Florida gifted Billy Napier some job security.

Athletic director Scott Stricklin posted a statement Thursday morning supporting Napier, who has a 15–18 record coaching the Gators over the last three seasons. The team is currently 4–4 on the year and 2–3 in the SEC, most recently losing 34–20 on Saturday to rival Georgia, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Stricklin referenced “times of change across college athletics,” and wants Napier at the helm as the landscape “evolves,” he wrote. “I am confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will work alongside him to support any changes needed to elevate Gator football.”

The school is—at least temporarily—shutting down questions by placing trust in Napier, as midseason firings in college football and the NFL have skyrocketed in recent years. But it’s also a financial decision. If fired, Napier’s buyout would be more than $26 million, which would make it the second-largest buyout in college football history. His contract with Florida runs until Jan. 31, 2029, and he’s guaranteed 85% of the remaining amount on his deal if fired.

Florida has some of the highest revenues in all of college athletics, but a potential Napier buyout could be the least of their concerns. It’s possible that power conference schools will start paying athletes directly as early as next year as part of the House v. NCAA settlement, which outlined revenue-sharing payments of about $20 million every year—though it’s unclear how the money would be distributed among athletes. Still, that could factor into Florida’s decision not to pay Napier’s buyout in addition to the cost of hiring his replacement.