Report: UL’s Billy Napier to Speak to Auburn
A report by a highly-respected website was published on Friday evening that stated that Louisiana Ragin' Cajun head football coach Billy Napier will soon interview with Auburn about its head coaching vacancy.
John Brice of FootballScoop reported that Napier will speak with Auburn officials this weekend.
Brice says in that article that Napier, along with that Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, and Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele are slated to speak this weekend to Tigers officials.
Earlier this month, FootballScoop listed Napier as one of five early candidates for the position, which became vacant following the dismissal of former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who was dismissed after guiding the Tigers to a 6-4 record this season, while compiling an overall record of 68-35 over eight years at the school.
Napier has done a fabulous job as head coach at Louisiana for the last three seasons, guiding the program to an overall record of 27-11, including an 11-3 record last year, setting a single-season school record for wins, as well as a 9-1 mark and a current top 25 ranking (#17 in AP Poll) this year.
The Cajuns ran their current win streak to five games with a 24-21 victory over Appalachian St. back on December 4 in their regular-season finale.
Louisiana was scheduled to face the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship this Saturday, marking the third consecutive year they were to appear in the title game, but that game was canceled on Thursday night, due to COVID-19 issues within the Coastal Carolina program.
As for the interest in Napier by Auburn, it is to be expected.
As long as the Cajuns continue to have success, Napier's name is going to be mentioned in coaching searches. It happened last year with the Mississippi St. opening. It has already happened this year with the South Carolina opening. Now, it seems as though it is happening again.
Napier has done a tremendous job with the Cajuns, so the interest in him by big-name programs is certainly understandable.