Embattled Florida coach Billy Napier clarified comments from earlier this week regarding “some guy in his basement” and called it a “terrible choice of words.”

Napier was widely criticized for his Monday quote in response to a question about avoiding emotional responses following a 41-17 loss to then-No. 19 Miami two days earlier.

“We got to go to work on the football part,” Napier said at the time. “I think we got to become a more consistent team, and we have to execute better. If we can focus on those things and not necessarily what some guy in his basement is saying in rural central Florida on social media, then we got a chance to get better.”

The quote blew up on social media and drew headlines.

“Obviously didn’t explain myself the way I should have there,” Napier said following practice Wednesday. “I want to make it very clear that ... there was no reference to our fans. I was just talking specifically about life in general. Our young people live in an era where social media is a part of their lives.”

Napier has become a popular target for frustrated Florida fans. He is 11-15 in two-plus seasons in Gainesville, including 2-10 against ranked opponents and 1-8 against rivals Miami, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee.

The Gators have lost six consecutive games dating to last season and dropped their first home opener since 1989.

Napier’s latest loss was his worst at home. Miami scored on six of its first eight possessions and led 38-10 midway through the third quarter.

It was so lopsided that the Florida faithful started heading for the exits.

Now, Napier has the same number of losses at Florida Field (five) as legendary coach Steve Spurrier had in a dozen years.

LSU’s emery out again >> Hard-luck LSU running back John Emery sidelined again by an ACL tear, AP source says

LSU running back John Emery has a torn anterior cruciate ligament that will sideline him for the rest of what is his sixth season with the No. 18 Tigers, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because LSU has not announced the injury, which occurred during practice in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and was first reported by The Advocate of Baton Rouge.

Emery, whose career has been marked by absences caused either by injuries or academic ineligibility, was LSU’s most productive running back in the Tigers’ season-opening, 27-20 loss to Southern California in Las Vegas on Sunday night. He rushed for 61 yards, highlighted by a 39-yard burst down the middle of the field in the third quarter.

He also had a 10-yard reception.

Emery’s season was cut short after seven games last season, also because of an ACL tear. He entered the transfer portal last offseason before ultimately deciding to return once more to LSU.

Emery first arrived at LSU as a promising freshman in 2019, scoring four touchdowns for the Tigers’ undefeated national championship squad that season.

He sat out all of the 2021 season for academic reasons.

He has appeared in 38 games in his college career, rushing for 1,123 yards and 14 touchdowns.