Darnell Stapleton has joined the UF staff and will coach the offensive line, head coach Billy Napier announced on Friday. Napier previously said that he would hire two offensive line coaches, so Stapleton’s exact role is still unknown.
Stapleton served as Napier’s assistant offensive line coach at Louisiana this past season. He helped the Ragin’ Cajuns rank third in the Sun Belt with 2,496 rushing yards and second with 31 rushing touchdowns.
He was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Sam Houston State from 2018-20. In 2019, Colby Thomas was named First Team All-Southland Conference, while Tyler Edwards was named to the third team. Together, they helped running back Donovan Williams rank second in the conference with 925 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Stapleton, 36, coached the offensive line at Bucknell from 2014-17. In 2016, he coached Julien Davenport, who garnered First Team All-America recognition from several publications and became the school’s first NFL Draft pick since 1969.
He played two years at Hudson Valley Community College before transferring to Rutgers. He started all 25 games at center for the Scarlet Knights and was named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy in 2006.
He started 18 games in four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and won a Super Bowl.
Stapleton began his coaching career by coaching the New York Sharks, a women’s professional team, in 2011. He then coached high school football for a year before returning to Rutgers for two years as a graduate assistant.
Sounds like a well qualified young coach! Hoping he turns into a great recruiter and teacher! Did he play with pouncey in Pittsburgh? Welcome to title town !!!