs through Jan. 31, 2029, with 85% of the remaining salary guaranteed if he's let go.
Last year, Florida’s brass reportedly held off on pulling the trigger, choosing to channel booster funds toward NIL efforts instead of a coaching change. But the patience in Gainesville isn’t endless.
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