Gators head coach Billy Napier enters his second season with more than 30 newcomers on the roster. (Photo: Jordan McKendrick/UAA Communications)
Napier, Gators Energized by Rebuilt Roster
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Billy Napier had tunnel vision on National Signing Day Wednesday afternoon. The light at the end of that tunnel shined on the 31 players the Gators announced as their official 2023 signing class.
Not one that wasn't.
Seventeen of the true freshmen are mid-year enrollees. Ten of the newcomers are transfers. The remaining four are finishing high school this spring. If you count returnees and walk-ons, Napier said the Gators have 105 players participating in offseason conditioning as he prepares for his second season at UF.
"I don't know that I've ever been a part of a situation like that,'' he said. "It's a little bit different energy in the building."
A few hours before Napier's press conference at the Heavener Football Training Center — and on the other side of the country — a player initially in this class, Pittsburg (Calif.) quarterback Jaden Rashada, announced his commitment to Arizona State.
As expected, Napier faced a barrage of questions about the saga surrounding Rashada and the release from his scholarship last month following reports of a NIL deal that fell apart. Napier declined to comment specifically about Rashada other than to say he has the "utmost respect" for the talented quarterback and his family.
The press conference unfolded in two halves. The first centered on NIL (name, image and likeness), Florida's recent headlines in that arena, and the second on the Gators' latest recruiting haul.
Napier, appearing relaxed and optimistic about his team's prospects, undoubtedly preferred the second half.
But he addressed the "elephant in the room," as one reporter phrased it in a question.
"It's not permissible for me to get specific,'' Napier said. "The big thing here, as the dust settles, our focus is preparing our team, the group of players who have joined our team. I think the reality is the current structure of NIL, with third parties being involved, with agents being involved, with marketing representatives, with lawyers, with collectives, [is] very fluid and, I think, a very unique dynamic. We're living in a time in college athletics that we'll look back upon. We're playing a game that's never been played before."
"I think, ultimately, NIL is a strength for the Gators. I'm very pleased with where we're at relative to our current players, all [UF] athletes, and what we've been able to accomplish in a short amount of time."
It's clear that while outsiders may have a different view of Florida's NIL efforts and opponents attempt to use it to their advantage, Napier has moved on.
He has rebuilt the roster through the transfer portal and a recruiting class highlighted by 18 blue-chip signees. Napier praised the work of Bird Sherrill, the team's director of college personnel, and assistant director Chase Clark for the job they did to identify targets in the transfer portal.
"This is going to make our team better,'' said Napier, whose team finished 6-7 in his first season. "We knew that we needed to add a huge group of players; we anticipated that, and certainly the combination of the guys' graduating and some of the attrition, we were in position and ready, and I don't think we're done."
Napier said the Gators would pursue another scholarship quarterback before next season with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Jack Miller, who transferred from Ohio State before last season, as the primary players at the position. Redshirt freshman quarterback Max Brown is also on the roster but is currently playing baseball. Napier said the Gators could also use another player at outside linebacker.
The position the Gators beefed up the most in this class is the offensive line, adding 6-foot-5.5, 307-pound Caden Jones to the roster Wednesday. Jones, out of De La Salle High in New Orleans, the same school that produced UF running back Montrell Johnson Jr., is one of the four signees finishing high school this spring. Jones is one of seven offensive linemen Florida has added since the end of last season.
"It's probably one of the areas where I think we did the best work," Napier said. "We've got some experienced players, but I also think some of the young players we added have significant height, length, functional movement, and bright futures."
With most of the class already on campus and in school, Florida's National Signing Day this year was different from most. Of course, that is true across the country as NIL has altered the sport's offseason, and the December early signing period is when most players sign.
In perhaps Napier's most revealing comments on the past month's headlines, he expressed confidence in the program's direction in the current climate – and the way he handled the recent past.
"I think you spend your entire life, your entire career, trying to establish who you are and how you operate," he said. "I think, ultimately, I can lay my head down at night based off of that. I think we're going about it the right way.
"The number of variables that go into this, when you start talking about state law, NCAA compliance, really no defined market. And no parameters for that market. [NIL] has created issues and frustration. I think we're all aware of that. The exciting thing to me is what I'm observing with our current team."
Not one that wasn't.
Seventeen of the true freshmen are mid-year enrollees. Ten of the newcomers are transfers. The remaining four are finishing high school this spring. If you count returnees and walk-ons, Napier said the Gators have 105 players participating in offseason conditioning as he prepares for his second season at UF.
"I don't know that I've ever been a part of a situation like that,'' he said. "It's a little bit different energy in the building."
A few hours before Napier's press conference at the Heavener Football Training Center — and on the other side of the country — a player initially in this class, Pittsburg (Calif.) quarterback Jaden Rashada, announced his commitment to Arizona State.
As expected, Napier faced a barrage of questions about the saga surrounding Rashada and the release from his scholarship last month following reports of a NIL deal that fell apart. Napier declined to comment specifically about Rashada other than to say he has the "utmost respect" for the talented quarterback and his family.
The press conference unfolded in two halves. The first centered on NIL (name, image and likeness), Florida's recent headlines in that arena, and the second on the Gators' latest recruiting haul.
Napier, appearing relaxed and optimistic about his team's prospects, undoubtedly preferred the second half.
But he addressed the "elephant in the room," as one reporter phrased it in a question.
"It's not permissible for me to get specific,'' Napier said. "The big thing here, as the dust settles, our focus is preparing our team, the group of players who have joined our team. I think the reality is the current structure of NIL, with third parties being involved, with agents being involved, with marketing representatives, with lawyers, with collectives, [is] very fluid and, I think, a very unique dynamic. We're living in a time in college athletics that we'll look back upon. We're playing a game that's never been played before."
"I think, ultimately, NIL is a strength for the Gators. I'm very pleased with where we're at relative to our current players, all [UF] athletes, and what we've been able to accomplish in a short amount of time."
It's clear that while outsiders may have a different view of Florida's NIL efforts and opponents attempt to use it to their advantage, Napier has moved on.
He has rebuilt the roster through the transfer portal and a recruiting class highlighted by 18 blue-chip signees. Napier praised the work of Bird Sherrill, the team's director of college personnel, and assistant director Chase Clark for the job they did to identify targets in the transfer portal.
"This is going to make our team better,'' said Napier, whose team finished 6-7 in his first season. "We knew that we needed to add a huge group of players; we anticipated that, and certainly the combination of the guys' graduating and some of the attrition, we were in position and ready, and I don't think we're done."
Napier said the Gators would pursue another scholarship quarterback before next season with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Jack Miller, who transferred from Ohio State before last season, as the primary players at the position. Redshirt freshman quarterback Max Brown is also on the roster but is currently playing baseball. Napier said the Gators could also use another player at outside linebacker.
The position the Gators beefed up the most in this class is the offensive line, adding 6-foot-5.5, 307-pound Caden Jones to the roster Wednesday. Jones, out of De La Salle High in New Orleans, the same school that produced UF running back Montrell Johnson Jr., is one of the four signees finishing high school this spring. Jones is one of seven offensive linemen Florida has added since the end of last season.
"It's probably one of the areas where I think we did the best work," Napier said. "We've got some experienced players, but I also think some of the young players we added have significant height, length, functional movement, and bright futures."
With most of the class already on campus and in school, Florida's National Signing Day this year was different from most. Of course, that is true across the country as NIL has altered the sport's offseason, and the December early signing period is when most players sign.
In perhaps Napier's most revealing comments on the past month's headlines, he expressed confidence in the program's direction in the current climate – and the way he handled the recent past.
"I think you spend your entire life, your entire career, trying to establish who you are and how you operate," he said. "I think, ultimately, I can lay my head down at night based off of that. I think we're going about it the right way.
"The number of variables that go into this, when you start talking about state law, NCAA compliance, really no defined market. And no parameters for that market. [NIL] has created issues and frustration. I think we're all aware of that. The exciting thing to me is what I'm observing with our current team."
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