NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥� When Billy Napier last coached in the Sun Belt Conference, his team was the .
It’s almost like he’s picking up where he left off.
Napier’s last season was still raw when James Madison, then on its way to a 12-2 campaign that ended in the College Football Playoff, for outgoing coach Bob Chesney, who’d in 2026.
鈥淚t was humbling ,” Napier said, to get another head coaching offer so quickly 鈥� not to mention from one of the top mid-major programs in the nation. 鈥淗ow many guys get that chance to be a coach again on the same cycle?鈥�
It was an offer he felt he couldn’t turn down. JMU shared with Napier plans to expand its football stadium and construct a new practice facility.
鈥淭heir alignment, their commitment to winning, their ability to solve the problems that you have in today鈥檚 world, they鈥檙e a step ahead, they鈥檙e forward thinking,” Napier said. “I was very impressed.鈥�
Napier was granted full access to the program while Chesney was still coaching in December, allowing him to evaluate players, make a plan to retain those he could and also get a sense of their weekly routines.
鈥淲e tried to keep things intact that we thought were centerpieces of the program,鈥� Napier said. 鈥淚t was important to listen to former players and coaches (about) what has led to success.鈥�
Returning players, including preseason All-Sun Belt defensive lineman Amar Thomas, say Napier’s experience with power programs in the SEC 鈥� not only with Florida but as one of Nick Saban’s assistants at Alabama 鈥� has been evident.
鈥淵ou can tell he鈥檚 come from a higher level. He鈥檚 teaching us a lot,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be very beneficial.鈥�
Napier had coached Louisiana-Lafayette to consecutive Sun Belt titles in 2020 and 2021 before joining the Gators for the 2022 season. Winning at Florida proved difficult; he went 22-23 in three-plus seasons before his dismissal last October.
His Florida stint overlapped with a period of significant upheaval in college football, brought on by rules changes allowing frequent transfers and player payments. Napier said he struggled to adapt, particularly with delegating so that he could focus on his own strengths as a coach.
He’s much more comfortable with the sport’s new realities now, he said, and even has given up play-calling 鈥� something he’d been reluctant to do previously.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 good enough,鈥� Napier said. “I learned a lot. The key is going to be how we use that experience and that failure and the adjustments that we make going forward.
鈥淲e all continue to evolve,” Napier added. “So, I鈥檓 excited about this challenge. I鈥檓 moving on.鈥�
Renewed rivalries
Now that Louisiana Tech has completed a , it sets up a renewal of old regional rivalries in both Louisiana and neighboring states.
Tech becomes the third Sun Belt team in Louisiana, joining Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette. ULM is just a half-hour drive east along I-20 from Tech, meaning both fan bases could easily attend the matchups.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be packed. Isn鈥檛 that what college football is supposed to be about?鈥� ULM coach Bryant Vincent said. 鈥淲hat that鈥檚 going to mean to north Louisiana and both universities, you can鈥檛 put a price on it.鈥�
The drive to Lafayette, in a southern section of Louisiana known as Acadiana, takes about three hours.
鈥淟ouisiana Tech is an ideal fit for our conference,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said.
While realignment in recent years has left many conferences with far-flung members 1,000 miles or more apart, the Sun Belt currently boasts a more traditional, regional setup, with two divisions that keep all opponents relatively near one another.
Tech coach Sonny Cumbie called the Bulldogs鈥� move to the Sun Belt 鈥渁 marriage that makes sense in so many ways,鈥� and one which will save his program more than $1 million in travel expenses 鈥� not to mention about 23,000 miles of travel.
The Sun Belt’s West Division is now comprised of the three Louisiana teams, plus teams in Alabama (South Alabama and Troy), Arkansas (Arkansas State), and Mississippi (Southern Miss). The East has teams in Georgia (Georgia Southern and Georgia State), North Carolina (Appalachian State), South Carolina (Coastal Carolina), Virginia (JMU and Old Dominion) and West Virginia (Marshall).
In the Sun Belt, Gill asserted, realignment has 鈥渄eepened rivalries 鈥� and created compelling matchups that increase fan interest.鈥�
Tough outs
Gill said the last four seasons comprise what is so far the most successful stint in the history of Sun Belt football, which began in 2001 at the Division I FBS level.
During that span, Sun Belt teams have post victories over members of all four power conferences (The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC) as well as Notre Dame. JMU was the Sun Belt’s first team to reach the CFP, losing to Oregon.
鈥淲e have the best (non-power) conference and I don’t even think it’s close,鈥� second-year Marshall coach Tony Gibson said.
There were no Sun Belt teams in the preseason , but JMU did receive votes.
Roster turnover
In some respects, the Sun Belt has become a feeder system for power programs 鈥� and the league’s coaches are accepting and adapting to that reality. Between graduation and transfers, teams across the league had to fill anywhere from 40 to 60-plus roster spots for 2026.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an annual process,鈥� said Napier, whose JMU roster has a league-high 63 new players. 鈥淵ou fight like crazy to recruit, to develop, to retain. The reality is better players will have an opportunity to move up. You have to get comfortable with that.鈥�
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