The axe is coming for Billy Napier very soon. Both fans and the program have long tolerated the perennially slow progress under the HC. But according to latest intel, his time is up, for good. Florida is already looking into replacements for Napier. Desperate times call for desperate measures, after all.

Napier was on a game-to-game basis after bringing in 3 straight losses. He cut himself a big break in his surprise domination of the Longhorns. But he went back to the set standards for the Gators in the Week 7, against Texas A&M. Florida’s big boosters have allegedly had it with Napier’s leadership. They have now made further support conditional upon “new direction within the football program,” per USA Today’s Matt Hayes. That brings the search for the new, interim HC to Ron Roberts, the only good bet for Florida at the moment.

The DC has somehow prevented the ship from keeling over at Gainesville so far. The Gators defense under Roberts is the only unit that fans can see in a good light. But Roberts is also the only assistant with head coaching experience, making him a slam dunk choice for Florida’s top brass. He had productive runs as HC of Delta State and Southeastern Louisiana. Roberts was a head coach for 11 seasons, and brought 6 conference titles in that time. He was also recently honored by CBS Sports as DC of the week for that stunning win over Texas.

Per Hayes, AD Scott Stricklin has already met with Florida boosters, and Napier can be fired as soon as this weekend. Per his contract, his buyout stood at $21.3 million after the Texas A&M game. It’s a miracle that he wasn’t fired immediately after that loss. Stricklin is doing everything possible to save Napier for one more game. The patience has already run out among the donors. “One thing is certain: Napier won’t survive another loss,” Hayes wrote in his report. That means, it all hinges on his upcoming matchup with Mississippi State.

Week 8 clash now a must-win for Billy Napier

On face value, Mississippi State seems like a winnable game for Billy Napier. But fans will say otherwise, considering how Florida has fared so far. This game wouldn’t have been as crucial if those losses could be reeled in a bit. But at 2-4, Mississippi State is only a chance to delay that bitter an inevitable verdict for one more week. A reason why the stakes are so high is because this is a home game for Napier. USF already had its way at Gainesville, that too unranked. That’s why the situation is so delicate for the HC this Saturday.

Mike Gundy was fired by Oklahoma State for going 1-2 in the season. The loss that really did him in was the Tulsa game. It was the first time that Tulsa had won a game at the Cowboys’ since 1951. Florida has no rivalry with Mississippi State, but Billy Napier might follow that similar arc. He enters the game 2-4 desperate. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are still looking for an SEC win. Except the defense, not much is looking up or Florida regardless of who the opponent is now. Once again, Napier is sure to be met with boos from the crowd.

Florida boosters have given more than enough for a program that has gone only 21-23 under its current coach. The boot is coming for Billy Napier anyways, since there is almost no hope of him making it past Georgia, Ole Miss, or Tennessee. This Saturday might only be a chance for the HC to end his troubled tenure at Gainesville with a win.