I’ve been a college football fan for as long as I can remember. I’ve always cheered for the Florida Gators. You may not be a Gator fan, and that’s ok (after all no one is perfect). Billy Napier is the second-year head coach of the Florida Gators. So far, I like what I see from Billy Napier. He doesn’t seem arrogant, he wants to build character in his players, and he has a history of success. However, not everyone is a fan of Billy Napier.
If you’re a leader, you probably know what it’s like to meet some people who don’t agree with everything that you do. That’s the nature of being a leader. Yet, sometimes it’s frustrating to have the yo-yo effect of someone loving you one day and then calling for you to be fired the next. That’s what happening with Billy Napier.
Napier took over a Gator football team that had gone downhill, in terms of both wins and recruiting. What’s more, his philosophy of football and coaching was quite different from the previous coach. When he was hired, he continued to tell the press and fans that they would need to be patient with the rebuilding process. Well, here we are in year two and some people were calling for him to be fired before the season even started. This behavior is absolute madness.
The Gators lost their first game to a team that was ranked in the top 25 teams in the country, and the Gators only lost by two scores. Then, the Gators won a few Games, including beating a very good Tennessee squad. All of a sudden, folks are saying the Gators are great. They may even dominate the Southeastern Conference. As it would turn out, the Gators lost to a very good University of Kentucky team (who are undefeated at this point). Fans are now once again saying Billy Napier should be replaced. Do you see the yo-yo effect?
In a rebuilding season, Billy Napier and the Gators have lost two games to two very good football teams, and some fans are calling for him to be fired. Here’s the lesson for leaders: some people are unreasonable and flighty. They may love you one day and hate you the next. They may be impatient and short-sighted. However, leaders are not called to lead based on the temperature of the crowd. They are called to lead with conviction, wisdom, and resolute determination.
Will Billy Napier lead the Gators to be a top-five college football team in the coming years? I’m not sure. But I am sure of this reality: it’s too early to decide whether or not Billy Napier was the right choice to coach the Gators. Time will tell. I hope he does well, and I hope the college football world gives their coaches a chance, for the sake of the game and the sake of my sanity.
Don’t lead based on ever-changing noise. Lead with conviction. Lead on, leaders.
Matthew McCraw 