Louisiana, Napier Agree to Two-Year Contract Extension

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Athletics and head football coach Billy Napier have announced a two-year extension of the second-year coach's contract with the University, Director of Athletics Bryan Maggard announced on Thursday.

Napier's contract, which was extended by one year in October, now extends through the 2025 season.

"We are very excited to announce this extension for Coach Napier," Maggard said. "He has led our football program to new heights, and we look forward to continued success under his leadership."

The Ragin' Cajuns have had a record-breaking season under Napier's watch in 2019, with the program winning 10 regular season games for the first time in school history. Louisiana claimed the Sun Belt Conference's West Division for the second consecutive season by winning a school-record seven conference games.

"The vision and support from our University leadership has been tremendous," Napier said. "We are very thankful for the belief Dr. Savoie and Dr. Maggard have in what our staff is working hard to build. Our entire organization is very appreciative of the quality of life in Lafayette and Acadiana. This extension will help us continue working daily on our process and improving our team. The #cULture is real and grows stronger by the day. We look forward to the challenges ahead."

Napier was voted as the Sun Belt's Coach of the Year, the third Louisiana coach to earn the distinction and the first since 1993 when Nelson Stokley was named the Big West Conference's top coach. Napier is the first Ragin' Cajuns coach to win the award in the Sun Belt era.

Hope you guys included a hefty buy out for him to leave if he gets an opportunity at a “bigger” school.

(01-02-2020 12:08 PM)Usajags Wrote:  Hope you guys included a hefty buy out for him to leave if he gets an opportunity at a “bigger” school.

Buyout was at 3 mill before this extension wondering what it will be now

Definitely well earned, happy for him. Happy for the school as well if they increased the buyout on him.

He had agreed to an extension in October, so this is a second version in four months.

(01-02-2020 01:21 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  He had agreed to an extension in October, so this is a second version in four months.

I remember that. Hope y'all get a payday when he gets poached next season.

This article says he's might be a candidate for the Mississippi State job - he may have just signed an extension, but so did PJ Fleck weeks before going to Minnesota. Any vibe on it?

https://footballscoop.com/news/update-at...ppi-state/

(01-03-2020 07:30 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  This article says he's might be a candidate for the Mississippi State job - he may have just signed an extension, but so did PJ Fleck weeks before going to Minnesota. Any vibe on it?

https://footballscoop.com/news/update-at...ppi-state/

He just announced he turned down an interview with the Miss St. AD

(01-03-2020 07:39 PM)Cajuns1252 Wrote:  

(01-03-2020 07:30 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  This article says he's might be a candidate for the Mississippi State job - he may have just signed an extension, but so did PJ Fleck weeks before going to Minnesota. Any vibe on it?

https://footballscoop.com/news/update-at...ppi-state/

He just announced he turned down an interview with the Miss St. AD

Wow. I wonder why?

I wonder how far down the list they would have to go to get to Anderson.

(01-03-2020 07:39 PM)Cajuns1252 Wrote:  

(01-03-2020 07:30 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  This article says he's might be a candidate for the Mississippi State job - he may have just signed an extension, but so did PJ Fleck weeks before going to Minnesota. Any vibe on it?

https://footballscoop.com/news/update-at...ppi-state/

He just announced he turned down an interview with the Miss St. AD

That kills that then. It's probably easier to say no when he just got a big raise.

But even beyond sentimental reasons for not being interesting in a job right after signing an extension, I can get why he thought it wasn't a good idea. He'd be going to the most under-resourced school in the SEC West with expectations of winning seven or eight games most seasons thanks to Dan Mullen. If he keeps doing well at Louisiana and wants to leave he'll have another job open for him in a year or two and set himself up much better for success.

Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

Yep, money talks and BS walks and it ALWAYS will, no matter which school, or what coach is involved.

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

There’s no question he’s gone the but the real question is when. He ain’t going to moo state but good luck to him if he does. Dudes a winner and there’s no question about that.

(01-04-2020 09:39 AM)FrankyP Wrote:  

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

There’s no question he’s gone the but the real question is when. He ain’t going to moo state but good luck to him if he does. Dudes a winner and there’s no question about that.

I think he wants one more shot at App.

(01-04-2020 09:55 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  

(01-04-2020 09:39 AM)FrankyP Wrote:  

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

There’s no question he’s gone the but the real question is when. He ain’t going to moo state but good luck to him if he does. Dudes a winner and there’s no question about that.

I think he wants one more shot at App.

Oh. Of that we can all be 1000% sure.

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

We always knew Napier was destined to leave, but where he is special from most of the rest, is that he has the freedom to be selective about where he goes, and not just jump at the first or second big pay day offer, for fear he wont get another shot.

Hud told him to stay. That big payday will always be there.

Ultimately, we all want the problem of replacing coaches because he did such a good job that a better job wants him. It’s frustrating, but the winning during the process is fun, at least I think it would be......

(01-04-2020 02:07 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Napier is gone . . . if he is as good as we think he is . .. only a matter of time . . . if he isn't gone then you will be "stuck" with him . . . just the way this G5 thing works . . . no program is "special" enough to keep a good coach . . .

I really don't know where you are coming from with this. No one in our camp has argued that we are "special". In fact to the contrary we know we're the opposite. Our coaching historically hasn't even been good enough to be considered by anyone else. The typical post coaching career trajectory for us has been in the oil patch or insurance sales.

I do think we have better insight on what our coach wants for his future and why he didn't take the first power 5 job that came his way. He knows what he wants and next year it will likely be available for him. And there's jack **** we can do about it.