Florida fired fourth-year coach Billy Napier on Sunday, and now the Gators’ vacancy is the second major opening within the SEC this season. Initial coaching hot boards for Florida include several Power Four sitting coaches, along with other big, available names.
One of college football’s top jobs, Florida checks every box used in differentiating this position from others — recruiting, resources, talent pool, administrative edge and executable expectations. Napier failed to deliver in Gainesville, and the Gators’ next hire will be expected to show progress quickly.
According to SportsLine oddsmakers, here are a few names to watch in Florida’s search:
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss coach (+250)
Kiffin’s name has been floated for this job for years given his penchant for offensive success and game day bravado. He’s Steve Spurrier-lite and even wears a visor because of the Head Ball Coach of Florida lore. However, Ole Miss AD Keith Carter says the university would “love” to sign Kiffin to a Curt Cignetti-like extension before “silly season” starts.
“I don’t comment on these other jobs or these ongoing things in-season,” Kiffin said, per The Clarion Ledger. “That’s awesome that Keith said those things, and I don’t take that for granted. I’m extremely appreciative of how everyone has been here. The chancellor [Glenn Boyce], everybody. I’m flattered that that would even be discussed halfway through the season, but I don’t deal with that.”
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri coach (+400)
Tied for fifth in the SEC in terms of salary, Drinkwitz has it good with the Tigers. The sixth-year coach has managed consecutive top-25 finishes and has won 13 of his last 19 matchups against SEC competition despite not having a top-half roster by league recruiting standards. Drinkwitz’s value as a talent development and someone who finds gems in the transfer portal is obvious. Poaching him away from Missouri would likely take a sizable offer.
Jedd Fisch, Washington coach (+700)
This Florida alumnus has a couple of references on his résumé for the job that others do not — Spurrier and Howie Roseman, the Philadelphia Eagles’ GM. Fisch was roommates with Roseman in college and a graduate assistant under Spurrier before more than a decade stint in the NFL. Fisch returned to the college coaching ranks at UCLA in 2017 before assuming his first head coaching role at Arizona in 2021.
Rhett Lashlee, SMU coach (+800)
Rumored to be a potential option at his alma mater (Arkansas), Lashlee has coached on a couple offensive staffs at Auburn and already has 34 wins through 3.5 seasons with the Mustangs. Lashlee led SMU to its first playoff appearance last fall during the Mustangs’ first season in the ACC after finishing runner-up to league champion Clemson.
James Franklin, ex-Penn State coach (+900)
Behind door No. 2 for the Gators could be Franklin, a proven winner at Penn State — besides matchups with Ohio State and top-10 opponents — who earned his stripes previously at Vanderbilt. It’s obvious he’s hungry to lead another high-profile program; he touted his track record over the weekend during his first public comments since his firing in Happy Valley.
Jeff Brohm, Louisville coach (+1000)
Louisville is not an elite job when compared to Florida’s stature, but it is Brohm’s alma mater and he’s wanted this job for years. In Year 3 with the Cardinals, Brohm has a 10-win season and a nine-win season, and he’s 5-1 — and ranked — this year after beating Miami last week.
Alex Golesh, South Florida coach (+1200)
Florida’s power brass got an up-close look at Golesh last month when his Bulls downed the Gators inside the Swamp, 18-16, as a double-digit underdog. He put the wheels in motion for Napier’s firing and leads the Group of Five’s current favorite in the College Football Playoff race. After cutting his teeth as Josh Heupel’s successful offensive coordinator at UCF and Tennessee, Golesh is 20-13 overall in Tampa. The boosters down there are investing large sums into football in terms of facilities and other resources to try to keep him around.
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame coach (+1500)
While he has no ties to the Gators, it’s certainly understandable why he would be on Florida’s shortlist of potential targets given his success with the Fighting Irish. Freeman reached the national championship game last season and is 38-11 overall since taking over in 2022. Notre Dame has won 19 of its last 23 games under his watch and is staring at another potential playoff bid this fall if the Irish win out from here.
Brent Key, Georgia Tech coach (+1700)
What makes this no-nonsense coach intriguing at Florida? The Birmingham, Alabama, native and Georgia Tech alumnus has a line-of-scrimmage focus, and discipline is top priority for him. Key’s done more will less in Atlanta and has the unbeaten Yellow Jackets inside the top 10 this season.
Urban Meyer, ex-Florida coach (+2000)
Florida’s had four failed hires since Meyer won two national championships, but there’s no real expectation that he’s ready to return to the coaching ranks. Meyer has been out of coaching since 2021 and last led a college program in 2018, when he retired from Ohio State. Meyer considered a GM position within college football earlier this year, but said in 2023 he had no desire to coach again.
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