Billy Napier is set to become the next Ragin’ Cajun football coach, ESPN 1420 has learned. Napier is expected to be officially introduced by Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard on Monday sources said. Napier is revered as one of the top offensive minds in college football.

In the official release, the following statements were made.

 

“We are absolutely thrilled to identify a Head Football coach with the experience and success that Billy Napier brings to the University of Louisiana,” Dr. Maggard said. “Coach Napier is highly respected within the coaching profession and brings tremendous experience from nationally-ranked programs. He is widely considered to be one of America’s top recruiters and offensive minds and will instill the values of a Championship program into Ragin’ Cajuns Football.”

“My family and I are excited and humbled for the opportunity to serve Cajun Nation and our Louisiana football program,” Napier said. “We will make it a priority to bring in the best talent from the state of Louisiana and the nation.”

Napier will get a 5-year contract, and has the potential earn just under $1.5 million in his first season. The new Cajun coach will have an assistant salary pool of $2 million.

The new Cajun coach brings with him an impressive pedigree, having worked under both Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Alabama's Nick Saban.

Napier comes to Louisiana after spending last season at Arizona State where he served as the Sun Devils offensive coordinator. Napier added the title of associate head coach to go along with his play calling duties earlier this month following the hiring of new Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards.

Napier is known as one of the nation's most effective recruiters, serving as Clemson's recruiting coordinator from 2006-08. In that time, he compiled two top-25 recruiting classes including the second-ranked recruiting class in the nation in 2008. He held the title of recruiting coordinator under both Tommy Bowden and Dabo Swinney.

In 2009, Napier became the youngest coordinator in the country. During the 2009 season, his Tiger offense set an all-time record for most points in a season.

During his time at Alabama in 2011 and again from 2013-17, Napier played an integral role in multiple Crimson Tide national championships. First in 2011 as an offensive analyst, and again in 2015, this time coaching the Alabama wide receivers.

Late Thursday evening Chris Karpman of SunDevil Source reported Napier had been offered the job.

Napier has also had coaching stops at South Carolina State and Colorado State in his career.

Napier looks to turn around a Cajun program that has suffered three consecutive losing seasons, after finishing 5-7 in 2017. The hiring of Napier comes a little less than two weeks after the Cajuns parted ways with Mark Hudspeth.

Read the entire release from the University here.

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