Gators interviewing defensive coach candidate (Hired)

Seems like a good up and comer with some recruiting chops. Don't want to divert too much from how our defense was playing to close out the season. Thought Harris did a good job, but coaching Corners, Star and safeties is a bit much for one guy. One miscommunication in the secondary can result in a TD. Solid hire.

 

Seems like we never know if assistant coaches are going to be effective or not. Many 'home runs' turn out to be nothing.

 

Co dc..

 

Indeed. one thing for sure is that if an upcoming or possible hire says I am a homerun…send them to Sully. We be playin footsball.

 

I guess its just a title to get us out of paying a buyout? Surely we arent hiring another dc with no experience on the job.

 

They know. I think we turned the THE DEFENSE IS OUR VERSION OF THE TOWER OF BABEL corner.
The players got in sync with the coaches at the break this last season. Everything clicked. The coaches simplified the defensive calls, as they asked for. The youngsters began to play faster. I do believe this just might be our best defensive staff since the MIGHTY QUINN back in Muschamp days. Jmhfo.

 

Our defense, at the end of the season, was playing like they were possessed. The coaches and kids figured it out! This Senseri dude has played the game, his dad is a longtime coach, he coached with the best. He's had great results. Hopefully, be a great compliment to an already badass group of defensive coaches and players.

I also like he's in shape. He isn't fat, metaphorically, he's not complacent, but rather busting his butt to be a top tier coach.

Our defense mauled teams towards the end of the year. If we can start mauling early on; oh baby! Then we have DJ and the "O" boyz kicking ass on that side of the ball. I don't see a problem...

Go Gators.

 

Well, there's a positive right off the bat...

 

Would be nice if his Dad joined UF staff as a Defensive Analyst

 

Hopefully 3rd try is a charm.

 

That might be the problem... there are no bases in football.

 

He's not qualified to coach either in the SEC! This guy has 4 years of coaching experience - 3 years as a RB coach.

It's like CBN is trying to get fired to collect the buyout.

 

My dad is a brain surgeon. He also passed a lot of his knowledge on to me. Do you want me cutting into your brain?

Let me know so I can take a day off from my Walmart greeter job.

 

Well, it's a good thing we don't have to worry about the offense. I think the lack of 3 co-DC's will work itself out in the wash, because our coaching on offense is sublime. No need for coordinators there. 12th in the SEC and rising!!

 

Armstrong Joins Cougars as Defensive Coordinator - University of Houston Athletics

Unclear why Billy is always hiring youn DCs in early 30s. UF is a top program. Why are experienced DCs either not considered or not interested in working for him? This is 3rd new one in 4 years, 4 if count co-DCs. Unusual for that type if coaching turnover on new staff.

 

Don’t interrupt this as me trying to throw shade on the hire, I’m not. Bringing in Vinnie Sunseri as the new safeties coach is a good move.

I just find his situation a bit odd. He started his coaching career in NE as part of the support staff in 2020. Then he was elevated to RB coach for several years. When the staff was fired he went with Steve Belichick to Washington as the safeties coach in 2024, his only year of college experience. Diddy hoodie is then hired as the HC at UNC for 2025. He immediately hires his son as the DC. Why didn’t Steve bring Sunseri with him to UNC? It would seem to be a natural move, but he didn’t. It appears they still don’t have a safeties coach. Then why didn’t Sunseri stay at Washington? It’s a very good program and Jedd Fisch is good coach to be hooked with. Maybe that wasn’t an option for him. When Charles Kelly is recently hired at Jacksonville State Sunseri takes the DC gig there, for a few weeks. That’s a low rung job, was it the best he could do at the time? The $$$ was probably less than a position coach at Washington.

Vinnie Sunseri only has one year of college coaching experience and one year of coaching on the defensive side of the ball overall. Are the other 3 UF defensive assistants good with him coming in as the co-DC?

 

Everyone hated him when he was here not too long ago

 

We shouldn’t hire guys in their 30’s. We should only hire experienced guys like Randy Shannon or Todd Grantham. Absolutely, let’s go get the fossils that have proven they just good enough to stay employed, but never promote beyond their incompetence. Guys like a young Charlie Strong and Bob Stoops were terrible for our program.

Even worse, those young HCs like Urban, Golden, Sulley, and Donovan were complete flops in coaching.

When I interview for new staff, I’m looking for aptitude, personality, and knowledge. I’m guessing he has shown all of those as the two stops before here were at a P4 program and an NFL team. It’s foolish to discount his time playing the position in the NFL as well. This guy has learned from some of the best. At minimum you would think the negative nellies would acknowledge his 11 years of experience in the game at a high level and take a wait and see approach. However, we all know that they wouldn’t be doing their jobs here if not immediately defecating on any move UF makes in players or coaches.

 

Acting like we can only hire 30 year old up and comers or 70 year old fossils is disingenuous. There is a reality where you can just hire the best most qualified person. 1 year as a safety’s coach and soon to be JSU DC isn’t that.

 

Respectfully disagree, 244.
I dealt with managers for many years who were afraid to hire young assistants and dept heads because of little or no experience. It drove me nuts. The best run businesses in my supervision were the ones whose managers weren’t afraid to hire a younger, brighter more positive person who had less experience.
A coach who has been at multiple stops and fits into your “age group” may have experience and ability but the fact that he’s available at all at that age might be a red flag. He may start good then develop a negative attitude, (see Corey Raymond). He might not have the best repertoire with his fellow coaches.
Thank goodness the age/experience preference you value didn’t sway Foley/Strickland when they hired Donovan and Golden.