Newly-hired Alabama assistant Austin Armstrong to become Gators defensive coordinator
On Tuesday evening, reports stated that Gators co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney was headed to the NFL for an assistant role with the Arizona Cardinals. That move is now confirmed.
Now, less than 24 hours later, Billy Napier has already reportedly landed his replacement as well
According to On3’s Matt Zenitz, newly-hired Alabama assistant Austin Armstrong is headed to the University of Florida to become the defensive coordinator. He landed in Tuscaloosa as the inside linebackers coach but does have defensive coordinator experience, handling that role with Southern Miss over the past two seasons.
“Austin Armstrong is indeed leaving Alabama and taking the defensive coordinator job at Florida, sources tell @on3sports,” Zenitz said on Wednesday morning. “Armstrong was Southern Miss’ DC the last two years prior to joining the Bama staff in January.”
During his time in 2021 and 2022 at Southern Mississippi, Armstrong was the youngest coordinator in the NCAA. In 2022, Armstrong’s Southern Miss defense ranked 57th in total defense, giving up 372.2 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play.
Napier and Armstrong’s connection goes back to 2017 and 2018 when Armstrong served as a graduate assistant under Napier at UL.
Gators will replace 13 starters, almost half the depth chart from 2022
When safety Rashad Torrence II declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, it marked the 13th starter who will not be with the program for the 2023 season.
Torrence was the third departure from the secondary and the seventh defensive starter, joining defensive backs Trey Dean III and Tre’Vez Johnson, linebackers Amari Burney and Ventrell Miller, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and outside linebacker Brenton Cox Jr.
Offensively, the Gators said goodbye to starting quarterback Anthony Richardson, receiver Justin Shorter and four of their top five offensive linemen in O’Cyrus Torrence, Richard Gouraige, Michael Tarquin and Ethan White.
Florida’s attrition extends beyond the starting lineup as well. Torrence marks 35 total departures from UF via the transfer portal, draft declarations, dismissals and super seniors.
How much roster turnover did the Gators experience in the fall? Of the 64 scholarship players on the team’s first depth chart of the season, 28 are no longer with the program.
With 44 percent of the depth chart not returning for 2023, it will be a full-blown roster rebuild for Florida coach Billy Napier and his staff. UF has added 24 total recruits and transfers so far (23 signed), and the majority of them enroll in January to offset the 35 departures.
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![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates with Florida Gators wide receiver Aidan Mizell (11) after a touchdown during the first half at the Orange and Blue spring football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 13, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/04/13155133/Untitled-design-65-2.png)
