It was no secret going into the 2024 college football season that Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier was on the hot seat. Napier had high hopes of turning around the Florida program and making it a national championship contender. Instead, he had a losing record in each of his first two seasons.

Entering Week 11, Napier led the Gators to a 4-4 record with four games remaining in the season. Still, it was enough for him to get the vote of confidence for next season. On Thursday, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin officially announced that Napier would remain as head coach for next season. With this, Napier is no longer in the hot seat.

But what exactly made the school decide to keep Napier?

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, nearly 70 percent of the money in Florida’s Name Image and Likeness (NIL) program goes to freshmen and sophomores. Thamel also says there’s a feeling that first-year quarterback DJ Lagway “is aligned with Napier, and Napier can develop that core of young players.”

Having a young core of players ultimately helped Napier in terms of job security.

Lagway showed he could provide a spark in Florida’s offense, thanks in part to his ability to pass and run. Lagway started the team’s huge 48-20 win over the Kentuck Wildcats, as he threw for 259 yards while completing 7 of 14 pass attempts while rushing for 46 yards on nine carries .

This season, Lagway has totaled 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 60.9 percent of his passes.

While helping build the young core of players at Florida played a role in the decision to keep Napier, it was also about his buyout. According to Thamel, buying Napier out of his contract would have cost more than $26 million. Add in the buyout and transition of Napier and staff, and it would have will cost $40 million.

Yes, Napier is back for next season, but his focus should be on the rest of the season. Although the College Football Playoff is out of the question, the Gators are just two wins away from bowl eligibility. Helping Florida win a bowl game and earn a victory would do even more wonders for Napier.

For Florida fans hoping for a coaching change next season, that’s not happening. Napier received Stricklin’s vote of confidence to continue developing the team’s young players.