Randy Shannon excited to be with Florida Gators

Randy Shannon was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He came from humble beginnings in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Miami — Liberty City. Born in 1966, Shannon lived through the race riots in Liberty City during the Republican National Convention in 1968 and again in 1980 following the acquittal of police officers after the killing of Arthur McDuffie.

At the age of three his father was murdered. He lost his older twin brothers to AIDS — after they battled drug addiction. He attended Miami Norland High School and despite growing up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood and enduring unbelievable tragedy at such an early age stayed close to his roots and attended the University of Miami, where he played linebacker and won a national championship.

Six years at the University of Miami led to his next coaching opportunity. He didn’t go far, accepting a job with the Miami Dolphins in 1998. Three years with the Dolphins led him back to his alma mater where he served as the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for six seasons. He was named the head coach in 2007 before being let go in 2010.

He’s familiar with the rivalry that Florida and Miami have. He grew up during the heyday of it all. Shannon has coached football for 24 years and all but three of those have been in the city of Miami.

That’s why when he walked into a conference room inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Thursday it looked weird. His white half zip innocuous at first glance, but soon the bold Gators logo on his left chest stuck out. It’s the last sight that anyone would have ever expected to see — unless Shannon had lost a bet, possibly, but the Gators’ new linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator brushed off the thought that he had any bad blood directed at Florida from his playing or coaching days.

“Back then it was hatred because of Florida, Florida State and Miami were three schools in the state. Most of the guys I knew that played up here I grew up with,” Shannon said. “The same thing with Florida State. It was sort of like a little deal that you have with each other. Off the field, we were great friends.”

Now, wearing a different shade of orange and Gator blue rather than Cane green, Shannon is moving forward with his career. He’s loyal to the University of Florida and excited to be a part of what he and the rest of the coaching staff believes is something special.

“Being at Florida, fellas, it’s a lot of programs in the country but there’s only a few programs in the country like Florida,” Shannon said. “Just being honest with you.”

Shannon has put his past behind him, “I never look back,” he said. He’s on the same page with the rest of the coaching staff and they’re all eager to get the Florida football program back on the right track in the think of things in the SEC.

Shannon spent most of his time at Miami but he spent the past two seasons at Arkansas, getting his first taste of what the grind is like coaching and competing in the SEC. “You don’t have a day off,” he said.

“That’s one thing you don’t do, no matter who you’re playing on the east side or west side, you always have to show up and you always have to get your guys prepared to play.”

That preparation is beginning on the recruiting trail. Shannon has made quick work, handing out scholarship offers and running up his phone bill recruiting for Florida. The entire coaching staff is facing an uphill battle in recruiting as the Gators currently have the fewest amount of committed prospects in the conference. Shannon’s deep ties in Miami will surely help the Gators recruit South Florida but don’t pigeonhole him.

“Recruiting is recruiting,” he said. “I mean people label me as a South Florida guy but people keep forgetting that I recruited a lot of guys from California when I was at the University of Miami, a lot of guys from Louisiana, a lot of guys from New York, so I’ve been more versatile then recruiting just South Florida.”

A former head coach, Shannon was asked about his future. Surely he would want get back to the NFL or be named a head coach again. Shannon was open and honest. Yeah, someday, he wants to get the opportunity to run a program, be the point man, get another crack at it. He’s even had opportunities to do it. Shannon says he’s been offered coordinator jobs and head coaching jobs since leaving Miami but it was never the right fit.

“I’m not a guy that’s gonna rush into anything. I’m a guy that’s gonna take my time and acknowledge what I’ve gotta get done,” he said. “But wherever I’m working at, that’s got my total focus. Right now, my total focus is being at Florida.”

Randy Shannon in orange and blue may look strange and sound strange but you’ll get used to it.