The Florida Gators football program signed 10 assistants to head coach Dan Mullen’s staff on Monday. UF will pay its assistants $4.74 million in 2018, and $5.44 in 2019.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham made the most lucrative deal, signing a three year, $4.47 million contract. Grantham became one of the top-10 highest paid assistants in the country. He’ll make $1.39 million in 2018.
It will be Grantham’s second season as Mullen’s defensive coordinator. He spent 2017 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Mississippi State, leading the Bulldogs to their best defensive season in recent memory.
MSU ranked third in the SEC in total defense allowing 302.0 yards per game, also good for 10th in the FBS last season. The Bulldogs also ranked first in their conference in third down defense (31.0 percent). Both marks were Mississippi State’s best since 1999.
On the opposite side of the ball the Gators signed co-offensive coordinators Billy Gonzales and John Hevesy to deals worth $565,000 apiece in 2018. Gonzales will also serve as wide receivers coach while Hevesy will also serve as offensive line coach. The duo’s been co-offensive coordinators for the last four seasons at Mississippi State, but they’ve worked with Mullen dating back to Urban Meyer’s Bowling Green staff in 2001.
Defensive line coach Sal Sunseri will make $565,000 in 2018 as well, becoming the highest-paid non-coordinator at UF. He joins the Gators after spending the last three seasons as defensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders.
Quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson played under Mullen at Utah in 2004. He inked a deal that will pay $415,000 in 2018. Johnson was Houston’s offensive coordinator last season and spend the three prior seasons as quarterback’s coach at MSU.
Running backs coach Greg Knox finished last season as the Bulldog’s interim head coach. He penned a deal worth $440,000 in 2018 and will also serve as special teams coach.
Safeties coach Ron English rejoins Mullen after spending last season with the head coach at MSU. He reached an agreement with UF in which he’ll receive 340,000 annually.
Charlton Warren signed on as Florida’s cornerbacks coach after spending the previous season with rival Tennessee. The Volunteers allowed only 161.7 passing yards per game in 2017, good for second in the SEC.
Tight ends coach Larry Scott also left Tennessee for Gainesville. Scott and Warren’s deals for 2018 are each worth $190,000, although they’ll receive significant compensation in 2019 from UT, which still owes both coaches.
Twenty-seven-year-old Christian Robinson will serve as linebackers coach. He signed a deal worth $80,000 annually and served as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State last season.
Each assistant coach contract includes a yearly $10,000 “equipment supplement” from Nike a $1500 “academic incentive” and the usage of a courtesy car from a Gainesville dealership.
You can follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr or contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
