In watching the Liberty game the other night my favorite moment in that game wasn't even a play. The camera panned on Napier after the guy who got called for unsportsmanlike on a punt came to the sideline. Billy called him over for a chew out session. But Billy didn't waste his time just eating at the young man. He chewed a little, then he turned into a teaching moment. Then before the young man left his presence. Billy had already rebuilt his confidence while making him understand the depth of his responsibility.
I was amazed. I've seen coaches chew players out on the sidelines before. And I've seen them wave off guys like they're done with them & they'll never see the field again. But Billy was able to tear the bad part of that young man down & rebuild him in a minute. That one minute showed me who Billy Napier is. He understands how to reach today's college players. He can communicate with them on their level. When he talks about culture, he knows what he's talking about. And his players trust him. They know he's not just using them for his own means. And he is most humble about that attribute.
UL has done a great job since hitting rock bottom on it's football coaching hires. But Billy was a grand slam deluxe. He is a very special coach who wins so much because his players have faith in him, his system & each other because of the culture he fosters. Anyone can say anything else about a coach on X's & O's, but trust is a priceless commodity. Billy Napier will be continue to be a great coach no matter where he goes from here, because he breeds trust & trust is absolutely the most important factor in building a program, or anything for that matter.
I don't want to be that guy. The day either leave, I won't be rushing here to be the first to break the news.
We have two games left to play besides a bowl game. If we win both, Billy Napier will have delivered exactly what he promised when he became head coach. I will celebrate that milestone with the understanding that he may be gone the day afterwards.
Pros - Runs a clean program, seems to be a players coach (homecoming king TD) and Recruiting, Recruiting and Recruiting (we have some studs out there)
Con - Bad play calling
Bottom line, I hope we keep him!!
Geaux Cajuns!!
All you puking people, it’s ok if you save that for yourselves. Nobody hear really wants to read that and to be honest, flexing that trait really makes you less of a man . . .
I think I would hate to lose Dr. Maggard more than Coach Napier. We need Maggard here to complete the stadium renovation and set this program up for the next 20+ years! He and Napier have already made UL a desirable destination. The new stadium will keep UL in a very enviable place going forward and ensure us that good Coaches will WANT to come here.
Indications are Napier really wants the job...Buckley writing about Napier and open jobs, specifically LSU
Buckley trying to help UL fans lose focus and of course help ULM win Saturday.
Smokescreen. LSU’s AD’s MOO except with Mulkey. Throw a rumor out there while he works getting someone else.
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