Latest news with #VinnieSunseri
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football adds assistants, sending staff salaries soaring ahead of 2025 season
Florida football adds assistants, sending staff salaries soaring ahead of 2025 season Florida football's coaching staff grew by one member this offseason after a successful campaign that saw the Gators earn their first winning season in four years and first bowl victory since 2019. Additionally, the payroll ballooned to over $8 million in salaries after some well-earned raises and some staff changes, according to a report from Gators Online. The total cost of the program's coaching salaries amounts to $8,275,000 this year, and includes all 13 assistants plus director of strength and conditioning Tyler Miles. Florida was able to expand its sideline presence after the NCAA removed its rule that limited the number of on-field coaches last June. While a pair of defensive assistants — former defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and defensive coach Will Harris — left Gainesville for greener pastures, the Orange and Blue added three new hires to fill the void left behind. With Armstrong and Harris out of the picture, Napier and Co. added co-defensive coordinators Vinnie Sunseri and Robert Bala, along with defensive backs coach Deron Wilson, to round out the staff. Eight assistant coaches are earning more in 2025 than in 2024 on their original contracts, while Miles' newly signed two-year deal compensates him better than last year as well. Nine of Florida's assistants will see pay raises in 2026, with seven receiving at least a $50,000 bump on their checks. The Gators currently have $7,800,000 allotted for their coaches next year without defensive coordinator Roberts under contract. Florida football's 2025 staff salaries Assistant coach 2025-26 2026-27 Ron Roberts, DC $950,000 N/A Rob Sale, OL $800,000 $850,000 Gerald Chatman, DL $775,000 $850,000 Vinnie Sunseri, Co-DC/S $675,000 $750,000 Russ Callaway, OC/TE $675,000 $725,000 Jabbar Juluke, RB $650,000 $675,000 Robert Bala, Co-DC/LB $575,000 $650,000 Mike Peterson, EDGE $575,000 $600,000 Deron Wilson, DB $525,000 $550,000 Billy Gonzales, WR $525,000 $525,000 Joe Houston, STC $475,000 $475,000 Tyler Miles, Director of S&C $450,000 $450,000 Jonathan Decoster, OL $350,000 $425,000 Ryan O'Hara, QB $275,000 $275,000 Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
26-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football fills staff void with this fast-rising defensive coordinator
Florida football added former Jacksonville State Gamecocks defensive coordinator Vinnie Sunseri to its coaching staff for the 2025 campaign. The news was first reported by 247Sports' Matt Zenitz on Saturday morning. Sunseri will fill the void left behind when former defensive co-coordinator Austin Armstrong departed to take the solo defensive coordinator position with the Houston Cougars. He brings a strong pedigree to the mix in Gainesville and will serve as both co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The 33-year-old also represents the second generation of the Sunseri family to coach for the University of Florida as the son of former Florida defensive line coach Sal Sunseri. The elder was a defensive line coach for a season in 2018 under former head coach Dan Mullen. Sunseri as a player The native of Northridge, Alabama, played linebacker for the Crimson Tide from 2011-13, amassing 105 tackles — seven for loss and 1.5 sacks — along with four interceptions and five defended passes. That helped his teams earn a pair of BCS National Championships in two of the three years he spent in Tuscaloosa. He turned his collegiate performance into a fifth-round selection in the 2014 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. He spent a pair of seasons in NOLA before wrapping up his professional career with the San Francisco 49ers, recording 11 total tackles in 15 NFL games played over three years. Sunseri as a college coach Florida's new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach got his start as a graduate assistant with Alabama in 2019, coaching alongside his brother Tino, who also was a graduate assistant, and his father who was the linebackers coach. Sunseri then spent the 2020 season back in the pros with the New England Patriots in a support staff role as a defensive assistant before shifting to the running backs corps for the remainder of his tenure. He then moved on to take the role of the Washington Huskies safeties coach during the 2024 offseason before taking Jacksonville State's defensive coordinator offer. While in Seattle, Sunseri spent time with Florida alumnus and former Gators graduate assistant Jedd Frisch. Florida's defensive coaching staff Sunseri joins current co-defensive coordinator, executive head coach of the defense and inside linebackers coach Ron Roberts as the leaders on the defensive side of scrimmage. Roberts was in charge of play-calling last season but that role is presumably not yet set for 2025. Mike Peterson remains as the edge rushers coach while Gerald Chatman heads the defensive line and Will Harris coaches the team's secondary room. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
