REPORT: Gators Land New Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach

The Florida Gators have bolstered their defensive staff ahead of the 2025 season. According to 247 Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Jacksonville State defensive coordinator Vinnie Sunseri has accepted a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach job at Florida.

Jacksonville State defensive coordinator Vinnie Sunseri has accepted a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach job at Florida, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.

The ex-Alabama safety previously worked at Washington and for four years with the New England Patriots.… pic.twitter.com/n9uTCxqCV6
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 25, 2025

Sunseri will take over Austin Armstong’s role as co-defensive coordinator after he left for Houston in December to be the Cougars’ defensive coordinator. He will work alongside fellow defensive coordinator Ron Roberts.

Word of the potential hire surfaced Friday morning when it was reported that Sunseri was interviewing with Florida for a role on the defensive staff. At the time, the role he would take on could not be determined.

Sunseri is the son of former Gators coach Sal Sunseri. He served under Dan Mullen for one season as the defensive line coach. So, there’s a connection, albeit brief, to Florida.

Sunseri played for the Alabama Crimson Tide under Nick Saban and won two BCS National Championships (2011 and 2013). He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 draft and played in the NFL for three seasons. Along with the Saints, he was on the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots practice squad.

He returned to Alabama for a year in 2019 as a graduate assistant before being hired by the Patriots. Two titles he held under Bill Belichick were defensive coaching assistant and running backs coach. Sunseri returned to the college ranked in 2024 as a safeties coach for Washington.

Jacksonville State hired Sunseri as their defensive coordinator earlier this month. It took virtually no time at all after that to get the call to join an SEC staff.

He’ll be working with a Gators staff that took huge strides at the end of last season.

After giving up an average of 34 points in the first FBS matchups of the season - the game against FCS Samford being excluded - the Gators' defense allowed and average of 22 points per game in the final eight bouts of the season. This includes giving up 49 points to Texas and 34 points to Georgia. Take those out of the equation, and they allowed just 16 points per game.

The defense also forced nine turnovers in the final three games of the season.