It appears that Billy Napier's long range plan is starting to kick in

Billy Napier paces the sideline during Florida's 31-11 win over FSU (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears)

“Patience, Grasshopper,” Master Po would tell his precocious student Kaine on the television series “Kung Fu.” Billy Napier has been telling us the same thing for the past three years, but until now, it seems, not everybody was listening.

Napier stressed the need for the right cultural foundation to sustain success from day one, but while Florida Gators were avoiding the police blotter Georgia was setting records for arrests while winning championships. Boy Scouts are wonderful. Hoisting championship trophies are what the alums and boosters prefer, however.

But what if it’s possible to do both? What if you can field a team of Boy Scouts off the field who channel their aggressions well enough on the field that it’s possible to win championships?

It seems Napier’s insistence of following his cultural transformation game plan is about to pay off. Three years into the Napier era at the University of Florida, the Gators are suddenly that team nobody in his right mind wants to play. At the same time, suddenly the Gators seem to be the team that top recruits want to play for and thanks to the presence of one stud QB DJ Lagway, Florida will be a hot ticket item for transfers in the portal.

The Gators finished the regular season 7-5, 5-1 in games Lagway started. The combination of Lagway and a rose from the dead defense that registered 18 sacks in the final three games has transformed the Gators into a prime candidate to fill one of the slots in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl.

After the win over Ole Miss made the Gators bowl eligible, Birmingham or the Liberty Bowl seemed to be the likely postseason destinations, but the dominant win over Florida State has the Gators likely in Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl.

The residual effect of Florida’s emergence is being seen on the recruiting trail. The Gators had a good week last week when the 2025 recruiting class shot up the charts to top 20 status. With the weekend flips of edge rusher Jaden Woods (from Penn State), offensive tackle Tavaris Dice (from Auburn) and defensive tackle Joseph Mbatchou (from Texas) -- all four stars -- the Florida recruiting class sits at No. 12 nationally.

With the expected flips of 5-star offensive tackle Solomon Thomas (from Florida State) and 4-star safeties Hylton Stubbs (from Miami) and Lagonza Hayward (from Tennessee) the Gators will climb inside the top ten when the faxes start coming in on National Signing Day Wednesday. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Gators also flip 4-star defensive lineman Myron Charles (from Texas) and 3-star corner Otis Konanbanny (from Tennessee).

Then there is the portal where the Gators lost defensive end Justus Boone, wide receiver Andy Jean and edge rusher Quincy Ivory. This is where the Lagway effect will be felt for wide receivers.

After the win over Florida State Saturday night, Lagway said, “I’d say the big plays, you know? Especially at receiver. You’re going to get the ball. We’re going to push the ball down the field, make some big plays and you’re going to have fun doing it.”

Expect the Gators to look to the portal also to land a backup quarterback, a couple of experienced defensive linemen, an experienced offensive lineman and perhaps two in the secondary.

Associated Press top 25: 1. Oregon 12-0; 2. Texas 11-1; 3. Penn State 11-1; 4. Notre Dame 11-1; 5. Georgia 10-2; 6. Tennessee 10-2; 7. Ohio State 10-2; 8. SMU 11-1; 9. Indiana 11-1; 10. Boise State 11-1; 11. Alabama 9-3; 12. Arizona State 10-2; 13. South Carolina 9-3; 14. Miami 10-2; 15. Ole Miss 9-3; 16. Iowa State 10-2; 17. BYU 10-2; 18. Clemson 9-3; 19. UNLV 10-2; 20. Colorado 9-3; 21. Illinois 9-3; 22. Missouri 9-3; 23. Syracuse 9-3; 24. Army 10-1; 25. Memphis 10-2

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Oregon 12-0; 2. Texas 11-1; 3. Penn State 11-1; 4. Notre Dame 11-1; 5. Georgia 10-2; 6. Tennessee 10-2; 7. SMU 11-1; 8. Ohio State 10-2; 9. Indiana 11-1; 10. Boise State 11-1; 11. Alabama 9-3; 12. South Carolina 9-3; 13. Arizona State 10-2; 14. Miami 10-2; 15. Ole Miss 9-3; 16. Iowa State 10-2; 17. Clemson 9-3; 18. BYU 10-2; 19. UNLV 10-2; 20. Missouri 9-3; 21. Illinois 9-3; 22. Colorado 9-3; 23. Army 10-1; 24. Memphis 10-2; 25. Syracuse

SEC FOOTBALL

No. 11 Alabama (9-3, 5-3 SEC): The playoff is a pipe dream. Hello Citrus Bowl!

Arkansas (6-6, 3-5 SEC): Looks like the Hogs will wind up in the Birmingham Bowl ... Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has feelers out for an HBC job ... Wide receiver Jaedon Wilson is transferring to UCLA.

Auburn (5-7, 2-6 SEC): Hello portal. QB job available. Call, text or email Hugh Freeze ... Quarterbacks Hank Brown and Holden Geriner are in the portal as is tight end Micah Riley.

No. 5 Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC): Win or lose in the SEC Championship Game and the Bulldogs will be in the playoff. Count on it ... Corner Julian Humphrey is in the portal.

Kentucky (4-8, 1-7 SEC): Job No. 1, find a new QB in the portal.

LSU (8-4, 5-3 SEC): Seven more years at $10 million a year for Brian Kelly. This year it’s hello Liberty Bowl. Former 4-star QB Rickie Collins is in the portal.

Mississippi State (2-10, 0-8 SEC): Figure Jeff Lebby will be bringing in no less than 35 from the transfer portal ... Wide receivers JJ Harrell and Creed Whittemore are in the portal.

No. 22 Missouri (9-3, 5-3 SEC): The Tigers could be headed to the Texas Bowl.

Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC):The Gasparilla Bowl seems likely ... Wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway is in the portal.

No. 15 Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 SEC): The bowl game formerly known as the Outback in Tampa or the Music City in Nashville.

No. 13 South Carolina (9-3, 5-3 SEC): It’s a bowl game in Florida or the Music City Bowl. Fans would probably prefer Nashville ... Offensive guard Ni Mansell is in the portal.  

No. 6 Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC): The Vols lucked out of playing in the SEC Championship Game. To play and lose would kick them out of the playoff.

No. 2 Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC): Twelve years after Texas A&M bolted the Big 12 for the SEC to get out from the Texas shadow, the Horns put the Aggies back under it. Again. Texas plays for the SEC title and is a lock for the playoff.

Texas A&M (8-4, 5-3 SEC): Viva Las Vegas!

Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5 SEC): There is some thought the Dores could wind up at a bowl game in Detroit.

COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: POST REGULAR SEASON EDITION

EXTINCT SPECIES LIST

Neal Brown, West Virginia: Everyone in West-By God-Virginia wants Jimbo Fisher to decide it’s almost heaven in Morgantown.

Joe Houston, East Carolina: Offensive coordinator Blake Harrell had the interim tag removed.  

Mike Bloomgren, Rice: The new coach is former Davidson head coach Scott Abell. To celebrate Rice beat South Florida 35-28.   

Will Hall, Southern Miss: They’re trying to negotiate a deal with former UAB head coach Bill Clark.

Mike Neu, Ball State: Smart money remains on Texas A&M assistant Joey Lynch, a former Ball State quarterback.

Stan Drayton, Temple: Surprise hire is KC Keeler, formerly of Sam Houston State.

Mack Brown, North Carolina: Dan Mullen is being described as a “perfect fit” for UNC provided he hires some ace recruiters.  

Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic: Scratch Ray Lewis. The smart hire is Penn State running backs coach JaJuan Seider, a Belle Glade native.

Don Brown, UMass: Someone who works cheap and doesn’t mind getting his brains beaten out 2-3 times a year for paychecks. That’s all they need.

Biff Poggi, Charlotte: Former Gator QB and Western Carolina HBC Kerwin Bell could be the newbie as early as today.

Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State: Jacksonville Jags assistant Jerry Mack, formerly head coach at North Carolina Central, is the new HBC.

Kevin Wilson, Tulsa: Expect Brennan Marion to be named the new HBC.  

Mike MacIntyre, Florida International: Three straight 4-8 seasons did him in.

Ryan Walters, Purdue: They have the money to hire a good coach. Do they have the patience to give someone time to build a foundation? 

ON LIFE SUPPORT

Joe Moorhead, Akron: He shocked Toledo to finish 4-8. It’s actually hard to do better than that at Akron.

Kenni Burns, Kent State: The Flashes ran the table in reverse (0-12) and Burns owes $23,000 for an unpaid credit card. As of Sunday he still has a job.

Trent Dilfer, UAB: The plug hasn’t been pulled even though the Blazers could have beaten Charlotte if their kicker doesn’t miss a 35-yard field goal, then misses from 22 because of a Charlotte penalty. The ending is as bizarre as Dilfer still having a job.

Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion: He beat Arkansas State to finish 5-7 Saturday. He still has a job, so maybe close counts for something.

ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST 

Hugh Freeze, Auburn: He will be back for 2025 but he better produce or else he will be shown the door.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas: They love Sam in Arkansas. They just wish he would win more football games. Next season is make or break.

Mike Norvell, Florida State: He gets a mulligan after going from 13-1 to 2-10. Realistically, they can’t afford to fire him.   

Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech: He gets another year, which is another way of saying they have no money to fire him and hire someone else.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Let the fun begin! It’s conference championship week, which could further add to the chaos that is the expanded College Football Playoff.

Consider a few of the possibilities:

Georgia (10-2) beats Texas (11-1) in the SEC Championship Game. Texas gets in win or lose and Georgia gets in if it wins. If the Longhorns win, is Georgia eliminated with three losses?

Clemson (9-3) beats SMU (11-1) in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson would be in as ACC champ, but would 11-2 SMU still get in? If SMU loses would Miami (10-2) jump into the top 12?

What if Oregon (12-0) destroys Penn State (11-1) in the Big Ten Championship Game? Penn State will certainly drop, but will it somehow squeeze out 11-1 Indiana, therefore opening the door for a 3-loss team from the SEC (Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss)?

Alabama has wins over Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri. South Carolina has wins over Missouri and Clemson. Ole Miss has wins over Georgia and South Carolina. If Georgia makes the playoff as SEC champ but there is room for a 3-loss SEC team, which one? And if Georgia has three losses, both Alabama and Ole Miss have wins over the Bulldogs.

If UNLV (10-2) avenges a regular season loss to Boise State (11-1) in the Mountain West Championship Game, the Rebels will get in and Boise will be out. If Boise wins, the Broncos could be the fourth highest seeded conference champ, which could have squeeze out implications further down the line.

Notre Dame (11-1) doesn’t play in a conference so it’s idle this week and is almost certainly a first round host. Should the Irish be rewarded with a home game in cold South Bend if they aren’t members of a conference?

So buckle your seat belts, folks, because the chaos is only beginning and if you thought there were some butt hurt Seminoles last year when they were left out of a 4-team playoff, you haven’t seen anything yet. Expansion to 12 teams includes more teams in the playoff, but it also increases the number of complaints on Selection Sunday.

It’s wonderful, isn’t it?