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Russ Callaway will be Florida's co-offensive coordinator

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•02/24/24•

On3Keith

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Florida Assistant Tight-end Coach Russ Callaway coaches. The University of Florida Football team held their 2023 Football Spring Practice Tuesday afternoon, April 4, 2023 at Sanders Football Practice Field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2023 t Flgai 040623 Uf Spring Fb 0146 De

Russ Callaway, Florida’s tight ends coach in 2023, will add a new role this year. He is set to become the program’s co-offensive coordinator, sources confirmed to Gators Online.

Callaway, 35, was an analyst with the Gators in 2022 after having spent the 2021 season with the New York Giants as an offensive assistant.

He has extensive college experience. Callaway previously worked at LSU and Samford. With Samford, Callaway was the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2016-19.

Florida head coach Billy Napier has been the team’s play-caller the past two seasons. It is not known who will call the plays in 2024.

At Samford, Callaway’s offenses were largely successful.

Per his official Gators bio, “As a unit in 2018, Samford’s offense led the FCS in passing yards per game (392.7). The offense also ranked fourth in the FCS in total offense (515.9 ypg.), and eighth in both red zone offense (.898) and in first downs (298). Meanwhile in 2017, the Bulldogs’ offense led the SoCon and ranked fifth in the FCS in passing yards per game (33.4 ypg.). 
 
In 2016, Callaway’s offense ranked third among all FCS schools in passing offense, averaging 349.4 passing yards per game. They also ranked sixth in the FCS in red zone offense (90.2%), 11th in team passing efficiency (155.24), 12th in scoring offense (35.1 ppg.) and 14th in total offense (446.2 ypg.).
 
During his time with Samford, Callaway mentored quarterback Devlin Hodges, who earned the Walter Payton Award for the top offensive player in all of FCS football in 2018. Hodges passed for an FCS-record 14,584, breaking the old record set by Steve McNair.”

The Gators ranked 46th nationally in total offense last season with an average of 409.1 yards per game. There were just 57th in scoring, however, at 28.4 points and 85th in third-down conversations (36.9%).

The Gators begin spring practice March 7.

At this time, the program still is looking to fill a vacancy with the on-field staff following the recent departure of Darnell Stapleton, one of the program’s two offensive line coaches. He left for a job in the NFL.

The Florida tight ends are coming off a strong season under Callaway’s watch. Additionally, he signed 4-star tight end Amir Jackson of Georgia in December, whom many think was among the Gators’ biggest pickups in the 2024 recruiting class.

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