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Florida DB describes secondary improvements in Year 2 with Corey Raymond
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Florida is taking a different approach to how the defense is coached in 2023, and a Gator defensive back says it’s paying off.
Patrick Toney left his post as UF defensive coordinator and safeties coach for an NFL opportunity following the 2022 season. Instead of bringing in a new safeties coach or tabbing new defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to coach the position, head coach Billy Napier opted to hand the entire secondary to Corey Raymond.
Raymond, regarded as one of college football’s top defensive backs coaches, is entering his second season on the Florida staff. In 2022, he was the cornerbacks coach and assistant head coach.
At Florida’s media day on Sunday, veteran defensive back Jaydon Hill told reporters that with Raymond handling the whole secondary, the unit is tighter with improved communication.
#Gators DB Jaydon Hill opens Media Day.
On impact of Corey Raymond taking over entire secondary:
‘As a unit we are tighter as one. Our communication on the field has gotten way better.’
— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) July 30, 2023
It isn’t Raymond’s first time coaching the entire secondary, but it has been a few years. He was LSU’s defensive backs coach from 2012-to-2017. In 2018, LSU brought in Bill Busch as safeties coach and Raymond focused on cornerbacks for his last 4 seasons on Ed Orgeron’s staff. Raymond was also the sole secondary coach at Nebraska in 2011.
Hill’s words will be put to the test in just over a month when the Gators open their 2023 season at defending Pac-12 champion Utah on Aug. 31 in Salt Lake City.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
