Top Story Spotlight COLLEGE FOOTBALL | JAMES MADISONMIRROR IMAGE JMU coach Billy Napier's football journey is deeply connected to his dad CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record May 12, 2026 May 12, 2026 0 3 min to read × Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Billy Napier jokes that he learned how to ride a bike on a football field with his dad, Bill Napier, right there beside him.kAmxE ;FDE D66>65 =:<6 E96 =@8:42= E9:?8 E@ 5@]k^AmkAmq:==J }2A:6C H2D 3@F?5 E@ 72== 2 E:>6 @C EH@[ 2?5 E96 36C>F528C2DD H@F=5 AC@G:56 2 ?:46 4FD9:@? H96? E96 :?6G:E23=6 D6E324< 42>6]k^AmkAmq:==J }2A:6C 36:?8 @? 2 7@@E32== 7:6=5 :? ?@CE96C? v6@C8:2 H2D?’E 6I4=FD:G6=J 23@FE 4@>7@CE]k^Am James Madison head coach Billy Napier observes his teams from the center of the field before the coin toss at the spring game last month. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAm$FC6[ :E C62==J H2D 2 8@@5 A=246 E@ =62C? 9@H E@ C:56 2 3:<6[ 3FE :? E96 8C2?5 D496>6 @7 q:==J }2A:6C’D =:76[ 9:D 7@C>2E:G6 J62CD H6C6 DA6?E @? 2 7@@E32== 7:6=5 :? |FCC2J r@F?EJ[ v6@C8:2]k^Am People are also reading… Former SCCH doctor indicted by federal grand jury on 7 charges Marion firefighters help battle Wytheville blaze, welcome long-awaited engine Oak Point teacher honored in Richmond ceremony Virginia Tech AD Babcock: Men's basketball needs help with NIL funding Meet Jarek: Smyth County's Pet of the Week Hobart Smith Day celebrates Saltville, Appalachia's musical legacy Celebrating Warriors: Project Graduation, Chilhowie partner for new endeavor Medical debt eliminated for nearly 7K Smyth residents Work begins on $12.7M expansion of Mount Rogers Community Services' Marion campus Trump says federal gasoline tax to be reduced 'till it's appropriate' Sugar Grove Elementary students experience the power of kindness FBI searching Portsmouth office of state Sen. Louise Lucas 3 juveniles face charges following Smyth, Wythe pursuit on I-81 Vandals target 19th-century Smyth County cemetery Smyth leaders prepare for any data center projects kAm“w6VD 7C@> }@CE9H6DE v6@C8:2[” D2:5 y:C69 (:=D@?[ E96 6586D 4@249 @? q:==J }2A:6C’D 7:CDE DE277 2E y2>6D |25:D@? &?:G6CD:EJ] “xV> 7C@> }@CE9H6DE v6@C8:2] xV> 7C@> r2=9@F?] w6VD <:?5 @7 7C@> E96 |FCC2J r@F?EJ 2C62[ 23@FE a_ >:?FE6D 2H2J] $@ x 2=H2JD <?6H 23@FE r@249 }2A:6C] x <?6H DA64:7:42==J 23@FE 9:D 525] w6VD ?@E E96 72>@FD 8FJ :? }@CE9H6DE v6@C8:2] w:D 525 :D]”k^Am kAmq:==J }2A:6C 4@F=5?’E 96=A 3FE =2F89 H96? 96 =62C?65 @7 (:=D@?’D 4@>>6?E]k^AmkAm%96 7:CDE\J62C y|& 9625 4@249 7@F?5 E96 9F>@C :? :E 62D:=J 3642FD6[ H6==[ :E’D ?@E9:?8 D9@CE @7 E96 ECFE9]k^Am kAm“x? E92E A2CE @7 E96 4@F?ECJ[ H96? J@F 962C E96 ?2>6 }2A:6C[ :>>65:2E6=J A6@A=6 E9:?< 23@FE q:== }2A:6C[” q:==J }2A:6C D2:5] “x H@F=5?VE 36 4@249:?8 E@52J H:E9@FE >J 6IA6C:6?46 E96C6] x E9:?< xVG6 H2E4965 9:> J62C 27E6C J62C[ 86?6C2E:@? 27E6C 86?6C2E:@?[ :>A24E E96 4@>>F?:EJ 7@C E96 36EE6C E9C@F89 E96 82>6 @7 7@@E32==]”k^Am kAmq:==J }2A:6C H2D ;FDE a J62CD @=5 H96? 9:D 72>:=J >@G65 7C@> %6??6DD66 E@ r92EDH@CE9[ v6@C8:2]k^Am James Madison head coach Billy Napier directs his team during practice. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAmw:D A2C6?ED 925 >6E :? 4@==686 2E %6??6DD66 %649?@=@8:42= &?:G6CD:EJ[ 2?5 EH@ J62CD 27E6C 8C25F2E:@?[ q:== }2A:6C 925 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 364@>6 E96 @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C 7@C E96 |FCC2J r@F?EJ w:89 $49@@= 7@@E32== E62>[ D@ E96 }2A:6C 72>:=J H2D @? E96 >@G6]k^AmkAm%96 @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C A@D:E:@? 6G6?EF2==J 8C6H :?E@ E96 9625 4@249:?8 ;@3 7@C q:== }2A:6C] u@C 2D >F49 2D 7@@E32== H2D 9:D =:76[ :E H2D 2=D@ E96 =:76 @7 9:D 72>:=J]k^Am kAm“u@C 2D =@?8 2D x 42? 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E96 82>6 9:D 525 H2D 96=A:?8 4@249 2D E96 @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C] q24< 2?5 7@CE9 :E H6?E[ 3FE 6G6?EF2==J E96 9@>6 E62> 6D42A65 H:E9 2 H:?[ D6?5:?8 |FCC2J r@F?EJ 324< E@ E96 =@4<6C C@@> H:E9@FE 2 G:4E@CJ E@ D9@H 7@C :ED 677@CED]k^Am New James Madison head coach Billy Napier smiles as he is introduced during an event at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in December. Daniel Lin / DN-R kAm“x >62?[ x H2D 4CJ:?8 =:<6 2 323J :? E96 =@4<6C C@@>[” }2A:6C D2:5] “$@[ x H6?E 6G6CJH96C6 H:E9 >J 525]”k^AmkAm|FCC2J r@F?EJ w:89 $49@@= 3642>6 D@>6H92E @7 2 A=2J8C@F?5 7@C E96 }2A:6C <:5D]k^Am kAmq:==J :D E96 @=56DE[ 7@==@H65 3J EH@ 3C@E96CD 2?5 2 D:DE6C]k^AmkAmp== @7 q:== }2A:6C’D D@?D 8C6H FA E@ 36 7@@E32== 4@2496D[ 2?5 q:==J }2A:6C ;@<65 E92E 9:D D:DE6C H@F=5 AC@323=J 4@249[ E@@[ :7 8:G6? E96 492?46]k^Am kAm“%92EVD H9@ H6 H6C6[” q:==J }2A:6C D2:5] “p?5 >J >@> H2D E96 8=F6] $96 H2D E96 — D96 4C24<65 E96 H9:A] $96 H2D E96 5:D4:A=:?6[ D96 <6AE FD @? E2D< 2?5 @? D4965F=6 2?5 C2? E96 9@FD6 2?5 C62==J C2:D65 FD ,7@C. 2 =@E @7 A2CED @7 E96 J62C[ 2?5 D96VD DE:== 8@:?8 `__ >:=6D 2? 9@FC]”k^Am kAmq:== }2A:6C’D :>A24E @? E96 9:89 D49@@= 7@@E32== D46?6 :? ?@CE96C? v6@C8:2 H2D 6IE6?D:G6] w6 DA6?E >@C6 E92? EH@ 564256D 2E |FCC2J r@F?EJ[ 364@>:?8 E96 H:??:?86DE 9625 4@249 :? AC@8C2> 9:DE@CJ]k^Am kAmxE H2D 9:D 677@CED @? E96 7@@E32== 7:6=5 E92E E2F89E q:==J }2A:6C D@>6 G2=F23=6 =6DD@?D 96 DE:== 42CC:6D H:E9 9:> E@ H@C< 6G6CJ 52J]k^Am kAm“|J 525 H2D — 96 :D >J 96C@[” q:==J }2A:6C D2:5] “r6CE2:?=J xV> 2 C67=64E:@? @7 H92E x =62C?65 7C@> 9:>] r6CE2:?=J 2 =@E @7 H92E x 5@[ x =62C?65 46CE2:?=J E96 H2J x EC62E A6@A=6[ >J G2=F6D[ H92E x G:6H E96 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 J@FC DE277 2?5 J@FC A=2J6CD D9@F=5 36[ 8@6D 324< E@ H92E x H2E4965 9:> 5@ @G6C 2== E9@D6 J62CD]”k^Am Contact Catie Harper at 540-208-3268 or charper@dnronline.com. | Follow Catie on Twitter: @CatieHarper 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! 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