Just like that, the Gators’ head coaching search is over, as they made their hiring of Billy Napier official on Sunday.
But, while the big coaching search that made national news is over, 10 lower profile but crucially important coaching searches have begun. Napier must now fill out his coaching staff, a process that will play a large role in determining how successful he will be at Florida.
While this might not be a completely comprehensive list, here are some names to watch for.
Defense
Doug Belk
Current job: Defensive coordinator/safeties coach/associate head coach, Houston
He’s worked for Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen since they were at West Virginia in 2017, but this is his first season calling the defensive plays.
He’s done a great job, as the Cougars rank 19th in scoring defense, sixth in total defense, 17th in passing defense, eighth in rushing defense and tied for fourth in sacks.
Belk spent three years as a graduate assistant at Alabama, and Napier was the Crimson Tide’s receivers coach during that time. So, they have familiarity with each other.
Belk would be a high-risk, high-reward choice for defensive coordinator. He’s only 33 years old, and he’s regarded as a good recruiter, which makes him a potential rising star within the coaching ranks. However, this is only his 12th season in coaching, and he only has one season of play-calling experience.
Depending on whether experience is a deal-breaker or not for Napier, don’t be surprised if he makes a push to hire him away from Houston.
Jim Knowles
Current job: Defensive coordinator, Oklahoma State
Knowles has accomplished something that was previously thought to be highly improbable – he’s fielded one of the best defenses in the country this season despite playing in the high-powered Big 12.
The Cowboys rank fifth in the FBS in points allowed, third in total defense, 11th in passing defense, fifth in rushing defense and first in sacks.
Prior to his four seasons at Oklahoma State, Knowles spent a combined 30 years working for Cornell, Western Michigan, Ole Miss and Duke. He was the head coach at Cornell for six seasons.
He doesn’t have a ton of Power Five experience, and it’s unknown how he’ll fare in recruiting at a school like Florida, but Knowles’ success at Oklahoma State could make him an attractive defensive coordinator candidate for Napier.
Tosh Lupoi
Current job: Defensive line coach, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lupoi is only in his 14th year of coaching, but he’s held some pretty high-profile jobs. He was Washington’s defensive line coach from 2012-13 before joining Alabama as an analyst in 2014, where he worked alongside Napier. He was promoted to outside linebackers coach in 2016 and carried the co-defensive coordinator title in 2017-18.
He’s spent the last three years with different NFL teams.
He’s considered a great recruiter, and he continued Alabama’s run of success with pass rushers. He worked with first-round picks Rashaan Evans and Reuben Foster.
Lupoi does come with some baggage, however. While he was at Washington, he was suspended and investigated for paying for a recruit’s classes and tutoring. While the matter was ultimately dismissed, UF prides itself on its clean reputation, and Lupoi’s hiring might not go over well with some.
Plus, he hasn’t coached in college since 2018, so his interest in coming to Florida is unknown.
If he is interested, Napier could hire him as either the defensive line coach or the outside linebackers coach depending on what type of scheme he wants to run.
Charlie Partridge
Current job: Defensive line coach, Pittsburgh
Partridge has 26 years of coaching experience, with the majority of it coming at Pittsburgh and Wisconsin.
He coached the defensive line, linebackers and special teams at different points during his first stint at Pittsburgh from 2003-07. He then spent five years coaching the defensive line and special teams at Wisconsin and one year at Arkansas. He parlayed that into the head coaching gig at Florida Atlantic. He was fired after going 3-9 in three consecutive years.
This is his fifth year back at Pittsburgh. Since 2018, the Panthers rank second in the FBS with 175 sacks. They’re second in the country this year with 46 sacks.
Partridge is considered a good recruiter, as he served as Bret Bielema’s lead recruiter in Florida at both Wisconsin and Arkansas. Partridge helped Arkansas land running back Alex Collins, a five-star recruit according to some services, over a Will Muschamp-led Florida staff.
Partridge should probably be high up on Napier’s wish list.
Chris Rumph
Current job: Defensive line coach, Chicago Bears
Rumph worked for Jim McElwain at Florida and also worked alongside Napier at Clemson from 2006-10 and at Alabama in 2011 and 2013.
Since leaving Florida, Rumph spent two seasons as Tennessee’s outside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator before going to the NFL.
During Rumph’s stint in Gainesville, five of his players were drafted: Taven Bryan, Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie, Alex McCalister and Jonathan Bullard.
Bryan captured Second Team All-SEC honors in 2018 and was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Bullard was a unanimous First Team All-SEC selection in 2015. The Gators racked up 40 sacks in 2015, the sixth-highest total in school history.
Rumph also worked with first-round pick Malcolm Brown at Texas in 2014.
His interest in returning to the college game is unknown. While it might seem somewhat discouraging to read that Napier could be considering bringing back coaches that were part of McElwain’s failed staff, keep in mind that Napier and McElwain come from the same coaching tree, so of course they’re going to know a lot of the same people.
Tim Skipper
Current job: Linebackers coach/associate head coach, Central Michigan
Skipper coached running backs for the Gators during McElwain’s first two years before switching back to his more natural spot on the defensive staff in 2017. He was regarded as one of that staff’s best recruiters, and his position groups were among the most productive on the team.
Since leaving Florida, he spent two seasons as UNLV’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach before reuniting with McElwain prior to the 2020 season. In his first year with the Chippewas, linebacker Troy Brown was named First Team All-Mid-American Conference.
Napier and Skipper were on McElwain’s Colorado State staff together in 2012.
The only real knock on Skipper is his connection with McElwain. If he’s really a championship-caliber assistant coach, why is he following McElwain around America instead of working for a Power Five program?
Is Napier isn’t afraid of the backlash that might come with hiring a member of a failed coaching staff from the recent past, Skipper could be an option.
Patrick Toney
Current job: Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach, Louisiana
Toney was part of Napier’s initial coaching staff at Louisiana, and he stayed with him until the end. He coached safeties for the first three years before moving to outside linebackers this year. He added play-calling duties prior to the 2020 season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns’ defense has thrived under his leadership. They ranked 31st in the country in scoring defense and 33rd in total defense in 2020. Four of his players were named all-conference after the 2020 season. They’re 13th in scoring defense and 40th in total defense this season.
He’s only 31 years old, and his only experience prior to Louisiana came at UTSA, Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana.
Toney probably wouldn’t be a popular hire among fans because of his inexperience, but you’ve got to think he’s a candidate to come with Napier to Florida given his success at Louisiana.
Offense
Brad Davis
Current job: Offensive line coach/interim head coach, LSU
Davis is another member of McElwain’s staff who Napier could consider bringing back. He coached UF’s offensive line in 2017.
Since then, he spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Missouri, the 2020 season at Arkansas and the current season at LSU. He will serve as the Tigers’ head coach for their bowl game. With a new head coach coming in at LSU, Davis could be looking for a new job soon.
He’s regarded as a solid recruiter and developer, as he’s coached 14 players who have earned all-conference recognition. He helped Missouri’s Tre’Vour Wallace-Sims become a First Team All-SEC selection in 2018.
Davis is a Baton Rouge native, however, which means that he could be hard to pull away from LSU if their new head coach wants him to stay.
Des Kitchings
Current job: Running backs coach, Atlanta Falcons
He’s regarded as a terrific recruiter, and he has 12 years of experience in the Power Five and one year in the NFL. His longest and most successful stint came at NC State from 2012-18. He coached running backs, tight ends and was the co-offensive coordinator at different points in his tenure.
Kitchings also has experience coaching special teams, which should prove valuable given the Gators’ struggles in that area this season.
Napier threw passes to Kitchings for a year at Furman in 1999, and Kitchings has been linked to Napier’s potential Florida staff since the talks between Napier and UF picked up early last week.
He would seem to be a great fit for a running backs coach and possible offensive coordinator role, though Napier is expected to call the plays.
Rob Sale
Current job: Offensive line coach, New York Giants
Given the state of UF’s offensive line, who Napier hires to be his offensive line coach will be extremely important.
While Sale is a relative newcomer to coaching, he has some impressive credentials. From 2007-11, he worked as a strength and conditioning assistant and an offensive analyst at Alabama. He then spent three years as offensive line coach at McNeese State, a year at Georgia and a year at Louisiana-Monroe before joining Napier at Arizona State in 2017. He followed Napier to Lafayette before leaving for the NFL this season.
With the Giants’ head coach on the hot seat and Sale’s history with Napier, a return to the college game would make a lot of sense for him.
Sale is a Louisiana native who played at LSU from 1998-2002, so he would help Napier boost Florida’s recruiting footprint in that state.