OFFICIAL 3:07 p.m. ET: The Florida Gators have officially announced the hiring of Billy Napier as their new head football coach

Just over a week after firing fourth-year head coach Dan Mullen, the Florida Gators have named their fourth head coach in the past ten years.

Billy Napier, former Louisiana-Lafayette head coach and former assistant coach of Clemson and Alabama, will travel to Gainesville. First Coast News has confirmed that the Gators waited until Napier meets his team before making the announcement on Sunday. Sources say he is expected to coach the Ragin ‘Cajuns in the Sun Belt Championship game this Saturday.

Napier went 39-12 in four seasons with the Ragin ‘Cajuns, leading them to four consecutive appearances in the Sun Belt Championship Game. Under Napier, the Ragin ‘Cajuns have played four bowl games, including winning the 2019 Lending Tree and the 2020 First Responder Bowls.

Prior to his first head coaching job with the Ragin ‘Cajuns, Napier was Arizona State’s offensive coordinator in 2017, leading the Sun Devils to a 7-5 record and a trip to the Sun Bowl. Prior to that, he spent four seasons coaching Alabama wide receivers, including winning the 2016 national championship. He previously spent the 2011 season in Tuscaloosa as an offensive analyst.

The former Furman quarterback (1999-2002) made his coaching debut at Clemson as a graduate assistant in 2003. He briefly left for South Carolina in 2005 to become the quarterback coach, but returned in 2006 as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. . Napier remained on the staff when Dabo Swinney was promoted to interim head coach to full-time head coach, before finally being promoted to offensive coordinator. Under Napier, the Tigers scored an academic record of 436 points in 2009; however, a drop in production led to the dismissal of Napier in 2010.

Both in Tennessee but raised in Chatsworth, Ga., Napier led Furman to the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA Championship game and won a letter for four years. Napier and his wife Ali have four children.