Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns landed a 49-27 loss to Billy Napier’s Gators last season. So, the question now becomes whether Napier’s boys would seek revenge or Sarkisian’s Texas is going to maintain the momentum. Both teams are coming off a bye after starting their seasons heading in different directions. Napier’s team has struggled to find traction at 1-3, eking out a single win over FCS opponent LIU. Sarkisian, on the other hand, boasts a 3-1 record, their only stumble coming against Ohio State in Columbus. Other than the scoreboard, there is another trait that is shared by both coaches.
On the October 2nd episode of the CBS Sports College Football podcast, analyst Shehan Jeyarajah broke down where the two programs stand before they face off on Saturday, October 4. He said, “Last thing I’ll say on this is it’s kind of striking still to me that in this matchup where we got these five-star quarterbacks, where we’ve got obviously these great programs, it’s two head coaches who are still calling plays.” So, both Napier and Sarkisian refused to delegate play-calling to offensive coordinators.
Last season, we saw Ohio State head coach Ryan Day handing over play-calling duties to Chip Kelly. The end result? They lifted the national championship. Cut to Napier calling the plays, Florida’s offense ranked just 12th in the SEC last year at 386.9 yards per game. This season, it’s slipped further to 15th, averaging 328.3 yards per game and scoring only three touchdowns over the last three contests.
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The analyst noted, “Obviously, at Florida, that’s been talked about …that Billy Napier is still calling plays. But even for Texas, I mean, these past year or two, we’re not seeing the best of Steve Sarkisian as a playmaker or as a play caller, as he’s being asked to do so many more things in this new era.” Is Sarkisian lacking offensive acumen like Napier? It is more likely that in an age where head coaches juggle countless responsibilities, serving as your own primary playcaller can hurt more than it helps.
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The days of head coaches running the offense on college football’s grandest stages are numbered. Jimbo Fisher was the last to pull it off with a national title at Florida State in 2013, and since the College Football Playoff began, no play-calling head coach has lifted the trophy. That’s what the analyst pointed out, “Obviously, Sark versus Napier, different levels of play caller historically, but still, it’s something that becomes really striking when all of a sudden you become a defensive-led program with pitiful offenses.” As Napier and Sarkisian stand on the same pedestal, it reminds fans of an incident from years ago.
Billy Napier’s old wounds resurface as he clears his feelings
The October 4 face-off will be the duo’s third meeting. The initial clash occurred as Napier closed out his tenure at Louisiana and Sarkisian began his reign at Texas, with the 21st-ranked Longhorns rolling to a 38-18 victory over 23rd-ranked Louisiana. But every time the Florida head coach faces off against Sarkisian, he might be reminded of a past wound.
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Nine years ago, Sarkisian’s promotion to OC at Alabama prompted Napier to seek a play-calling opportunity elsewhere. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Had Napier not been shown the exit door, he would not have explored the option of head coaching. But looks like the Gators’ head coach has made peace with his past. In a recent interview, Napier said, “I really like Sark. I’ve always gotten along with Sark. I have a ton of respect for his knowledge. I think he’s a good person…and I respect his evolution as a coach in terms of what he’s been through personally. Offensively, Sark has always done a good job of evolving, from going back to the SC days of being in the huddle.”
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No matter how positive Napier tries to be before the big game, the reality is harsh. The main reason is that the Gators are dealing with a long list of injuries. To make things worse Arch Mannig seems to have regained his form while playing against Sam Houston.