GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Billy Gonzales has coached as many years at Florida as Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier. He has twice as many national titles, too.

Gonzales is in his third stint with the Gators, having first stepped foot on campus under Urban Meyer in 2005. He returned with Dan Mullen in 2018 and came back again when Billy Napier asked in 2023.

Now it’s his program — for the next five games anyway.

Gonzales agreed to serve as the team’s interim coach when athletic director Scott Stricklin fired Napier on Oct. 19 . Gonzales jumped at the offer. After all, he’s waited more than three decades for this opportunity.

“It’s always been about the players,” said Gonzales, 54. “When you get into coaching and you have an opportunity, it’s most importantly about the players. And, for me, i

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