Florida hires Deron Wilson to replace Will Harris as Gators defensive backs coach

Football

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It did not take long for head coach Billy Napier to fill a suddenly vacant spot in the Florida Gators coaching staff created with the departure of Will Harris. Napier decided to hire Deron Wilson to take over the defensive backs on Feb. 16, according to multiple reports, with Wilson’s hiring confirmed on Feb. 24.

Wilson, who recently accepted the defensive coordinator job at Georgia State, served as DB coach at Arkansas across the 2023-24 seasons. The New Orleans native previously worked at Florida as a quality control coach specializing in cornerbacks during Napier’s first season.

“It’s great to have Deron back in the building,” Napier said on Feb. 24. “His exposure to our system and tree of coaches, to go along with experience in the SEC makes his hiring a no-brainer. His pedigree and relationships in recruiting will be valuable as well. He will help us continue to improve going forward.”

It was previously thought the Gators would promote assistant DB coach Beyah Rasool to Harris’ position should Harris leave the program; however, Rasool accepted a defensive assistant position with the Las Vegas Raiders less than two weeks ago. Harris left Florida for the same position at Miami (FL) last week.

Wilson is the third new defensive hire Napier has added this offseason. He added two co-defensive coordinators in Vinnie Sunseri (safeties) and Robert Bala (linebackers), both of whom were assistants at Washington in 2024. The three new hires total five years of Power Four on-field coaching experience.

“It’s an honor to rejoin the Florida Gator football staff,” Wilson said in a statement. “I’m inspired by the culture Coach Napier is building and the standard of excellence players and coaches are held to. I will give it my all so we can compete for championships, along with signing and developing elite talent.”

Napier did not make any changes to the offensive side of the ball this offseason. The Gators have now hired six new defensive coaches across the last two offseasons.

Recent NCAA rule changes provide universities with additional flexibility to hire coaches who used to be categorized as “analysts” but can now be given more formal titles and aid with on-field coaching. The hiring of Bala — with Harris still on staff — put Florida over the prior 10-assistant limit that programs had to abide. It has not been determined how the three new assistants will be categorized internally.