{"id":21106,"date":"2025-10-26T11:50:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T11:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/21106\/"},"modified":"2025-10-26T11:50:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T11:50:08","slug":"gator-commits-respond-to-florida-firing-napier-wruf-98-1-fm-850-am","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/21106\/","title":{"rendered":"Gator Commits Respond to Florida Firing Napier – WRUF 98.1 FM | 850 AM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly one week since Florida fired Billy Napier<\/a>, many recruits in UF\u2019s 2026 class have shared their thoughts and decisions upon the coach\u2019s departure. The overall consensus is generally positive, as many of the future Gators seem committed to the program as a whole, not Napier specifically.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Locked-In Recruits<\/p>\n

Will Griffin leads Florida\u2019s class. This four-star recruit is ranked second all-time in passing touchdowns (127) in Florida high school history. After committing in June 2024, the first of his class, 247Sports\u2019 Tyler Harden reported that Griffin\u2019s goal is to keep his fellow commits together at Florida.<\/p>\n

According to 247Sports, Justin Williams, a wide receiver at Buchholz High School, was recruited by interim head coach Billy Gonzales. On3 reporter Blake Alderman said\u00a0 that the local four-star athlete is locked in regardless of who is at the helm.<\/p>\n

G\u2019Nivre Carr, another interior offensive lineman, is still committed to the Gators, telling Harden that Florida is home. Interior offensive lineman Desmond Green is similarly positive. He shared his thanks for Napier and for UF keeping his family a priority in this process in a post on X.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I want to be at the University of Florida,\u201d Green told On3\u2019s Corey Bender. \u201cIt\u2019s all kind of weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving to the other side of the ball, Florida is looking to add to its 42nd-ranked total defense this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Four-star defensive lineman Kendall Guervil committed to Florida in early August. Now looking to the future after a season-ending ACL injury on a no-contact play, Guervil remains positive despite the turmoil in Gainesville, Alderman reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still excited about this program and looking forward to getting up there,\u201d Guervil told Rivals. \u201cI know the class of 2026 is up next!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fellow defensive lineman in the 2026 class, JaReylan McCoy, is sticking with Florida, posting a Gator and lock emoji on X. He told On3 that he is committed to the program, not a person. Linebacker Malik Morris had this same sentiment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWin, lose or draw, I\u2019m here,\u201d Morris told Alderman.<\/p>\n

Adding to a talented defensive back group, cornerback CJ Bronaugh from Windermere came to The Swamp for Florida\u2019s homecoming last Saturday. After the news broke Sunday, the four-star recruit told the Orlando Sentinel where his loyalties lied: \u201cI\u2019m still a Gator.\u201d Fellow four-star corner CJ Hester told Rivals that he will look elsewhere to decide what school is best for him.<\/p>\n

Rivals reported that edge KJ Ford made a statement before the Mississippi State game, saying his commitment depends on who is leading the Gators program. However, the four-star talent has since said that he is locked in with Florida.<\/p>\n

Could Go Either Way<\/p>\n

Texas native and four-star wide receiver Davian Groce is sixth in the \u201cATH\u201d (athlete) position in the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports<\/a>. His father told Rivals that his son wants to be a Gator.<\/p>\n

\"Gators\"Gonzales has served on Florida\u2019s staff for 12 seasons in three stints \u2014 under Urban Meyer, Dan Mullen and Napier. (Alyvia Logan\/WRUF)<\/p>\n

\u201cAs of now, I think it comes down to who they hire and if coach Gonzales \u2014 his position coach \u2014 is retained<\/a>,\u201d Rashad Groce said.<\/p>\n

Running back Carsyn Baker and wide receiver Marquez Daniel also both told Rivals that they are waiting on the hire to be announced before making a decision. Offensive tackle Javarii Luckas told Rivals that he is unsure about his next steps, as a lot is going on and he doesn\u2019t know definitively what he wants to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cReally disappointed in coach Napier being fired,\u201d Luckas said. \u201cAs of right now, I\u2019m still committed, and I want to be a Gator. Just have to see how things play out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Loading\u00a0Loading …<\/p>\n

Safety Kaiden Hall continues to hear from programs like Oklahoma and Auburn, but is still committed to Florida, he told Rivals\u2019 Adam Gorney. He said he will discuss his future with family while awaiting the new coaching hire.<\/p>\n

Unsure of Future<\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Tyler Chukuyem is likely gone. After posting \u201cThank you coach for believing in me\u201d on X when Napier left, Rivals broke that Chukuyem would have an official visit with North Carolina on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Chancellor Campbell appears to be in the same boat, posting a thank you to Napier on social media with an official visit scheduled elsewhere, reportedly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Four-star tight end Heze Kent has yet to speak on the news, but many suspect that other schools that recruited him will re-up their efforts now. If so, that group includes Ohio State, Texas, Miami, Alabama, Florida State and a number of others.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kekua Aumua, a three-star tight end from Hawaii, committed to Florida on June 9. Harden reported that Aumua is confident in his relationship with tight ends coach Russ Callaway, but other schools have continued to pursue him.<\/p>\n

Verbal commits in the 2026 class have time to make a final decision with National Signing Day on Feb. 4. The lone 2027 commit, four-star athlete Tramond Collins, said that his commitment does not change, but he is still open to hearing from other programs.<\/p>\n

The next Florida coach will likely bring in some recruits of their own and add more players through the portal. But the hire \u2014 one of the most important in program history \u2014 may have to wait until the end of the College Football Playoff, depending on who athletic director Scott Stricklin and the Florida boosters sway.<\/p>\n

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