Florida Hiring Billy Gonzales as WR Coach
Billy Gonzales is returning to Florida for a third stint as the Gators' wide receivers coach, All Gators can confirm.
Nick de la Torre of On3 Sports was first to report Gonzales' return to Gainesville. He rejoins the Gators after one season as the Florida Atlantic Owls' wide receivers coach and one month as Marshall's tight ends coach this offseason.
Gonzales, 51, held the titles of wide receivers coach, co-offensive coordinator and passing game coordinator across his 2018-21 tenure with the program. He followed former Gators head coach Dan Mullen from Mississippi State to Florida after spending the 2013-17 seasons as wide receivers coach for the Bulldogs.
In all, Gonzales has coached at UF for nine years total, starting out as the team's WR coach in 2005 under Urban Meyer while Mullen was the program's offensive coordinator. He remained with the program from then until 2009 before manning short-term gigs at LSU (2010-11) and Illinois (2012).
Gonzales is famed in Gainesville for developing UF wide receivers into NFL Draft picks, with pro pass-catchers Kadarius Toney (first round, 2021), Van Jefferson (second round, 2020), Freddie Swain (sixth round, 2020), Tyrie Cleveland (seventh round, 2020), Riley Cooper (fifth round, 2010), Percy Harvin (first round, 2009), Louis Murphy (fourth round, 2009), Andre Caldwell (third round, 2008) and Dallas Baker (seventh round, 2007) on his résumé.
Gonzales' imminent hiring will complete Florida's on-field staff for the 2023 season. He takes the spot vacated by Keary Colbert, who left the program to join the Denver Broncos in late February.
Former Southern Mississippi defensive coordinator and short-term Alabama inside linebackers coach Austin Armstrong was hired to replace Patrick Toney as the Gators' defensive coordinator in February, while analyst Russ Callaway was promoted to tight ends coach in March following William Peagler's February departure. Both Toney and Peagler have joined the Arizona Cardinals as assistants.
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