BREAKING: Miami Hurricanes Land Florida’s Will Harris as DB Coach: What It Means for the Defense

The Miami Hurricanes have rounded out their coaching staff with a new defensive backs coach, staying in-state to land Florida Gators secondary coach Will Harris. He takes over the back end for new coordinator Corey Hetherman, who will also coach linebackers. Along with Harris, Miami retains DL coach Jason Taylor and has hired DT coach Damione Lewis and CB coach Zac Etheridge.

Harris is considered a very hands-on coach, and a perfect example was last spring at Florida when he first stepped on the practice field and told his players “pull your trigger, hit me.” They then proceeded to absorb the hits … and went about his teaching from there.

Harris told media after that practice “I’ve been doing that for years: I’ve been tackling, I’ve been getting tackled. At the end of the day, I say this: `If I’m getting out there with them they need to feel it and they need to understand this is the mindset we need to have.'”

Harris brings plenty of experience to the Canes, arriving after putting in more than a decade of work that included stints as defensive coordinator at Georgia Southern (2022) and as Washington’s defensive backs coach (2018-21). In 2023 he was an assistant secondary coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, then last year he took over the UF secondary.

By the numbers

The Gators finished this past season ranked ninth in the nation in red zone defense, 11th in sacks per game, 11th in fumbles recovered and 13th in turnovers gained. The Gator defense improved in nearly every statistical category from 2023 to 2024, including sacks (+17), tackles for loss (+28), forced fumbles (+11), pass breakups (+12), interceptions (+11) and turnovers gained (+18). A standout under Harris last year was Trikweze Bridges, who played both safety and cornerback. He led the Gators with 70 tackles with two interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Jordan Castell was also a key piece for UF, finishing with 55 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and a team-best nine pass breakups.

Harris has proven his ability to develop talent with nine NFL players coached by him.

Prior to his time at UF and the Chargers?

Well, in 2021 his Washington unit led the nation in pass defense allowed 143.3 yards per game and giving up only six touchdowns. He also had two first-team Pac-12 All-Conference selections in Kyler Gordon and Trent McDuffie. McDuffie was a first-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Gordon was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Between the lines

At Miami, Harris will have a revamped group to work with after the Canes struggled mightily in the back end and lose starting safeties Jaden Harris and Meesh Powell as well as cornerback Daryl Porter, Jr.

His personnel at UM?

CB OJ Frederique is the main proven guy there, and perhaps CB/nickel Damari Brown will fare well after he missed most of last year but started four games as a freshman and looked good. Safety Zaquan Patterson also had some moments as a true freshman and could shine as a sophomore. And the portal has added plenty of secondary help with CB Charles Brantley, CB Xavier Lucas, CB Emmanuel Karnley, CB Ethan O’Connor and S Zechariah Poyser.

So now it’s on Harris to put it all together and make this a standout secondary.

He’s said in the past that the major theme of his coaching is simple: For everyone to be on the same page.

“If not, you all know what that turns into,” he said. “And that’s a touchdown.”

WILL HARRIS COACHING HISTORY
Year	School, Position
2024- Pres.	Florida, Secondary Coach
2023	Los Angeles Chargers, Assistant Secondary Coach
2022	Georgia Southern, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach
2018-21	Washington, Defensive Backs Coach
2016-17	San Jose State, Defensive Backs Coach
2015	Dixie College, Defensive Backs/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
2014	Humboldt State, Defensive Backs Coach
2013	Northwestern Oklahoma State, Defensive Backs Coach

NFL PLAYERS COACHED BY WILL HARRIS
Name	Team	Round	Pos.	College	Year
Dominique Hampton	Washington Commanders	Round 5	S	Washington	2024
Trent McDuffie	Kansas City Chiefs	Round 1	CB	Washington	2022
Kyler Gordon	Chicago Bears	Round 2	CB	Washington	2022
Elijah Molden	Tennessee Titans	Round 3	CB	Washington	2021
Keith Taylor	Carolina Panthers	Round 5	CB	Washington	2021
Bryon Murphy Jr.	Arizona Cardinals	Round 2	CB	Washington	2019
Taylor Rapp	Los Angeles Rams	Round 2	CB	Washington	2019
Jermaine Kelly	Houston Texans	Round 7	CB	Washington	2018
Andre Chachere	Houston Texans	UDFA	CB	Washington	2018