Billy Napier's Florida Gators staff taking shape

Billy Napier’s inaugural staff as the Florida Gators’ head coach is taking shape.

Monday, Florida officially announced two on-field coaches, one analyst, and a new strength and conditioning coach. Patrick Toney and Jabbar Juluke are the on-field coaches, while Mark Hocke comes in as the new strength and conditioning coordinator. Napier also added an analyst and quarterback assistant, Ryan O’Hara.

Patrick Toney – Defensive Coordinator – Safeties

Prior to joining the Gators, Toney spent the last four seasons at the University of Louisiana on Napier’s staff, where he served as the Ragin’ Cajuns defensive coordinator (2020-21) in addition to coaching safeties (2018-2020) and outside linebackers (2021).

During his two seasons as defensive coordinator at Louisiana, Toney helped the Ragin Cajun to two Sun Belt Championships.

In year one under Toney’s guidance the Louisiana defense set the tone, ranking fourth in the Sun Belt and 31st nationally in scoring defense (22.0), while also ranking fourth in the league and 33rd nationally in total defense (355.4).

In 2021, Toney’s defense finished first in the conference in scoring defense (18.3), and tied-for-ninth nationally, while ranking fourth in passing defense in the league (2,589).

Jabbar Juluke – Gators Running Backs Coach / Associate Head Coach – Offense

Juluke was a member of Napier’s inaugural Louisiana staff and will also be on the inaugural Gators staff.

He has spent the last four years (2018-21) on Napier’s staff at Louisiana, which included four straight Sun Belt West Division titles, a share of the Sunt Belt title in 2020 and 2021 Sun Belt Conference Champions.

Juluke coached two running backs that were drafted in back-to-back years (2020-21). Eli Mitchel by the San Francisco 49ers and Raymond Calais by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mitchel was named First Team All-Sun Belt in 2020 and led Louisiana in rushing, with 141 carries for 878 yards and eight touchdowns. Mitchel finished his career ranked fifth in career rushing touchdowns (41) and sixth in career rushing yards (3,267). He also set the program record for most rushing yards in a bowl game after (127) and a touchdown in the 2020 First Responder Bowl.

The 2019 FootballScoop Running Backs Coach of the Year, Juluke led the Ragin’ Cajuns to its best rushing season in program history in 2019, setting school records in total rushing yards (3,604) and rushing touchdowns (42). Louisiana finished the season ranked third nationally in yards per rush (6.28), rushing touchdowns (42), and sixth in total rushing yards.

Prior to a season at Texas Tech (2017), he was the running backs coach at LSU in 2016. Juluke tutored one of the nation’s top running backs in Leonard Fournette who was the No. 5 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. He also worked with Derrius Guice that season, pushing the sophomore to 1,428 yards and 11 touchdowns while being named to the All-SEC First Team with Fournette.

Mark Hocke – Gators Associate Head Coach/Director of Football Strength and Conditioning

He spent all four seasons (2018-21) at Louisiana with Napier, which included four straight Sun Belt West Division titles, a share of the Sunt Belt title in 2020, and 2021 Sun Belt Conference Champions.

Hocke began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Alabama in 2009 spending six seasons on head coach Nick Saban’s staff and was with Napier in Tuscaloosa during the 2011 and 2014-15 seasons. He helped coach three teams that won BCS National Championships (2009, 2012, 2013) and trained over 35 players that signed NFL contracts, including 10 first-round NFL Draft picks. The New Orleans native also headed the offseason Player Leadership Council.

He served as the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Georgia in 2015, where he directed a 15-person staff that trained a pair of All-SEC honorees in offensive lineman as the Bulldogs finished the year with a 10-3 record, which included a win over Penn State in the Gator Bowl.

Hocke was on the strength and conditioning staff at Texas A&M (2017) and Florida State (2016). His certifications include CSCCC Certified, FMS Screen Certified as well as USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach Certified.

Ryan O’Hara – Gators offensive analyst – quarterback assistant

Billy Napier said Sunday that he will call plays and coach quarterbacks but would have help. That comes in the form of O’Hara.

O’Hara, who will work closely with Napier and the quarterbacks, spent the last four years (2018-21) at Louisiana, helping the Ragin’ Cajuns to four straight Sun Belt West Division titles, a share of the Sun Belt title in 2020 and 2021 Sun Belt Conference Champions.
 
During his time at Louisiana, O’Hara contributed in the development of quarterback Levi Lewis, who was named the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game MVP. Lewis became the first 3,000-yard passer in program history (3,050) and setting the single-season record for touchdown passes (26). Throwing for 2,274 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2020, Lewis entered his final season (2021) ranked second in career passing touchdowns (54), third in career passing yards (6,286) and fourth in career completions (485).
 
Prior to Louisiana, O’Hara made stops at Alabama A&M University (2016-17), where he served as offensive coordinator and coached the wide receivers. O’Hara also coached quarterbacks at Mt. San Antonio College and Santa Monica College (2014-15).