Following Bob Chesney’s departure for UCLA, James Madison is reportedly targeting former Florida head coach Billy Napier to fill one of the premier coaching vacancies in the Group of 5.
According to a report from On3, Napier is the primary candidate for the position. He had also been linked to the head coaching vacancy at Tulane, which opened after Jon Sumrall was hired to replace Napier at Florida.
While Napier’s tenure with the Gators was challenging, his previous success at the Group of 5 level makes him a compelling candidate. During a four-year run at Louisiana, he compiled an impressive 40-12 record, leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to three consecutive seasons with ten or more wins and back-to-back conference titles in his final two years.
Napier was unable to replicate that success in the SEC, finishing his time at Florida with a 22-23 record before his dismissal midway through the 2025 season. After two sub-.500 seasons, the Gators finished with an 8-5 record in 2024, capping the year with a victory in the Gasparilla Bowl.
The James Madison program is set to play Troy in the Sun Belt Championship game on Friday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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