Napier was one of the most sought after coaches last offseason after turning the Ragin’ Cajuns into a well-oiled machine.

LAFAYETTE, La.—Sure, Billy Napier says while leaning away from his desk and glaring across the other side, he thought about leaving Louisiana for another head coaching job last offseason.

Who can really blame him? When you’re the coach at a Sun Belt program making six figures and a major conference school engages you with a gift basket of goodies—quadrupled salary, double staff pay pool, sparkling facilities, a massive donor base—you at least peak into the basket.

Napier peaked. He thought, he prayed and he sought advice from mentors within the profession. Of all the reasons he remained here—he and his family enjoy living in Lafayette, for one, and secondly, his goal of claiming a conference title hasn’t been achieved—there is one that rose above the rest: He knew he’d have a