Despite the loss to Texas, Florida head coach Billy Napier expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue leading the team.

 AUSTIN, Texas -- On Thursday, embattled Florida head coach Billy Napier received a vote of confidence from athletic director Scott Stricklin, who confirmed that Napier "will continue as head football coach of the Florida Gators," pointing to the progress the team has made this season.

However, on Saturday, a depleted Florida squad was reminded of the distance it still has to cover, suffering a 49-17 loss to No. 5 Texas, a game where the Gators trailed 42-0 at halftime. Florida now sits at 4-5 with a 2-4 record in the SEC.

"Overall, [the game] got out of hand in the first half," Napier said. "You look up and the game is over. We need to evaluate the effort, look at the point-of-attack issues, and just flat-out play better."

Napier spoke for the first time since Stricklin’s letter to fans, in which the athletic director emphasized a "disciplined, stable approach" and urged supporters to "continue standing behind Billy and his dedicated team as we work together to build a championship program."

Following the loss, Napier expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to continue leading the team despite its struggles.

"First of all, I'm thankful for our players... We wouldn’t have made the progress we have over the past month without such a dedicated group of players, with strong leadership and character. Looking at the roster as a whole, we have a lot of young talent, and I believe they’ll continue to develop and learn from these experiences."

Stricklin's statement had referenced narrow losses to No. 7 Tennessee and No. 3 Georgia as signs of hope for the future, but Saturday’s blowout loss was anything but close. The Gators' 42-point halftime deficit was the largest in a Florida conference game in the past 20 years.

Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, who was carted off last week with a hamstring injury, warmed up but was unable to play. Florida had already lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a season-ending knee injury. Aidan Warner, a former walk-on transfer from Yale, stepped in and went 12 of 25 for 132 yards and two interceptions.

"Aidan fought his tail off out there, did some good things for a guy making his first start against one of the better defenses in the country," Napier said. "It was encouraging to see him move the team a bit in the second half."

Napier said Lagway felt better than he had all week during pregame warm-ups, but the coach opted against playing him to avoid risking further injury. "We think he’s made some progress, but he wasn’t quite ready," Napier explained.

Meanwhile, Texas’ offense was relentless, racking up 562 total yards, with Quinn Ewers completing 19 of 27 passes for 333 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. The Longhorns also benefitted from two likely touchdowns that bounced off the hands of receiver DeAndre Moore. At halftime, Texas had already gained 353 yards, averaging 10 yards per play in the first half.

"We didn’t affect the quarterback," Napier admitted. "It was 10 yards a play in the first half."

In his third season at Florida, Napier’s record fell to 15-19. The Gators still have home games against LSU and Ole Miss, along with a road trip to Florida State remaining on their schedule.

Napier acknowledged the difficulties but noted, "We went into the game knowing we were playing with our third-string quarterback. We didn’t defend well, and we lost a bit of our edge because of that."

Despite the heavy defeat, wide receiver Chimere Dike and linebacker Shemar James expressed confidence in Napier following Stricklin's supportive letter.

"I have full belief in him," Dike said. "Today was tough, but we’re heading in the right direction with a lot of young guys who continue to improve. I’m excited for the future of this program."