Florida interim HC Billy Gonzales details changes to offensive coaching, increased role for Steve Spurrier Jr.
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The bye week has given Florida interim head coach Billy Gonzales an opportunity to make some changes to how the staff handles offensive coaching responsibilities. Upon being named the interim head coach, Gonzales tabbed quarterback coach Ryan O’Hara the offensive play-caller, a responsibility Billy Napier handled throughout his tenure. On Wednesday, Gonzales revealed more changes to the Gators’ gameday operation.
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O’Hara had coached on the sideline. Gonzales said the QB coach and new play-caller will move up to the box alongside offensive coordinator Russ Callaway.
“He wanted to go upstairs and thought it would give him an advantageous opportunity to see what the defense is doing,” Gonzales said, per Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun. “And I think it’s actually going to play out pretty darn good. He’ll be sitting right next to our offensive coordinator, Russ Callaway. They’ll be sitting up there. They’ll have a chance to converse in between series.”
With O’Hara up in the box, Gonzales is calling on Steve Spurrier Jr. to be more involved in coaching quarterback DJ Lagway on the sideline. Spurrier, 54, has been in coaching since 1994, when he got his start as a graduate assistant on his legendary father’s UF coaching staff.
The younger Spurrier’s stops over the years have included Oklahoma (1999-2001, 2016), South Carolina (2005-15), Washington State (2018-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22). He also coached alongside his father in the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 2002 and ’03. After spending the 2023 and ’24 seasons at Tulsa, Spurrier returned to Florida, joining the staff as an offensive analyst.
“Coach Spurrier – he’s got a wealth of knowledge,” Gonzales said Wednesday. “So he’ll be on the ground and in between series he’ll be the voice that gets to talk and gets to start and start to sit down with DJ and quarterbacks and review the film.”
Per Brockway, Gonzales also noted that he would be taking a more active management role and analysts Chad Lucas, David Doeker and Eric Kiesau will work together coaching the wide receivers, Gonzales’ role prior to his promotion to interim head coach.
Gonzales has quite the assignment for his first game as interim head coach. Following the Week 9 bye, Florida returns to action to take on No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville.
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.
