Texas Longhorns Make Intriguing Hire to Coaching Staff

The Texas Longhorns have made some key changes to Steve Sarkisian's coaching staff this offseason as the team aims for major championship-level expectations this fall.

The most notable of these was the firing of defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, who was replaced by Will Muschamp.

The Longhorns also hired a new running backs coach in Jabbar Juluke, who spent last season with Florida, but it was revealed on Monday that he won't the only former Gators assistant joining Texas this spring.

Texas Hires Former Florida Interim Head Coach Billy Gonzales

Florida Gators interim head coach Billy Gonzales walks on the field during Gator Walk before a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Longhorns officially announced 14 new additions to the 2026 coaching staff on Monday, and included among the fresh faces was former Florida interim head coach Billy Gonzales, who will work as an analyst with the wide receivers next season.

Gonzales, a former wide receiver at Colorado State who has specialized at coaching the position for over three decades at the collegiate level, took over as interim head coach for Florida this past season after the firing of Billy Napier.

It's possible that Juluke would have taken over as interim head coach, but his involvement in a pregame scuffle on Sept. 13 against LSU that resulted in a three-game suspension potentially forced the Gators to look for a new temporary replacement for Napier.

Instead, Gonzales led Florida for the final five games of the regular season, posting a 1-4 record. During that span, the Gators suffered tight losses to No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss before closing out the year with a dominant 40-21 win over rival Florida State.

Florida Gators interim head coach Billy Gonzales stands on the sideline during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Gonzales could now play a key role in the Texas offense for wide receivers Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V all while also assisting current Texas wide receivers coach Chris Jackson.

His experience as a wide receivers coach dates back to 1994 at MacMurray College in Illinois. He then spent time at Kent State, Bowling Green and Utah before being hired as the wide receivers coach at Florida in 2005.

While continuing to maintain a role as a wide receivers coach, Gonzales also held the title of co-offensive coordinator at Illinois, Mississippi State and Florida. In total, he spent nine years at Florida across multiple stints with the program.

It's no secret that Longhorns are adding an experienced football mind to the staff for next season in hopes he will help the wide receiving corps grow as the year goes on.