Report: Gators Set To Hire Sean Spencer as Co-DC/DL Coach
Another coach is set to be in Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier's army. First reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel, the program is set to hire former New York Giants defensive line coach Sean Spencer as the team's defensive line coach.
According to a report from The Athletic's Bruce Feldman Spencer will also become the program's co-defensive coordinator, joining Patrick Toney to call the team's defense.
What's curious about the move is that Spencer was recently set to join Duke's football program as the team's co-defensive coordinator, or that at least was reported to happen. Now, that has apparently changed with Spencer set to join UF, according to Thamel.
Spencer would become the second former New York Giants coach to join Florida, spending the past two seasons with the club. The other former Giants coach that has joined the Gators staff is of course Rob Sale, who is set to be the team's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Now, the Gators get that much more experienced on its coaching staff. Prior to joining the Gators and Giants, Spencer spent over 20 years coaching at the collegiate level. He would begin his coaching career in 1995, coaching at Wesleyan. Here are his other landing spots prior to his two-year stint with the Giants, the majority as a DL coach:
Penn State (2014-19), Vanderbilt (2011-13), Bowling Green (2009-10), Massachusetts (2007-08), Hofstra (2006), Villanova (2005, LB coach), Holy Cross (2004), Massachusetts (2001-03), Trinity (2000), Trinity (1998-99, RB coach), Shippensburg (1996-1997, RB coach) and finally Wesleyan (1995, WR coach and TE coach).
An extensive college football background will come in handy for Napier as a first-time Power 5 head coach. His work as a recruiter has also been noted.
While at Penn State, Spencer, or as some know him "Coach Chaos," was credited with recruiting players such as Micah Parsons, Odafe Oweh and Saquon Barkley. He was the primary recruiter for Barkley. All three are now in the NFL, and all three were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
In 2019, Spencer's unit netted 45 total sacks, with Parsons netting five sacks, Yetur Gross-Matos leading the way with 9.5 sacks and Oweh with five in his own right.
Florida now has the majority of its staff filled out with just the inside linebackers coach and the team's special teams coordinator and staff still waiting to be filled, along with other assistants that Napier tabs to be on his staff.
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