Florida fired head football coach Billy Napier after a 22-23 record over nearly four seasons. Napier is the first Gators coach since the late 1940s to finish his tenure with a losing record. Wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales has been named the interim ...

Billy Gonzales has coached as many years at Florida as Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier. He has twice as many national titles, too.

After being tabbed as Florida football’s interim head coach on Sunday, Billy Gonzales was quick to reach out to a UF legend for advice.

Florida football became the latest program to enter the coaching carousel in 2025, as the Gators announced the firing of Billy Napier on Sunday, Oct. 19. Replacing him is longtime assistant Billy Gonzales, who will serve as the interim for the remainder of the season.

Thirty-one years after starting his coaching life as a Division III grunt hauling field-lining equipment in his dented four-door Chevy sedan, Billy Gonzales now has access to the parking spot reserved for Florida’s head coach.

The Florida Gators have dealt with a lot of adversity over the course of this season. That ended up coming to a head the day after a 23-21 homecoming win over Mississippi State when athletic director Scott Stricklin fired head coach Billy Napier.

Ahead of his debut as Florida’s interim, Gonzales reached out to former Gators national championship coach Urban Meyer for advice as he steps into the role.

Gators’ interim coach Billy Gonzales remains respectful of former coach Billy Napier as the longtime UF assistant takes over during the season’s closing five games.

Interim head coach Billy Gonzales met with the media on Wednesday morning ahead of Florida’s week ten matchup with Georgia. Gonzales previews the Bulldogs and discusses the importance of the rivalry. Here’s everything Gonzales said during the teleconference: