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Florida football saw a member of its defensive coaching staff depart on Thursday when defensive backs coach Will Harris accepted a job with the Gators’ downstate rivals, the Miami Hurricanes. It marks his third job change in as many years for the 37-year-old.
Harris had spent just one season in Gainesville but made the most of it, helping Billy Napier turn the program around to post its first winning record in four seasons at 8-5. His efforts helped Florida finish at No. 64 in the nation in PFF’s overall defensive metric with an 81.0 rating while the corps’ improvements on his watch were substantial.
According to FloridaGators.com, “the Florida defense finished the season ranked ninth in the nation in red zone defense (.725), 11th in sacks per game (3.0), 11th in fumbles recovered (11) and 13th in turnovers gained (25). The Gator defense improved in nearly every statistical category from 2023 to 2024, including sacks (plus-17), tackles for loss (plus-28), forced fumbles (plus-11), pass breakups (plus-12), interceptions (plus-11) and turnovers gained (plus-18).”
Harris also played a substantial role in Florida’s top-10 recruiting class during the 2025 cycle, helping to land five-star receiver Dallas Wilson and blue-chip defensive backs Ben Hanks Jr., Hylton Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward.
Prior to Florida, Harris served as the assistant secondary coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 following his year as defensive coordinator with the Georgia Southern Eagles in 2022. Before that, he was the defensive backs coach for the Washington Huskies from 2018-21.
The Gators have already added two new on-field assistants for that unit in co-defensive coordinators Vinnie Sunseri and Robert Bala, who will coach safeties and linebackers, respectively, leaving yet another void for Napier and Co. to fill.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-football-db-coach-harris-183146432.html
Author : Gators Wire
Publish date : 2025-02-14 18:31:00
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