NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Florida football strengthened its defensive coaching staff on Monday, announcing the hire of Robert Bala as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers.
Bala worked with the inside linebackers coach at Washington in 2024 after serving as the linebackers coach at Alabama in 2023.
“I’m excited about Coach Bala joining our staff,” Florida football coach Billy Napier said. “He loves the game of football and brings passion and detail at every opportunity. He is a great teacher and has a great understanding of the big picture. He will help the Gators continue to improve.”
With the Florida Gators, Bala will work with an inside linebacking corps that includes returning juniors Grayson Howard, Jaden Robinson and returning sophomores Myles Graham III and Aaron Chiles.
In 2024 at Washington, Bala helped lead the Huskies to a Sun Bowl appearance, mentoring one of the team’s top units. Starting linebackers Carson Bruener and Alphonzo Tuputala earned third-team and honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades, while backup Khmori House was named honorable mention Freshman All-America.
“I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to join the University of Florida football program,” Bala said. “Thank you to Coach Napier, Coach Roberts and the rest of the staff. I can’t wait to start working with these great players and make Gator Nation proud.”
Bala joins co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri and secondary coach Deron Wilson as the third new defensive assistant hired by UF this offseason. All three will work under returning defensive coordinator Ron Roberts.
A new NCAA rule lifted the limit of on-field assistant coaches from 10 last summer to an unlimited amount, although only 10 are allowed to recruit on road. It’s unclear at this point if Bala will be involved in any off campus recruiting.
Kevin Brockway is…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/florida-football-hires-former-alabama-211940785.html
Author : The Gainesville Sun
Publish date : 2025-03-10 21:19:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
