New JMU Head Coach Billy Napier

[Bigdaddyg1]

Well, since Fla gave him a boatload of money ot leave, maybe he spends some of that on key players and coaches as an investment for his future. Spend 5 million now, to make 50 in 4 years.

I agree his time in the belt was a much different time, but if there is a way to now work it . . .

Interesting thought. Could (theoretically) a coach use his own money (buyout) to pay his players?

[ASUTodd]

Well, since Fla gave him a boatload of money ot leave, maybe he spends some of that on key players and coaches as an investment for his future. Spend 5 million now, to make 50 in 4 years.

I agree his time in the belt was a much different time, but if there is a way to now work it . . .

Interesting thought. Could (theoretically) a coach use his own money (buyout) to pay his players?

If he gives it to a collective I'm sure he could.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

So this would make the 2nd time he coached at a Sun Belt school. The last time he went for 2 wasn't a good outcome for him.

We should probably temper our "go for two" talk.

Someone should have said that to his coach

[BUTCH1991]

I don't see where he's been hired. I see him linked to both the JMU & Tulane openings.

[Tru2ASU]

I don't see where he's been hired. I see him linked to both the JMU & Tulane openings.

He's not been. His name hit the rumor mill for JMU today.

[Bootsy]

If the Tulane job is in play, wouldn’t that be a better get for him than JMU? Just thinking about resources, conference, recruiting, etc.

[T-Dog]

Sources: Billy Napier is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next head coach at James Madison. A formal announcement is expected on Saturday. Napier is the former coach at Louisiana and Florida.

[GreatAppSt]

I hate Purple!

[appdaze]

I think after the Flordia run he will need 3 years of sustained winning at JMU to get his next P4 shot. I think he knows he will get enough money to compete at the G5 level so I think this is a safer bet for his long term career.

[RankinApp]

I think this is a great hire for JMU. He had Louisiana rolling along, and he's going to a program with more money and support. The Dukes have been ballsy with their coaching hires, while App has been way too safe, IMO.

We'll see how it pans out, but I could see him back at another P4 program in a couple years.

[appst89]

If the Tulane job is in play, wouldn’t that be a better get for him than JMU? Just thinking about resources, conference, recruiting, etc.

Nobody would take JMU over Tulane if both were on the table. My guess is Tulane moved on.

[t4pizza]

Not sure how many people realize this little tidbit, buy Napier is the the ONLY full time coach of UF football to have a losing record since the 1940s. The only one! Florida has so many resources and advantages that almost any qualified coach can have a winning record there, any except Napier that is. The dude was exposed and can not coach that well. Any Power program that would hire him again would be very foolish. I hope he signs with JMU, it will not turn out well for them.

[BambooRdApp]

I think this is a great hire for JMU. He had Louisiana rolling along, and he's going to a program with more money and support. The Dukes have been ballsy with their coaching hires, while App has been way too safe, IMO.

We'll see how it pans out, but I could see him back at another P4 program in a couple years.

How have we been "safe". Our last 3 coaches had zero HC experience. "Safe" to me is hiring a coach "with coaching experience"

[ncman071]

damn..they got yet another great coach...or at least really good coach

[bcoach]

I think this is a great hire for JMU. He had Louisiana rolling along, and he's going to a program with more money and support. The Dukes have been ballsy with their coaching hires, while App has been way too safe, IMO.

We'll see how it pans out, but I could see him back at another P4 program in a couple years.

How have we been "safe". Our last 3 coaches had zero HC experience. "Safe" to me is hiring a coach "with coaching experience"

Exactly

[boonetown1]

I think after the Flordia run he will need 3 years of sustained winning at JMU to get his next P4 shot. I think he knows he will get enough money to compete at the G5 level so I think this is a safer bet for his long term career.

Agreed, and that sucks. Honestly a smart play getting someone like that on the rebound. Honestly, I could see that being satt one day

[RankinApp]

How have we been "safe". Our last 3 coaches had zero HC experience. "Safe" to me is hiring a coach "with coaching experience"

Yeah, I wasn't referring to head coaching experience. More so the process. JMU and other programs out here hitting fastballs in their searches and hires while App is playing slow pitch.

We were told App was conducting nationwide searches and instead ended up with fairly tepid and uninspired hires.

That's not to take away from the successes that Drink and Coach Clark had after the fact.

[MrCraig]

Proof these dudes are just... different. Florida has paid him $10 million of his $21 million buyout, then he's going to get $2.75 million for the next four years. Why, in the name of all that is good, would you go back into coaching immediately?!?!?! Go home! Travel! Play golf! Learn French! Why would you force yourself into the churn of recruiting and scheming and shaking hands with boosters and worrying about the portal and NIL???

Because he is a coach and that is what they do. If you are trying to improve your rep why not JMU. Best team in the Sunbelt, most money in the belt or darn close to it. Great AD, and a strong fanbase. If offered my bet is he would take it. It would put him back in the P4 in 2 to 3 years.

That’s what I’m saying. These coaches are psychopaths, or at least need some serious therapy.
If you just got $10 million dropped in your bank account, who cares about your “rep”?

[Stonewall]

He uses the Saban system . Worked well at LaLa . I don’t know why it would not at J Moo.

[appvette]

There are two types of coaches entering the Sun Belt. Those on the way up and those on the way down.

Huff disagrees lol