New Coaches

[TheGatorBehindTheCurtain]

Aubrey Hill, Travaris Robinson hired

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Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Will Muschamp's staff at Florida Gators is taking shape.
A day after landing former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator, the Gators hired receivers coach Aubrey Hill and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson. Florida also retained three current assistants Sunday. Muschamp kept running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Stan Drayton, linebackers coach/special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin and tight ends coach Brian White.
Muschamp already said he would retain strength and conditioning coordinator Mickey Marotti. Drayton, Durkin, White and Marotti will provide Florida continuity while making the transition from former coach Urban Meyer to Muschamp.
Hill, who played at Florida (1991-94), is returning to Gainesville after spending the last three years as Miami's receivers coach. He also served as the Hurricanes' recruiting coordinator last year and has ties to talent-rich South Florida.
Robinson, a former Auburn standout and NFL defensive back, comes to the Gators after serving as Texas Tech's secondary coach last year.
"I thought it was important to have some continuity in the staff," Muschamp said in a statement. "They are also solid recruiters. Aubrey is obviously a Gator, and it's always a plus when you have someone coach at their alma mater. He understands the passion and the expectations here, and I know he is excited to return to Gainesville. Travaris worked on our staff at Auburn and is a winner."
Muschamp said he expects more coaching moves this week. Weis, currently the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to be formally announced Monday.
Hill's coaching resume includes a stint as a graduate assistant at Florida (1996-98), where he part of the program's first national championship. He also spent time as Duke's receivers coach (1999-2003), Elon's receivers coach (2004) and Pittsburgh's receivers coach (2005-07).
Robinson played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then returned to Auburn to start his coaching career under Muschamp. Muschamp was Auburn's defensive coordinator at the time (2006-07), and Robinson was a staff assistant and a graduate assistant.
Drayton and Durkin joined the Gators in 2010.
Drayton came to Gainesville with Meyer in 2005, but left after three seasons. He spent a year at Tennessee (2008) and a year at Syracuse (2009), then rejoined the Gators last year.
Durkin spent three years coaching Stanford's defensive ends and special teams (2007-09), then joined Meyer's staff last year as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
White came to Florida as tight ends coach in 2009.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler, receivers coach Zach Azzanni and defensive backs coach/recruiting coordinator Chuck Heater were not retained.
Defensive line coach Dan McCarney took the head job at North Texas, and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio took over at Temple. Heater is considering joining Addazio with the Owls. Austin has been rumored as a potential replacement for Muschamp as Texas' defensive coordinator.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

 

[Gatorfan24]

I hope these guys can lead us to a much better season then the 2010 season

 

[DRU2012]

I hope these guys can lead us to a much better season then the 2010 season

Oh, they have bigger plans than THAT, Gator, don't ya think?
Everything that has happened since Muschamp was named, every move he and his staff make from here on in is part of an accelerated plan to win multiple Championships, in effect to create a kind of assembly-line of Championship-runs, keeping the Gator Football program in position to "reload" even as each team of seniors finishes its time-of-glory.
Can they DO it? Few have even tried, a handful have pulled it off--but make no mistake, THAT is CHOMP'S actual goal.
He is young, ambitious and REALLY smart--that's why all these pro-guys are following him to UF, responding to his call: this "boy wonder" is thinking BIG, and they sense how he might cover them ALL in glory. Why else would Charlie Weis, with a comfortable, reliably large NFL position and (more importantly) CHECK in hand and guaranteed for a couple of more years no matter what as long as he sits tight, throws it all aside to get on board (with a PAY CUT!) to play for a 1st time coach much his junior in every way but one: and that has to do with this "VISION".
As for 2011, I wouldn't worry too much. It'll be a transitional year, I think--how can it not be, with all the changes happening and that will continue to be implemented at every level over the coming months leading up to and INto the season? But it WILL be interesting, encouraging--and ENTERTAINING, rather than constantly frustrating like it was this past season. They ARE thinking long term, but they mean to "win now" also, as much as possible, while they install the foundation for that future. CHOMP himself said as much at his first presser: he insisted that though he had a clear idea of what he wanted the Gators to eventually be, there wasn't "any 5- or even 3-year Plan--Gator Nation expects and I intend for us to win soon, win NOW, ASAP".
That is another reason Weis was a perfect choice for OC.
In addition to evidently preferring the college game, working with and teaching young men, it seems he is driven to "show them all" by getting ahold of the right offense in the right situation and being in charge of "something special", building and molding them into a superior unit in a startlingly sharp turn-around.
All in all, get ready for a fun (if sometimes "SCARY") ride, Gatorfan.

 

[Gatorfan24]

^^
MUCH MUCH bigger than that. I hope.

They have to reaalllyyy mess up somewhere to go down. But that's not gonna happen.

 

[DRU2012]

No, I'm with you. You can feel it: everything, the whole "vibe" around this team has shifted. The ominous weight of foreboding has lifted, suddenly replaced with hope and excitement. It's not just in our heads.
It's great to be a Florida Gator.

 

[TheGatorBehindTheCurtain]

It really feels like the woe's and none excitement of this past year have dissapated.

The electricity is back, with or without a great recruiting class, we have the talent - we now have the coaches - I doubt we will go undefeated but we will bring the BOOM down on those who think florida has dropped off to oblivion.

 

[Escambia94]

Mojo. It's back. Stay tuned for the next episode when we start to gain back our swagger. It may not happen overnight, but it's a coming!

 

[DRU2012]

It really feels like the woe's and none excitement of this past year have dissapated.

The electricity is back, with or without a great recruiting class, we have the talent - we now have the coaches - I doubt we will go undefeated but we will bring the BOOM down on those who think florida has dropped off to oblivion.

I for one intend to REVEL in every triumph, to enjoy each step in the twisty, bouncy ride back to the top this time.
I know now that THIS, the climb itself that we are about to begin again, is when it's really fun to be a Gator.