New Florida football secondary coach Will Harris is looking to build a back end of the defense that's physical and works together.
The Florida Gators surrendered 20 pass plays of 40 yards or longer, which was worst in the SEC. Some of that had do with miscommunication in the back end, as well as being unable to tackle consistently and contain yards after the catch.
Harris was hired to replace the departed Corey Raymond. At 36, Harris has brought energy to the position group, putting himself up as a tackling dummy in position tackling drills this spring.
"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 said. "So, I’ve been doing it for years.”
As defensive backs coach at Washington in 2021, Harris guided one of the top secondaries in college football. The Huskies allowed just 143.3 yards per game and 6 TDs in that season. Harris developed Washington cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon, who have both gone on to NFL careers.
Last season, Harris worked as an assistant secondary coach in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers.
"Him coming from the league, he has a lot of experience, and that’s where I’m trying to go," Florida starting cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. said. "So, he’s just coaching me and giving me the steps on what I gotta do.”
Here's a look at UF's secondary entering the 2024 season:
Florida football cornerbacks
Marshall chose to return to for his senior season, giving Florida an experienced, talented cornerback capable of locking down opposing receivers. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Marshall has started 28 straight games for the Gators and posted a team-high 10 pass breakups last season but had no interceptions.
On the other side, Florida is hopeful that rangy 6-3 junior cornerback Devin Moore can stay healthy for a full season. Moore appeared in seven games for UF last season but was effective when he was on the field, finishing the year with three pass breakups and an interception in UF's 29-16 upset of Tennessee at The Swamp.
Rising sophomore cornerbacks Ja'Keem Johnson and Dijon Johnson will be counted on for more snaps this season. Florida also added talented cornerback Cormani McClain, a former five-star recruit from Lakeland who is trying to resurrect his reputation after transferring from Colorado, where head coach Deion Sanders questioned his work habits.
Florida football safeties
Jordan Castell is back after starting 11 of 12 games as a true freshman for the Gators. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Castell took some lumps on the back end but emerged as one of the most consistent players on UF's defense last season, finishing with a team-high 60 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception.
Florida brought in a pair of transfers that will help at safety as well — former Tulane safety D.J. Douglas and former Washington safety Asa Turner. Both the 6-3, 212-pound Turner and the 6-0, 212-pound Douglas play with a solid blend of speed and physicality. Turner had a pass breakup in UF's spring game, while Douglas recorded three tackles.
Florida football star position
Sophomore Sharif Denson, sophomore Aaron Gates and Oregon transfer Trikweze Bridges give Florida depth and experience at this spot.
Denson, a former Under Armour All-America who contributed mostly on special teams last season, had three tackles and an interception in UF's spring game. Gates, who switched from cornerback to star during the offseason, also was solid in run support in the spring game with four positions.
The future
True freshman cornerback Jameer Grimsley, a four-star recruit who transferred from Alabama following the coaching change from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer, has impressed teammates with his talent and worth ethic. True freshman safety Gregory Smith III, who had 2 tackles in UF's spring game, also has flashed in offseason workouts.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat reporter. Contact him at kcbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1
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