Billy Gonzales is the new head coach of the Florida Gators. Yes, he’s got an interim tag, so he may not be in that position for long. As it stands, though, Gonzales is in charge of shepherding the program through at least the next five games.
That’s a big responsibility, and it comes with a bunch of pressure. Gonzales is a well-known name within the Florida organization, though, as he’s been an assistant coach for many years in three separate stints. He also has a championship-winning head coach in his back pocket who knows a thing or two about the Gators in one Urban Meyer.
In fact, Meyer said on a recent episode of “The Triple Option” podcast that Gonzales reached out to him when Billy Napier was fired and he was promoted.
“He said, ‘I’m the interim coach now at Florida,’” Meyer relayed (h/t On3). “I was like, ‘Whoa,’ and he said, ‘Please don’t tell anybody,’ which I didn’t. He said, ‘Can we talk about, I have a staff meeting coming up. I have a team meeting coming up.’ I was taking a deep breath saying I’ve got to help my guy here, and this is not easy.”
Urban Meyer gives great advice to new Florida head coach Billy Gonzales
That brings up an underappreciated point. Yes, Gonzales has a big opportunity ahead of him as the interim head coach. Interims have gone on to earn full-time head coaching jobs in the past, either with their program or another program, so this is basically a five-game interview for him to prove to Florida why he can be the head coach to lead the Gators into the future.
In the meantime, Gonzales has to try to keep the team together after its leader was just fired. Things can’t be all rainbows and butterflies in Florida’s locker room right now, and it’s Gonzales’s job to try to bring that team together and help them end this season on a strong note.
That’s easier said than done, but Meyer did give his old assistant coach some vital advice.
“He’s a heck of a coach,” Meyer said. “He’s been at Florida I think three different occasions. He was there with me, Dan Mullen and now Billy Napier. I said the first thing, and most importantly, don’t you dare take a shot at the previous (coach). Stay completely away from that.”
Gonzales needs to keep Florida’s locker room united. Anything other than that will lead to more disaster for the Gators over this last stretch of the 2025 season.
His first shot to get this thing back on track will be in two Saturdays against the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs, so Gonzales absolutely will have his work cut out for him.
