FAU hiring longtime SEC assistant as wide receivers coach

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the FAU will hire Billy Gonzales as their wide receivers coach. Gonzales has worked in the SEC for 16 seasons for programs such as Florida, LSU, and Mississippi State.

Thamel also points out Gonzales is credited with bringing Percy Harvin to the program for head coach Urban Meyer. The wide receiver was a major part of the Gators 2006 and 2008 national championship teams and was coached by Gonzales as the wide receivers coach.

Gonzales got his first Division I coaching job back in 2005 with the Utah Utes and Meyer. He was hired away when the head coach left for Florida and was with the Gators program for five seasons. From there, LSU hired Gonzales away and made him their passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach.

After one season at Illinois, Gonzales and Dan Mullen reconnected in Starkville with Mississippi State, once again working as the wide receivers coach. Mullen also brought the assistant coach back to Gainesville when he was hired by Florida before the 2018 season.

FAU ended the 2021 regular season with a 5-7 record under head coach Willie Taggart. The Owls ended the year on a four game losing streak and did not participate in a bowl game. With Gonzales now being a focal part of the offensive coaching staff and recruiting staff, they will be hoping to improve in 2022.

Billy Gonzales replaces new Texas analyst at WR coach

According to Brandon Huffman of 247Sports, the Texas Longhorns have hired Joey Thomas as a defensive analyst. Thomas most recently coached at FAU, serving as the wide receivers coach for the 2021 season after being hired in 2020 as an analyst.

By heading to Austin to work for the Longhorns, Thomas will be working with his former defensive coordinator, Pete Kwiatkowski. The two were together at Montana State, where Thomas played as a cornerback before being drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers in the 2004 NFL draft. Kwiatkowski helped the defensive back be named an All-American twice and an All-Big Sky player for three seasons.

Thomas was at Fort Scott Junior College before FAU, serving a variety of roles for the JUCO program. He started his career in the high school ranks, serving as the head coach at two different programs in the state of Washington.