UF defensive coordinator Patrick Toney leaves Gators for NFL

Florida defensive coordinator Patrick Toney will leave after one season for the Arizona Cardinals following a 2022 Gators’ debut when his defense struggled mightily.

Toney, whose departure was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by the Orlando Sentinel, followed head coach Billy Napier from Louisiana where he served in the same role for two seasons. The Gators will replace Toney with recently hired Alabama linebackers coach Austin Armstrong.

Florida tight ends coach William Peagler also is leaving the Gators after one season, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.

Toney will serve as a defensive assistant with the Cardinals. Arizona hired Jonathan Gannon from the Philadelphia Eagles to be head coach and Nick Rallis, the Eagles’ linebackers coach, to oversee the defense.

“PT has been a pivotal part of our success over the last five years,” Napier said in a statement. “He has set a great example and been a relentless worker and learner. He is a selfless teammate and one of the finest coaches and teachers we have been around.”

Nick Saban hired Armstrong on Feb. 13 after he served as the youngest defensive coordinator in FBS at Southern Miss.

Toney arrived in Gainesville with a seemingly bright future ahead.

Napier and Toney’s players praised his football IQ and ability to make in-game adjustments. Yet, the 32-year-old’s aptitude and potential did not translate into success.

The Gators allowed opponents to convert 49.71% on third down, ranking 129th nationally among 131 teams. Florida gave up more plays of 10 yards or longer than all but Arkansas among 14 SEC teams while also ranking 12th against the run, 11th against the pass and 10th in scoring defense. Florida recorded 23 sacks, tied for the fewest since 2017′s 4-win season.

Toney’s defense did produce 22 takeaways, tied with Tennessee and Mississippi State for the SEC lead

Amid the struggles, Napier predicted better days ahead.

“I’ve been around a number of years and absolutely one of the best coaches I’ve ever been on staff with, and I’ve been around some of the elite coaches,” Napier said Oct. 19 during the bye week. “He had a lot to do with our defensive turnaround at our previous stop. So he’s doing what he does. He’s extremely bright and he’s evaluating things objectively, technically and making the necessary adjustments.

“No one is taking more pride than our players and our staff and Patrick Toney in trying to improve in some of these areas.”

Toney called the defensive signals and coached safeties while sharing a co-coordinator title with line coach Sean Spencer. Each coached earns a salary of $1 million.

Veteran linebacker Amari Burney’s final season was his best at Florida. The Tampa native credited Toney’s scheme and approach.

“Every time I see him he’s thinking of new plays to come up with,” Burney said. “Every time I see him in the hallway, he wants to pull me to the side, he wants to talk about what I see on the field. He meets with me and Ventrell [Miller]. He wants to ask us what we see on the field and we can do to make the defense more productive on the field. He wants to talk to us and just see from our view what he can do better as a coach.”

Hired to coach Alabama’s inside linebackers, Armstrong shined at Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles ranked third nationally with an average of 8.3 tackles for loss, fifth with 3.38 sacks per games and seventh with 17 interceptions.

The Golden Eagles ranked No. 42 nationally in total defense (385.5 yards per game).

Armstrong worked under Napier at Louisiana, as a graduate assistant in 2017 and 2018, and then in 2020 as an inside linebackers coach.

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.

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