Paul Silvestri retained, promoted by Florida coach Billy Napier
Paul Silvestri has been promoted to director of sports health, Florida football coach Billy Napier announced Sunday.
Silvestri, who has been on staff at Florida since 2013, will continue to oversee the football athletic training room and will work alongside recently hired associate director Tony Hill.
A native of Boca Raton, Fla., Silvestri has played a key role in navigating the obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020 and 2021 football seasons.
Silvestri started his career with Florida Atlantic, where he spent three seasons (2003-05) as an athletic trainer. He then served as an assistant athletic trainer at Kentucky from 2007-08.
Prior to the 2008 football season, Silvestri was hired as Utah’s head athletic trainer for football and spent five seasons in Salt Lake City before joining the Gators.
Silvestri graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science in 2000, and with master of science in kinesiology from the University of Kentucky in 2003.
Napier’s army continues to grow with Silvestri
The Gators have made 36 hires since Dec. 6, with Silvestri being the latest addition to the army.
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Patrick Toney (co-defensive coordinator/safeties), Corey Raymond (cornerbacks), and Mike Peterson (outside linebackers) are the defensive coaches who have been hired.
Jabbar Juluke (running backs), Darnell Stapleton (offensive line), Keary Colbert (receivers), and William Peagler (tight ends) round out the rest of the staff.
A pair of analysts who will assist the on-field coaches are Ryan O’Hara (quarterbacks – Napier) and Jamar Chaney (linebackers – Peterson). Additionally, Napier has tapped Mark Hocke to run the strength and conditioning program. Hocke will be joined by Joe Danos, Karmichael Dunbar, Tiger Jones, Edward Thompson and Alex Watkins.
“We’re going to hire an army of people here. We’re going to create an infrastructure not only in the personnel department but also from on-campus recruiting, creative media, name, image, and likeness. We’ve got a great vision for the organization that we’re going to create here,” Napier said during his introductory press conference.
