Florida Co-DC Patrick Toney will call plays on defense
Patrick Toney will continue to call defensive plays for Billy Napier at Florida.
After two years on Napier’s Louisiana staff as safeties coach, Toney was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020 and had one of the nation’s top scoring defenses the past two seasons.
Toney was the first assistant coach named to Napier’s UF staff on Dec. 6. He will coach the safeties and serve as the co-defensive coordinator with former New York Giants D-line coach Sean Spencer.
Play-calling duties belong to Toney, Napier revealed Friday.
“Patrick Toney will call the defense. Sean obviously is a veteran coach that has a tremendous input and background at multiple stops, but Patrick will do the play-calling,” Napier said.
In 2021, Toney’s defense finished first in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (18.3) and tied-for-ninth nationally, while ranking fourth in passing defense in the conference.
Napier called Toney a bright up-and-comer in the coaching profession when he promoted him at 30 years old to coordinate his defense at Louisiana.
“Patrick Toney is a difference maker, and one the brightest young coaches in our profession. He had a lot to do with our defensive improvement in 2019,” Napier said at the time. “He has also built great relationships with staff and student-athletes, and he helped establish our culture. He is an exceptional teacher and leads by example with his work ethic and attention to detail. This promotion is well deserved, and I am excited about his continued impact.”
Toney was one of the top recruiters nationally in the 2022 class, serving as the primary recruiter for Florida signees Kamari Wilson, Shemar James, Devin Moore, Jack Pyburn and Andrew Savaiinaea.
