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Patrick Toney considering NFL position, Billy Napier eyeing Alabama assistant as potential replacement

James Fletcher IIIby:James Fletcher III•02/21/23•

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Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Florida co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney, who called plays for the Gators last season, is in negotiations with the Arizona Cardinals in a move which would take him to the NFL, per ESPN’s Chris Low. The report also identified new Alabama assistant Austin Armstrong as a potential replacement. On3’s Matt Zenitz confirmed Low’s report early Wednesday morning.

Patrick Toney joined first-year Florida head coach Billy Napier as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2022 after spending four seasons with him at Louisiana. Longtime defensive assistant Sean Spencer served as the other co-defensive coordinator, also coaching the defensive line.

The Arizona Cardinals have quickly started the process of building a staff under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, who previously served as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator.

As those negotiations continue, reports suggest that newly hired Alabama linebackers coach Austin Armstrong, who spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Southern Miss, would be a target to take over that position at Florida.

More about Austin Armstrong

Austin Armstrong is no stranger to the SEC. He served as a defensive quality control coach at Georgia under Kirby Smart in 2019 before heading to Louisiana as inside linebackers coach. That was his second stint with the Ragin’ Cajuns after he worked there as a graduate assistant from 2017-18.

Under Armstrong’s leadership, the Southern Miss defense ranked tied for fourth in the nation in sacks and third in fourth down conversions allowed. The Golden Eagles also held teams to 361.7 yards per game and 23.5 points per game during the 2022 season. In 2020 — the year before he arrived — the Golden Eagles allowed 401.7 yards and 32.3 points per contest.

He was also the youngest defensive coordinator at the FBS level when he took the position at Southern Miss. Four players under his coaching earned honorable mention All-Conference USA in 2021, followed by seven conference honors in 2022.