Billy Napier has started to build the foundation for the 2022 Gators. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Napier Opens Phase I Of Team Building, More Gators Tidbits
Tuesday, January 18, 2022 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In his quest to build a program that can sustain success over the long haul, Gators coach Billy Napier kicked off an important chapter on Tuesday.
He calls it Phase I, or laying the foundation.
"We try to define that for the players," Napier said. "This is an action establishing an organization. It's a body upon which something is built, a basis on which something stands."
The process starts over each year and identifying the genesis of a new team is more important than ever in Napier's view considering the way the game has changed.
"It's a new group of players, a new group of staff, certainly the organization always has probably 25-30 percent attrition,'' Napier said. "New leadership roles at all levels. Then you have a group of players, rookies, staff members who have to learn expectations and systems and kind of our approach."
At his press conference on Friday, Napier said the primary goal of Phase I is to establish expectations and accountability. This part of Napier's team-building concept includes 12 weight-lifting sessions and 10 team runs. While the coaches have an opportunity to build trust with the players, it's also an opportunity for players to gain a better understanding of the coaches.
It's a two-way street that served Napier well in his first stop as a head coach at Louisiana, where he went 40-12 before being introduced as Florida's head coach on Dec. 5.
"I think it's important that you define self-discipline to the players. We want to define attention to detail and we're trying to create a structure of routine and time management,'' Napier said. "That's a big component of this. We want to establish expectations as a new group, a new way of operating here, establishing accountability. It's important that we're consistent, we're fair. We have goals and objectives for all the development parts of our program: strength and conditioning, performance, sports science, nutrition, the athletic training room, academics and our new Gator Made program that we will launch here pretty soon.
"Vision without an action is a dream, so it's important here that we translate this vision we have here for University of Florida football into simple every-day actions."
QUICK READS
-- Lots of 'grass to mow' as Billy Napier gets in weeds on building a winner at Florida writes G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic.
-- On3.com launched its transfer portal tracker to keep tabs on the trend that has changed college football.
-- Napier discusses impact new facility will have on program writes Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports.
-- Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi pens an apology to former Gators head coach Jim McElwain.
-- The UF women's basketball team moves past coaching change, offseason turmoil writes Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
-- Former Gators strength and conditioning director Nick Savage was one of four hires announced Tueday by Ole Miss writes Jake Davis of the Oxford (Miss.) Eagle.
TOPICAL TWEETS
Former Gators standout Chandler Parsons, the 2011 SEC Player of Year, officially announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday ...
The Gators conducted their first big recruiting weekend on campus since Napier arrived and shared some of the festivities on social media ...
Fifth-year senior linebacker/defesive end Brenton Cox. Jr. announced he is returning in 2022 ...
Former Gators tight end Kemore Gamble, who recently entered the transfer portal, has landed at UCF ...
A pair of Gators teammates, Rams receiver Van Jefferson and Giants receiver Kadarius Toney, reconnected in the NFL playoffs ...
He calls it Phase I, or laying the foundation.
"We try to define that for the players," Napier said. "This is an action establishing an organization. It's a body upon which something is built, a basis on which something stands."
The process starts over each year and identifying the genesis of a new team is more important than ever in Napier's view considering the way the game has changed.
"It's a new group of players, a new group of staff, certainly the organization always has probably 25-30 percent attrition,'' Napier said. "New leadership roles at all levels. Then you have a group of players, rookies, staff members who have to learn expectations and systems and kind of our approach."
Less than 24 hours away...
— COACH BILLY NAPIER (@coach_bnapier) January 18, 2022
FOUNDATION | foun•da•tion | noun
"The action of establishing an organization ; a body upon which something is built ; a basis upon which something stands"
2022 - Phase 1 - Let's Go!!!#UFuture | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/HDdeCoDA6y
At his press conference on Friday, Napier said the primary goal of Phase I is to establish expectations and accountability. This part of Napier's team-building concept includes 12 weight-lifting sessions and 10 team runs. While the coaches have an opportunity to build trust with the players, it's also an opportunity for players to gain a better understanding of the coaches.
It's a two-way street that served Napier well in his first stop as a head coach at Louisiana, where he went 40-12 before being introduced as Florida's head coach on Dec. 5.
"I think it's important that you define self-discipline to the players. We want to define attention to detail and we're trying to create a structure of routine and time management,'' Napier said. "That's a big component of this. We want to establish expectations as a new group, a new way of operating here, establishing accountability. It's important that we're consistent, we're fair. We have goals and objectives for all the development parts of our program: strength and conditioning, performance, sports science, nutrition, the athletic training room, academics and our new Gator Made program that we will launch here pretty soon.
"Vision without an action is a dream, so it's important here that we translate this vision we have here for University of Florida football into simple every-day actions."
QUICK READS
-- Lots of 'grass to mow' as Billy Napier gets in weeds on building a winner at Florida writes G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic.
-- On3.com launched its transfer portal tracker to keep tabs on the trend that has changed college football.
-- Napier discusses impact new facility will have on program writes Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports.
-- Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi pens an apology to former Gators head coach Jim McElwain.
-- The UF women's basketball team moves past coaching change, offseason turmoil writes Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
-- Former Gators strength and conditioning director Nick Savage was one of four hires announced Tueday by Ole Miss writes Jake Davis of the Oxford (Miss.) Eagle.
TOPICAL TWEETS
Former Gators standout Chandler Parsons, the 2011 SEC Player of Year, officially announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday ...
Chandler Parsons announced his retirement on IG pic.twitter.com/TRlu2DffAJ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 18, 2022
The Gators conducted their first big recruiting weekend on campus since Napier arrived and shared some of the festivities on social media ...
Hello?!! 📞
— Bri Wade (@briazjawade) January 18, 2022
Scared Money Don't Make Money, baby!! @katieturner0087 pic.twitter.com/ZXsgQnuMaN
Fifth-year senior linebacker/defesive end Brenton Cox. Jr. announced he is returning in 2022 ...
Old Head🦍 pic.twitter.com/iA2FgvIajA
— Brenton Cox Jr. (@brenton_cox_) January 16, 2022
Former Gators tight end Kemore Gamble, who recently entered the transfer portal, has landed at UCF ...
Super Gremlin 😈 pic.twitter.com/sNXsGPqsfT
— |HUMBLE| 🙏🏾 (@kemoregamble15) January 16, 2022
A pair of Gators teammates, Rams receiver Van Jefferson and Giants receiver Kadarius Toney, reconnected in the NFL playoffs ...
My brudda was there to support me! Came all the way from NY to come watch the game! Real one till the end @0fficialC2N 💯 https://t.co/6lFmNC6mwQ
— Van Jefferson (@VanJefferson12) January 18, 2022
Players Mentioned
OLB
/ Football
TE
/ FootballAaron Chiles Media Availability 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
Damieon George Jr. Media Availability 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
Billy Napier Media Availability 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
Gator Insider presented by Talon Wealth 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
