Billy Napier tasks himself with continuing to make history as James Madison's coach

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Billy Napier will be watching 12th-seeded James Madison's College Football Playoff game against fifth-seeded Oregon with an eye toward the future.

The former Florida coach was introduced Wednesday as the successor to Bob Chesney, who will leave James Madison for UCLA following the Dukes' playoff run.

“This place continues to make history and it’s our job to continue that,” Napier said. “It’s in the DNA here.”

Napier agreed to a five-year contract that will pay him a guaranteed $1,005,000 annually, a deal that ranks him in the top five among coaches in the Sun Belt Conference.

The contract includes a $2.5 million buyout if he leaves before the 2029 season. It goes down to $1.75 million if he leaves before the 2030 season, and $1.25 million if he leaves before the 2032 season.

Athletic director Matt Roan said in addition to a salary in the top end of the conference, Napier will have high-level pay for his staff and a revenue-sharing percentage that is the highest in the Sun Belt and competitive nationally.

“We certainly have enough resources to be competitive,” Napier said. “I wouldn’t be sitting here if that wasn’t the case.”

Napier went 40-12 in four seasons at Louisiana, then 22-23 in his four years with the Gators. His run at Louisiana saw him dominate the Sun Belt, making four appearances in the title game as West Division champs and league titles in his final two seasons there.

Napier never got things rolling at Florida, having just one winning season at 8-5 in 2024. He was 3-4 when he was fired by the Gators this season.

Chesney has led the Dukes to a 12-1 record, the Sun Belt championship and a spot in the CFP. UCLA had been pursuing him since it fired DeShaun Foster in Week 3.

“Where we’re at currently, we need to maximize the momentum that we have,” Napier said. “We need to take full advantage of these opportunities that come with the College Football Playoff.”

Calling the next 90 days “critical,” Napier said he’ll be focused on meeting and retaining the current players and hiring his staff.

In Napier, JMU may have found a coach who can bring stability to a program that just hired its fifth coach in the last 10 years.

“This could be the price for success,” Roan said.

But he believes Napier’s experience at Louisiana and the age of his children could also lead to a desire to stick in one place.

“This is about building a sustainable program that can have continued success,” Napier said. “To where I can drive home everyday and feel good about the type of team we could have next year.”

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