Florida set to hire Mississippi State assistant coach

The Florida Gators football team is set to hire Mississippi State assistant coach Jamar Chaney as a senior defensive analyst, On3’s Matt Zenitz reports. A former Bulldog linebacker, Chaney made his return to Starkville in 2020 and currently holds the same role at MSU.

Prior to joining the Bulldogs, he was previously on the Florida staff as the assistant director of player personnel for the 2019 season. He entered the coaching ranks in 2016, taking over St. Lucie West Centennial High School in Florida, his alma mater. He remained the head coach there through 2018.

Chaney played for Mississippi State from 2005-09, where he earned All-SEC honors as a junior in 2007. He recorded 286 tackles (15.5 for loss) and 4.5 sacks in his career. He was a seventh round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010 and enjoyed a five-year pro career.

He was part of a Mike Leach-led staff that directed the Bulldogs to a 7-5 record and Liberty Bowl bid this season. With Chaney as the senior defensive analyst, Mississippi State finished an impressive fourth in the SEC in total defense.

Florida, on the other hand, was seventh in the conference.

The Gators fired coach Dan Mullen with one game remaining in the 2021 regular season. Mullen, who also coached the Bulldogs for nine seasons, was in his fourth year with Florida.

Louisiana coach Bill Napier was chosen as the next Gators football coach. He has already made several other additions to his coaching staff, including bringing on Patrick Toney as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Additionally, he brought on Mark Hocke as the associate head coach and director of strength and conditioning and Jabbar Juluke as the running backs coach.

Following the firing of Mullen, Florida defeated rival Florida State in the final game of the regular season to attain bowl eligibility. The Gators are set to take on UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23.

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