Billy Napier Turns Down Auburn Job, Is Committed To Louisiana

Louisiana Ragin' Cajun head coach Billy Napier has been sought after by other programs a number of times over the last 12 months.

Napier turned down interest from Mississippi State last year, as well as South Carolina and Auburn this year, according to reports.

Louisiana's athletic department released the following statement regarding the situation:

Statement from the Department of Athletics

Billy Napier is committed to being the head coach of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, moving forward. Amidst recent speculation and media reports, the Louisiana Department of Athletics is confirming that Coach Napier will continue to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns Football program.

Statement from Director of Athletics Bryan Maggard

“We are very excited about the future of Ragin’ Cajuns Football under Coach Napier’s leadership. We will continue to invest in the program to ensure we maintain and grow our successes. We believe a successful football program elevates the profile of the entire university, and we know there is much more to accomplish.”

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 (#16 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 last 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.

The Ragin' Cajuns (9-1) are now preparing for a matchup with UTSA (7-4) in the SERVPRO First Responders Bowl in Dallas this Saturday, December 26th.