Sun Belt Billy is officially out at Florida. Billy Napier’s seat had been scorching for more than a year, and on Sunday the administration finally decided enough was enough.

The Florida job immediately jumps to the top of the list among open positions for a variety of reasons. It is an SEC job in one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, and the roster already has serious talent. Whoever steps in will inherit DJ Lagway, Vernell Brown, Dallas Wilson, and Jadan Baugh.

That is not a rebuild. That is a launchpad. If the next coach can keep the core together, this team could be a playoff contender as early as next season. So who could take over in Gainesville? Let’s take a look at some of the names that make sense.

Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss Head Coach)
If there is one coach who can walk into The Swamp and build an explosive offense, it is Lane Kiffin. His name comes up for every major job, and Florida will be no different. Reports say Kiffin is intrigued by the idea of taking over in Gainesville and would consider leaving Ole Miss for the right opportunity. He is 27-6 over the last three seasons and has the Rebels in position to make their first College Football Playoff. If that happens, it could slow the process, but Kiffin at Florida would be must-watch football.

Alex Golesh (USF Head Coach)
Alex Golesh is about to have options, and plenty of them. USF is 6-1 with the only loss coming at Miami. If the Bulls beat Memphis this weekend, they will be the clear Group of Five favorite for a playoff spot. Golesh already has recruiting ties across the state from his time at UCF and USF, and his offense has been one of the most creative in college football. Florida would be smart to make that call, and if they do, it is hard to imagine Golesh saying no.

Jedd Fisch (Washington Head Coach)
Jedd Fisch played at Florida and has always dreamed of coaching there. He once said he hoped to coach with Steve Spurrier, so the Florida job would mean something special to him. Do not let his overall record fool you because he inherited a mess at Arizona and turned it into an eleven-win program in two years. Now he is doing the same at Washington with a roster that lost most of its starters after 2023. Fisch knows how to build programs and understands what it takes to win in Gainesville.

Clark Lea (Vanderbilt Head Coach)
Clark Lea has done something few thought possible. Vanderbilt is a legitimate playoff contender under his leadership. He has turned a program that spent decades at the bottom of the SEC into one that competes every week. Lea is coaching at his alma mater, but he might realize his ceiling is higher somewhere like Florida, where resources and recruiting access are on another level. With Diego Pavia likely moving on, the timing could be right for Lea to take on a new challenge.

Ryan Grubb (Alabama Offensive Coordinator)
Florida may not choose to hire a coordinator, but Ryan Grubb would be a fascinating candidate. He has been the mind behind Kalen DeBoer’s high-powered offenses at Washington and now Alabama. Ty Simpson has become a Heisman contender in Grubb’s system, and his ability to design and adapt offenses is elite. Grubb is viewed as one of the best offensive minds in the country and will be a head coach sooner rather than later.

Jeff Brohm (Louisville Head Coach)
Jeff Brohm is thriving at his alma mater, but at some point he may want to see how high he can climb. Brohm has won at every stop, including Western Kentucky, Purdue, and now Louisville. The Cardinals are 24-9 under his watch and just knocked off Miami last weekend. If he can win consistently at Purdue, one of the toughest jobs in the sport, imagine what he could do with Florida’s resources and talent.

Bob Chesney (James Madison Head Coach)
If Florida wants to find the next big riser like Curt Cignetti, Bob Chesney is that name. He is only 48 but already has more than a decade of head coaching experience from Division Three to the FBS. He has had only one losing season, his first year at Holy Cross, and has kept James Madison among the best programs in the Group of Five. Chesney knows how to win and build culture, and Florida could benefit from that stability and mindset.