Shortly after announcing the hiring of the team’s new strength coach, Florida added one more to the mix.

Coach Billy Napier and the program announced that Patrick Toney will join the party in Gainesville as the team’s new safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Patrick Toney served on Napier’s Louisiana staff for the last 4 seasons. He coached safeties from 2018-2020 and then handled outside linebacker responsibilities this past season. Toney also held the title of defensive coordinator for his final 2 years in Lafayette.

In 2021, the Louisiana defense allowed just 18.3 points per game, a mark that ranked 1st in the Sun Belt and tied for 9th nationally. The Ragin’ Cajuns have ranked among the nation’s 35 best scoring defenses each of the last 3 seasons.

Prior to joining Napier’s staff in Lafayette, Toney worked as a secondary coach and special teams coach for 3 seasons at Southeastern Louisiana (2012-14), a single season as the secondary coach at Sam Houston State (2015), and then 2 seasons as the safeties coach at UTSA (2016-17).