University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Head Coach
| BILLY NAPIER | |
| Hometown | Chatsworth, Ga. |
| College | Furman (2002) |
| PLAYING EXPERIENCE | |
| Level | School |
| College | Furman (1999-2002) |
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | |
| Year | School, Position |
| 2018-Pres. | Louisiana, Head Coach (Record: 28-11) |
| 2017 | Arizona State, Offensive Coordinator/QB |
| 2013-17 | Alabama, Assistant Coach/WR |
| 2012 | Colorado State, Assistant Coach/QB |
| 2011 | Alabama, Offensive Analyst |
| 2009-10 | Clemson, Offensive Coordinator/QB |
| 2006-08 | Clemson, Assistant Coach/TE, Recruiting |
| 2005 | South Carolina State, Assistant Coach/QB |
| 2003-04 | Clemson, Graduate Assistant |
| COACHING HONORS | |
| Year | Award |
| 2020 | LSWA Coach of the Year |
| 2019 | Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year |
| 2002 | Walter Payton Award Finalist |
| POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE | |
| Year | Bowl Game |
| 2020 | Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions |
| 2020 | SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Champions |
| 2020 | Sun Belt Conference Championship Game |
| 2020 | LendingTree Bowl Champions |
| 2019 | Sun Belt Conference Championship Game |
| 2018 | AutoNation Cure Bowl |
| 2018 | Sun Belt Conference Championship Game |
| 2017 | Hyundai Sun Bowl |
| 2016 | National Championship Game |
| 2016 | College Football Playoff Semifinal Game |
| 2016 | SEC Championship Game |
| 2015 | National Championship Game |
| 2015 | College Football Playoff Semifinal Game |
| 2015 | SEC Championship Game |
| 2014 | Sugar Bowl |
| 2013 | Sugar Bowl |
| 2011 | BCS National Championship Game |
| 2010 | Meineke Car Care Bowl |
| 2009 | Music City Bowl |
| 2008 | Gator Bowl |
| 2007 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl |
| 2006 | Music City Bowl |
| 2003 | Peach Bowl |
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Director of Athletics Dr. Bryan Maggard welcomed Billy Napier as the 27th Head Coach in Louisiana Football history on Dec. 15, 2017, and the results from the previous three seasons for the Ragin’ Cajuns have been a clear indicator of how far the program has come under Napier.
Under Napier’s leadership, Louisiana was able to navigate a season heavily impacted by COVID-19 and claim a Sun Belt Conference Co-Championship, its third-straight Sun Belt West Division title and its second-straight bowl victory, a 31-24 win over UTSA in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Napier's team broke into the national rankings for the first time in the modern era following its Week 1 upset of No. 23 Iowa State and finished the campaign ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25, No. 16 in the USA Today/Amway Coaches Poll and No. 19 in the College Football Playoff, the team’s highest rankings in all three polls.
Both the offense and defense continued to flourish in 2020 under Napier’s watch. Offensively, the team ranked 29th nationally in scoring offense (33.6) and 43rd nationally in total offense (421.5), while the defense ranked 31st in scoring defense (22.0) and 33rd in total defense (355.4).
Louisiana boasted 14 selections on the Sun Belt All-Conference teams, led by First Team selections Elijah Mitchell and Chris Smith. Mitchell wrapped up his stellar career ranking fifth in career scoring (276), fifth in career rushing touchdowns (41) and sixth in career rushing yards (3,267) before being drafted with the 194th overall pick in the Sixth Round by the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith earned First Team All-America honors from CBSSports/247Sports and Pro Football Focus and Second Team All-America honors from the FWAA, marking the second consecutive season that a Ragin’ Cajun earned All-America honors under Napier.
Quarterback Levi Lewis continued to thrive in Napier’s system, throwing for 2,274 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2020. Entering his final season, Lewis ranks second in career passing touchdowns (54), third in career passing yards (6,286) and fourth in career completions (485).
Louisiana reached unprecedented heights during the 2019 season after securing a record-breaking 11-3 overall record and a second-straight trip to the Sun Belt Championship Game after clinching the league's West Division title with a resounding 53-3 victory over Troy on Nov. 23.
Along the way, the Ragin’ Cajuns broke numerous school records on top of their win total, including the most points in a season (531) and the most total offense in a single season (6,918), while coaching the team to top-20 national rankings in total offense (494.1), rushing offense (257.4), scoring offense (37.9) and scoring defense (19.7).
As a result of his program’s success, Napier was voted the program’s first Sun Belt Coach of the Year, becoming the third Louisiana coach to earn the distinction of top coach and the first since 1993 when Nelson Stokley was named the Big West Conference's top coach.
Powering the way for Louisiana’s dynamic offense were three 2020 NFL Draft picks in Robert Hunt, Kevin Dotson and Raymond Calais. Hunt became the third-highest draft pick in team history when he was selected 39th overall by the Miami Dolphins, while Dotson, who was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and Pro Football Focus and a Second Team All-American by Sporting News, was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 135th pick. Calais was drafted in the Seventh Round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lewis was equally as productive under Napier’s tutelage, becoming first 3,000-yard passer in program history (3,050) and setting the single-season record for touchdown passes (26). His primary target was Ja’Marcus Bradley, who posted his second consecutive, 10-touchdown season after hauling in 60 passes for 906 yards before signing on with the Cleveland Browns.
Defensively, the team saw significant improvement in year two of Napier’s reign, ranking 18th nationally in scoring defense (19.7) and 47th nationally in total defense (371.8), up from No. 97 in the nation in 2018.
In Napier’s first season at the helm, the Ragin’ Cajuns (7-7, 5-3), utilizing a powerful offensive and opportunistic defense, won the 2018 Sun Belt Conference West Division Championship to advance to the inaugural conference championship game. Louisiana booked its first bowl trip since 2016, heading to sunny Orlando, Florida, for the AutoNation Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium. It marked the first-ever season that Louisiana played a 14-game schedule with two postseason opportunities earned by the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Napier’s program hallmarks – integrity, togetherness, discipline, effort and toughness – instilled a renewed sense of identity in the Ragin’ Cajuns football program and that collectiveness helped Louisiana run off three consecutive wins to close the regular season. The streak of Sun Belt wins, first and secondly against Georgia State and South Alabama at home, followed by a regular season finale victory at ULM, secured the Ragin’ Cajuns their West Division title, allowing Napier to deliver a trophy to Louisiana’s fans in Year One.
Serving as offensive play-caller, Napier reengineered the Ragin’ Cajuns quickly into a vaunted offensive attack. Louisiana ranked second in the Sun Belt in scoring offense (31.9 points per game), third in rushing offense (218.7 yards per game) and third in total offense (424.3 yards per game).
The Ragin’ Cajuns were immediately able to pride themselves on precision and consistency, with the squad ranking 14th nationally in third-down conversion rate (49.6 percent) and 15th nationally in red zone touchdown scoring rate (72.9 percent). Ball security was not an issue, as the Napier-led offense lost three fumbles in the entire 14-game 2018 season, ranking tied for first in the nation with Michigan, Mississippi State and Northwestern.
Also serving as the program’s quarterbacks coach, Napier offered his tutelage to senior quarterback Andre Nunez, who became just the third-ever Ragin’ Cajun to throw for 20 touchdowns in a single season. Lewis and Nunez were effective passes all season long, ranking first and second in the Sun Belt Conference for passer rating, with Lewis leading the way at 185.2 and Nunez not far behind at 176.2.
Napier came to the Ragin’ Cajuns from Arizona State where he served as Associate Head Coach, offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
As an assistant coach, Napier built a reputation around the coaching profession as one of the most talented recruiters in college football. He served as wide receivers coach at Alabama (2013-17), assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach at Colorado State (2012) and was offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Clemson (2009-10).
Napier was instrumental in two National Championships at Alabama in 2011 and 2015 and has now coached in 12 bowl games (11 as an assistant coach) after the 2018 Cure Bowl appearance.
Arizona State (2017)
In his first year with the program, Napier guided the Sun Devils’ offense to the 14th highest-graded offense in the FBS according to Pro Football Focus - including the 10th highest-graded passing attack in the nation. ASU was graded 54th in the nation in total offense last season and 86th in the passing game on the year. The offensive turnaround (+40 positions) was the eighth-largest in the FBS and ASU was one of just three programs to move from outside the Top-50 to inside of it in just one season. The 76-spot swing in the passing game rankings was the third highest in all of the FBS (second among Power Five schools).
ASU developed one of the elite red zone scoring teams in the nation under Napier, tied for first nationally in converting on 95.83 percent of its red zone appearances (46-of-48) with the only two “blemishes” against the Sun Devils coming when the team took a knee late in the fourth quarter. ASU was 11th nationally in red zone touchdown scoring rate with 36 touchdowns on those 48 attempts (75.00).
Ball security was another notable facet of Napier’s offense. The Sun Devils turned the ball over just 11 times in 2017, which ranks 12th nationally after finishing 82nd in the country a year ago with 21 turnovers. ASU is 17th nationally with just five fumbles lost in 2017, and none of those have been by a running back. ASU’s six total interceptions this season are the 17th-fewest in the country with three of the six coming on tipped balls.
Alabama (2011, 2013-17)
Prior to Arizona State, Napier spent five seasons as the wide receivers coach at the University of Alabama. Napier served an integral role in achieving National Championships in 2011 and 2015 as part of the Alabama coaching staff and also coached in the 2016 National Championship game.
He was instrumental in helping Nick Saban and Alabama achieve a 63-7 record in five seasons (2011, 2013-2016) and was part of the great run of 26 consecutive wins from 2015-2016. In 70 games at Alabama, the Crimson Tide offense averaged 6.27 yards per play and 36.4 points per game.
In 2016, Napier’s wide receiver corps were led by junior ArDarius Stewart and sophomore Calvin Ridley. Ridley led the way with 72 receptions while Stewart had a team high 864 yards. Ridley added 769 yards and seven scores while Stewart caught 54 passes with eight scores. Graduate transfer Gehrig Dieter caught 15 passes for 214 yards and four scores while Cam Sims also hauled in 14 receptions for 152 yards.
Napier had to replace Amari Cooper in 2015 after the Tide’s career receptions leader was taken No. 4 overall in the NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Stewart, senior transfer Richard Mullaney and Ridley emerged as the Tide’s go-to receivers after Robert Foster was lost in the third game to injury. Ridley led the team with a freshman-record 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns. Stewart added 63 catches for 700 yards and four touchdowns, while Mullaney had 38 catches for 390 yards and five scores.
Napier’s 2014 unit was led by Alabama’s first Biletnikoff Award winner in Cooper, who caught a school- and SEC-record 124 passes for a UA-record 1,727 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Cooper led the country in receptions (124), was second nationally in receiving yards (1,727), receiving touchdowns (16) and catches per game (8.9) while ranking third in yards per game (123.4). A Heisman Trophy finalist and unanimous first team All-American, Cooper smashed all of the Tide’s career receiving marks with 228 receptions, 3,463 yards and tied the SEC record with 31 receiving touchdowns. Senior DeAndrew White provided Alabama with a dangerous and reliable target opposite Cooper with 40 receptions for 504 yards and four scores.
In his first season as the Crimson Tide’s receivers coach in 2013, Napier built a deep and talented group of wide outs. Alabama had four players with at least 32 receptions, led by Cooper’s 45 catches for 736 yards. The wide receivers accounted for 72.1 percent of the passes caught in 2013 and 20 of the 30 passing touchdowns. Kevin Norwood produced a career year with seven touchdowns and 568 receiving yards on 38 grabs. Jones also caught 36 balls for 349 yards and White hauled in 32 catches for 534 yards and four scores.
Napier spent the 2011 season on the Alabama staff as an offensive analyst, helping the Crimson Tide win the 2011 BCS national championship. The Tide ranked 16th in scoring offense, 30th in total offense and 17th in rushing offense in 2011.
Colorado State (2012)
Prior to rejoining Alabama, Napier served as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at Colorado State in 2012 for former Tide offensive coordinator Jim McElwain.
Injuries forced Napier to go deep down the bench looking for quarterbacks during his one season in Fort Collins. The Rams saw three quarterbacks play significant snaps as the starter with Garrett Grayson going down early in the season and M.J. McPeek following two weeks later, forcing redshirt freshman Conner Smith into action. The trio combined to throw for 2,520 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2012 as Colorado State won three of its final five games.
Clemson (2003-04, 2006-10)
Prior to his first stretch at Alabama, Napier spent seven of the previous eight years in two different stints at Clemson. During Napier’s final two seasons at Clemson he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. At the age of 29, he became the youngest coordinator in the nation and in Clemson history. In his first season as Clemson’s coordinator, the 2009 Tigers scored a school-record 436 points and collected 54 touchdowns (third-most in school history), averaged 5.73 yards per play (fourth best) and finished as the ACC Atlantic Division champions. Quarterback Kyle Parker was named a Freshman All-American and nine players Napier coached from 2009-10 went on to have careers in the NFL.
Napier also served as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator from 2006-08. In those three seasons, he compiled two top-25 recruiting classes, according to Rivals.com, and in 2008, his class was tabbed as the second-best in the nation by ESPN.com. Known to his peers as a top recruiter, Napier signed several players who went on to the NFL, including Kavell Conner, Crezdon Butler, Brandon Thompson and Marcus Gilchrist.
Napier was the 2007-08 tight ends coach at Clemson, helping lead the Tigers to two bowl games and a prolific offense. The 2007 season featured a 9-4 record and the ACC’s highest-scoring offense. In his first year back with Clemson (2006), Napier worked primarily with the Tigers’ tight ends but also was responsible for the punt team and assisted in several special-teams capacities. The 2006 Tigers led the ACC in total offense, rushing and scoring offense, advancing to the Music City Bowl.
Clemson averaged 410.9 yards per game and 32.7 points, more than doubling its opponent’s totals. Tight end Hunter Thomas started all 11 games for the Tigers, averaging 19.1 yards per reception. Michael Palmer, who Napier coached for three seasons, went on to the NFL. He also worked with the special teams units, helping develop one of the most talented players in Clemson history, C.J. Spiller.
Napier began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson in 2003-04. The Tigers won nine games, including the Peach Bowl against Tennessee. The following season, Napier was a graduate assistant on defense, and gained his first experience with recruiting off the field.
South Carolina State (2005)
In 2005, Napier spent one season as the quarterbacks coach and play caller at South Carolina State. The Bulldogs finished the year 9-2 and ranked among the nation’s best in several offensive categories, including: rushing (12th), passing efficiency (15th) and scoring offense (17th). S.C. State also had the country’s fourth-best turnover margin, committing only 11 turnovers, roughly one-third of the total from the previous season (32). Napier developed Cleve McCoy and molded him into the MEAC Player of the Year. He also recruited offensive tackle Johnny Culbreath, who became a unanimous All-America selection and was drafted by the Detroit Lions.
Background
As a player, Napier was a four-year letterwinner and two-time All-Southern Conference selection as the starting quarterback at Furman. The Paladins won two conference championships and in 2001, Napier’s junior year, advanced to the Division I-AA national championship game, losing to Montana.
He completed 64.8-percent of his career passes, setting a school record. As the team captain during a record-setting senior season, Napier amassed 2,475 passing yards, also a Furman record, and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding FCS offensive player.
Napier grew up in Chatsworth, Georgia, and graduated from Murray County High School in 1998. He is married to the former Ali Gunn and the couple has a daughter, Annie, and sons, Sammy Nelson and Charlie. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in health & exercise science from Furman in 2002.
