Billy Napier wants Florida to stay humble after USC win

Legendary Florida coach Steve Spurrier declared Saturday’s victory over South Carolina as the “biggest” of the Billy Napier era. However, the current head coach is cautious about letting such praise go to his team’s head.

Looking ahead at Florida’s schedule, they face Georgia, Arkansas, LSU, and Missouri, followed by a match against Florida State to close out the season. Napier acknowledges the possibility of finishing second in the division and emphasizes the importance of at least one upset. The upcoming game against the unranked Razorbacks becomes critical for bowl eligibility.

In an SEC teleconference, Napier shared his thoughts on the team’s growth. He stressed the need to maintain humility and referred to UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin, who stated that lack of humility leads to being humbled. Napier believes a “big picture approach” is essential after the South Carolina win, recognizing that the team still has young players adjusting to their roles.

Napier stated, “Your team is really close to being below average and really close to being really good. We’ve proven that this year. We’ve yet to play a complete game, and I think we’re still pursuing that. We do have a bunch of young players and new faces from the portal who are in their first year at Florida that I do believe are getting better at preparing and practicing.”

While Florida’s secondary has been inconsistent, Napier defended their performance when questioned. He explained that the team evaluates internally to identify areas for improvement, which might not always align with fan and media opinions.

During the press conference, Napier refrained from discussing Georgia and redirected attention to the upcoming game against them in the following week.

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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire