The Surprising Contenders Poised to Take Over as Florida’s Next Head Coach—Is Lane Kiffin or James Franklin the Dark Horse?
Billy Napier’s days leading the Florida Gators were ticking away the moment they stumbled against South Florida in Week 2—dropping from a respectable 13th in the coaches’ poll to completely off the radar. It was a brutal wake-up call that 2025 would mark the end of his reign in Gainesville. The offense sputtered, managing just 17 points combined against two top-five teams soon after, and though a shocker over Texas bought him a brief reprieve, a lifeless victory against Mississippi State—which even had the home crowd booing—sealed his fate. This midseason exit isn’t just a gut punch for Napier; it’s a $21 million hit to Florida’s wallet and the spark for a high-stakes coaching search at one of college football’s storied programs. Despite recent struggles, the Gators still boast top-tier facilities, a national recruiting pull – Napier secured top-13 classes three years running – and sky-high expectations. The next head coach will step into a pressure cooker with plenty of tools to rebuild glory. But who’s got what it takes to wear the orange and blue and elevate the Gators back to elite status?
Billy Napier was working on borrowed time. The moment his Florida Gators lost to South Florida in Week 2 and fell from 13th in the coaches’ poll to unranked, it was clear 2025 would be his last season at the helm in Gainesville.
The embattled head coach oversaw an offense that scored just 17 points in two games against then-top five opponents that followed. While an upset win over Texas kept him employed a bit longer, a listless win over Mississippi State that saw his own fans boo him set the stage for Napier’s dismissal Sunday.
This in-season firing will cost Florida more than $21 million in buyouts and set the stage for a coaching search at a blue blood program that hasn’t won double-digit games since 2019. The Gators have the prestige, facility and resources to rule again — Napier was able to scratch out top-13 recruiting classes each of the last three seasons despite Florida’s layover in mediocrity. Whomever succeeds him will have a pile of assets at his disposal — and a bright spotlight to go with lofty expectations.
Who might fit the bill?
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin
Kiffin has thrived in his second go-round in the SEC. Mississippi has won 10-plus games in three of its last four seasons and was ranked fifth in the nation before squandering a nine-point fourth quarter lead in Saturday’s loss to Georgia. He’s made Ole Miss a constant contender. While that hasn’t been enough to qualify for a playoff berth — though his 11-win 2023 campaign would have been close had the field been expanded to 12 teams that winter — it’s clear he’s been a rising tide at a program that doesn’t have the same kind of backing the Gators do.
Former Penn State head coach James Franklin
Franklin knows how to win in the SEC; he engineered back-to-back nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt in 2012 and 2013, something the program had never done before or had done since his 2014 departure to Happy Valley. He was ultimately undone by his inability to win big games and a sudden, shocking lapse in the little ones. His proven track record of success and strength as a recruiter would help raise the floor of a program that’s had losing records in three of the last four seasons and is trending toward making it four of five.
Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz
Drinkwitz seemed like an odd fit for the SEC after a single season as an FBS head coach. But that 12-win campaign at Appalachian State portended things to come. After a slow start — the Tigers went 17-19 from 2020 to 2022 — he’s developed his team into a top 25 constant. The 42-year-old is 27-6 since 2023 with wins over Tennessee, Ohio State and, yep, Florida in that span. In the process, he’s turned Mizzou into a regular top-20 presence in recruiting rankings.
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall
Sumrall has the Group of 5 success that lured Florida to Napier four years ago. Will that be a benefit or detriment in their 2025 search? Sumrall is 38-10 as an FBS head coach, guiding Troy and Tulane to big seasons in the process. While that only includes a 2-5 record against Power 4 opponents, both those wins came in 2025. If he’s able to sustain this rising tide without the NIL money or recruiting power of a college football blueblood, he could be able to rise to the occasion for the Gators.
South Florida head coach Alex Golesh
Golesh’s star has dimmed a bit after the Bulls‘ 2-0 start evaporated in a 49-12 loss to Miami in Week 3. However, he’s got his team back in the top 20 behind a 6-1 record and is in the midst of a breakthrough after a pair of solid seasons in Tampa. South Florida had gone 4-29 in the three years before hiring Golesh. It’s 20-13 with two bowl wins and another invitation on the way since making the 41-year-old its top dog. And, as a bonus, he’s got SEC experience after spending the 2021 and 2022 seasons as an assistant at Tennessee
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