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Billy Napier: Florida’s title in basketball helps energize fanbase, UF football
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Florida is gearing up for a pivotal season under head coach Billy Napier this fall. Fortunately, the Gators hit the field with plenty of excitement in Gainesville coming out of the spring.
That’s because Florida basketball rolled to its first national title since 2007 with a brilliant run under head coach Todd Golden. It’s the first title for Golden as a head coach with the potential for something special brewing in Gainesville.
During a recent interview, Napier provided some props to Golden for his work with the team and for building a complete unit. Walter Clayton Jr. earned a lot of the headlines for a historic march, but the role players of Alijah Martin, Will Richard and Thomas Haugh also came up big time for the Gators.
“Hats off to Coach Golden and an incredible team. Obviously, some great individual players, but I believe the reason they won a national championship is that they had a great team,” Napier explained. “You could just see it as you watched that team grow, as they competed, as they handled the adversity.”
So, what does that mean for Florida Gators football? Napier explained there’s a new level of energy coming off of what Golden’s group accomplished. It’s something that has even led to impressive seasons for the football squad, coming off success in the basketball arena in the past.
“There’s an energy amongst our fanbase, even on campus among our students, and our players experience that, too,” admitted Napier. “With the way that we finished last year, paired with some confidence and a lot of vets coming back, you can’t help but every time you turn around have someone tell you ‘You know what that means?’ If basketball wins, then football — there’s some history behind that.”
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The first of Florida’s national championships on the hardwood came under Billy Donovan in 2006. That led to Urban Meyer leading the Gators to a 2006 national championship in football, followed by Donovan’s group repeating in 2007 and a 2nd title for Meyer’s football program shortly after in 2007.
Can Florida deliver a similar stretch now that Golden has returned the Gators to the top of the basketball world?
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
