Report: Billy Napier hires first two Florida assistant coaches

Billy Napier is starting to fill out his staff at Florida by bringing two former Louisiana-Lafayette assistants — Patrick Toney and Jabbar Juluke — to his coaching staff, according to a report from Football Scoop.

Both Toney and Juluke served as assistants under Napier at Louisiana. Toney was the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach, while Juluke was the assistant head coach and running backs coach. As for their roles at Florida, Football Scoop’s report says that “Toney is expected to fill a defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator on Napier’s first staff,” while Juluke will “fill an offensive assistant role with the Gators.”

Toney spent four years on staff at Louisiana but did not hold the defensive coordinator distinction until his last two. He was first brought to the Ragin’ Cajuns as a safeties coach, and he later transitioned to coordinator and outside linebackers. Toney helped four Louisiana-Lafayette players earn all-conference honors in 2020, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have had one of the Sun Belt’s best scoring defenses since his arrival on campus. Before he made the switch to defensive coordinator, Toney did an excellent job producing the safeties at Louisiana, as the safeties in 2019 notched 10 interceptions on the season.

Prior to his arrival at Louisiana, Toney spent two seasons as the safeties coach at UTSA, leading the Roadrunners to the No. 7 defense among FBS programs in total offense allowed. He’s also coached at Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana and La Costa Canyon High School (California). He arrived at Louisiana the same season as Juluke, who’s been the running back coach at Louisiana-Lafayette for four years.

Juluke made an impact in just a short time at Louisiana, as he helped produce Elijah Mitchell — now with the San Francisco 49ers — who blossomed into one of the best running backs in program history. Mitchell, who was a first team All-Sun Belt honoree in 2020, finished his career ranked fifth in program history in rushing touchdowns (41 touchdowns), sixth in career rushing yards (3,267 yards) and set the program record for most rushing yards in a bowl game (127 yards).

After the 2019 season, Juluke was named the 2019 Running Backs Coach of the Year by Football Scoop, after Louisiana-Lafayette’s running backs room had the best total rushing tallies in program history. That season, the team ranked third nationally in yards per rush (6.28), third nationally in total rushing touchdowns and sixth in total rushing yards.

Florida has yet to confirm that Napier brought Toney and Juluke to Gainesville, but Football Scoop reported that they are “set to be on a plane to Gainesville” to join Napier shortly after Louisiana’s Sun Belt Championship team banquet.