Napier has Florida prepared, confident for daunting opener

By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — First-year Florida football coach Billy Napier plans, plots and perfects every minute of each day. He says “preparation is the key to confidence.” If so, the Gators should be feeling like 10-point favorites heading into their season opener against seventh-ranked Utah on Saturday night. But it remains to be seen how much of a difference all of Napier’s discussions and dress rehearsals will make when underdog Florida takes the field against the defending Pac-12 champions. Napier welcomes the challenge and calls it a “carrot” for his team. Nonetheless, he’s trying to avoid becoming the first Florida coach since Charley Pell in 1979 to lose his debut.