"I hate it in this profession": Kirby Smart issues heartfelt reaction to Billy Napier's firing after poor start to 2025 season

The Florida Gators had a terrible start to the 2025 season and they now sit with a poor 3-4 record in a highly competitive SEC. Billy Napier was constantly under the radar for his poor play-calling ability and the team's struggles to convert games in their favor. His firing was more or less imminent; however, there were some technical restraints in his buyout clause that hampered his dismissal sooner.

Despite a win against MS State, Florida Gators finally parted ways with Napier, marking the end of four years of association. This coming weekend, the Gators will face Georgia at home.

Before the matchup, head coach Kirby Smart had a brief interaction with the reporters where he shared his projections for the upcoming matchup and dropped his opinion on Napier's firing.

Smart mentioned that it was always painful to watch veteran coaches like Napier leave. And there were several factors that contributed to the loss.

“First of all, I have a lot of respect for Billy. I’ve known Billy a long time. We were on staff together at Alabama. I like Billy a lot. I think Billy is very intelligent, very well-organized. His attention to detail is at a really high level. He’s a guy that thinks things out really well. "I think they’ve recruited well and done a good job. I hate it in this profession. We all know what we sign up for, and Billy understands that,” Smart said to the reporters during the press conference for Week 9.

NCAA Football: Mississippi at Georgia - Source: Imagn

Billy Napier's firing triggered departure theories around DJ Lagway

Apparently, the Florida head coach's dismissal stirred theories of QB DJ Lagway leaving the program. Even though Florida struggled to pose a challenge to the opponent team, Lagway played a critical role in running the offense and leading the run game.

While speaking to the reporters, he reaffirmed his commitment to the program and claimed that he was going nowhere.

“I'm a Florida Gator. My biggest focus right now is these five games and continuing to better my craft and continuing to develop as a player,” Lagway said to the reporters earlier this week.

After Georgia, Florida will next play Kentucky, followed by Ole Miss, Tennessee and FSU in consecutive weeks. While the program awaits a new permanent head coach, Lagway should be looking to get his team back on track and reinstate its dominance in the SEC.

Edited by Deepesh Nair