Gators Hire Robert Bala as Co-DC, LBs Coach

Bala will serve alongside executive head coach of the defense and defensive play caller Ron Roberts.

Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier prior to the game against the LSU Tigers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla – The Florida Gators are set to hire former Washington linebackers coach Robert Bala as a co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. It was first reported by 247 Sports' Matt Zenitz.

Bala, who reportedly interviewed with the program on Wednesday, will get the co-defensive coordinator tag alongside Ron Roberts and recently-hired Vinnie Sunseri. NCAA rules no longer limit the number of on-field coaches a program has.

Head coach Billy Napier on Wednesday hinted that another defensive hire was on the way to allow Roberts, who calls plays, more freedom to run the entire defense rather than one specific group. 

“I think we potentially here could hire another coach on defense, you know, and let Ron kind of walk around, much like we did the last two-thirds of the year, if that makes sense,” Napier said. “I think that's kind of when we started making progress. So, yeah, I think we're in the inside linebacker coach world, that could happen.”

As for Bala, he’s filled his resume with a ton of stops, but most notably on his coaching tour around the country is his time with Alabama as the linebackers coach in 2023 and his time spent with Washington as their inside linebackers coach in the 2024 season. Bala’s time with Alabama was also his first Power Four on-field job, which he earned following a positive one year stint as an analyst with Liberty. 

Bala's hiring likely finalizes Florida's staff for 2025 as Napier also explained his assistants were in the process of finalizing extensions if they haven't already.