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Billy Napier To Hire Former Florida All-SEC LB to Coaching Staff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Feb 28, 2025 1:27 PM ET

Head coach Billy Napier and Florida are expected to hire another former Gator to the coaching staff before the 2025 season.

Napier and Co. have made several moves to solidify the staff following an 8-5 season in 2024, the first winning season under Napier and first since 2020 (8-4).

Defensively, UF made a splash by adding former Alabama safety and NFL assistant Vinnie Sunseri, who will serve as co-defensive coordinator and coach safeties. Sunseri will hold the keys alongside Robert Bala, who came over from Washington to be co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

And Bala will be getting some help from a former Florida All-SEC linebacker, as UF is set to hire David Reese II to help coach linebackers as a defensive quality control coach, according to a report Friday from Nick de la Torre of Florida Victorious.

Reese, 27, appeared in 47 games for the Gators from 2016-19. The Farmington, Michigan, native posted 324 career tackles with 22 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception.

Reese was a two-time All-SEC Second-Team selection and earned Freshman All-American honors in his first season. The former three-star recruit spent one season with the Carolina Panthers before beginning his career in coaching.

After getting his start with Central Michigan as an assistant linebackers coach in 2021, Reese joined Indiana as a defensive line assistant and spent two seasons with the Hoosiers before stints at Eastern Michigan and Wayne State as defensive line coach.

Reese is set to join the UF staff alongside outside linebackers coach and former Gator Mike Peterson.

Florida will open the 2025 season at home against Long Island on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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