Tag: Corey Raymond

Former LSU assistant coach Corey Raymond fired at Florida

Corey Raymond served on LSU’s staff from 2012-21.

A longtime former LSU assistant is back on the market as Florida fired defensive backs coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] on Monday night amid some staff shakeup.

The news was first reported by Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinal.

Raymond was hired away from LSU following the 2021 season when he was poached by the Gators rather than remain on the new staff following the hiring of [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag]. He’s spent the last two seasons as UF’s defensive backs coach.

The New Iberia native played college football at LSU and later served multiple stints as an assistant, most recently serving as the team’s cornerbacks coach from 2012-21. He also held associate head coach and recruiting coordinator titles during that span.

Raymond, who is regarded as one of the sport’s top recruiters and the architect behind the Tigers’ DBU claim, is now available once again. That could be something to watch given the possibility of some staff changes on the defensive side of the ball.

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Florida parting ways with two key defensive coaches, per reports

The Florida Gators are parting ways with two defensive coaches after two losing seasons in Gainesville under Billy Napier.

The Florida Gators are saying goodbye to secondary coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer. Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel reported the news first.

Although Florida lost defensive coordinator Patrick Toney last year, these are the first major changes made by the program since Billy Napier took over.

Raymond was viewed as a big hire when he joined Napier’s staff thanks to the steady stream of NFL defensive backs he coached while at LSU. He never found that success at Florida, though. The Gators finished the season with just three interceptions this year — Raymond coached both the cornerbacks and safeties.

Spencer saw plenty of success on the recruiting trail, but Florida’s pass rush never lived up to expectations under a former NFL defensive line coach. Coach Chaos, as Spencer is known, also held a co-defensive coordinator title.

Significant changes are expected this offseason at Florida. Consider this just the first step. Replacing Raymond and Spencer won’t be easy but it was deemed a necessary step by Napier for Florida to improve.

All eyes will be on the top-ranked players in Florida’s fourth-ranked recruiting class moving forward. Five-tar safety Xavier Filsaime and five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray are the two most important pieces affected by this news.

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Florida football’s cornerbacks coach signs contract extension, gets promotion

One of the best defensive backs coaches in the country is staying in Gainesville, with a contract extension signed, sealed, and delivered.

One of the most prominent names on Billy Napier’s staff has agreed to terms on a contract extension.

[autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], who served as the cornerbacks coach in Napier’s first season at the helm, has agreed to a contract extension that now runs through January 2025, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz. The new terms of his contract come with a promotion — Raymond now holds the title of assistant head coach while continuing his role as the defensive backs coach.

Last season, Raymond only coached the cornerbacks, but with the departure of defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney, the holdover from last year now has full control of the Gators’ secondary. Even though the news came out after Toney’s departure to the NFL, Napier said that the decision to give Raymond full control of the secondary was made prior to the staff shakeup.

His new responsibilities are not foreign to Raymond, as he coached the entire defensive backs room throughout his time on staff at LSU. The former Tigers player is responsible for putting over two dozen players in the NFL, including three first-round picks and five second-round picks.

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This 4-star safety sets return visit date to Florida in April

After getting a Junior Day offer from Florida, this stand-out safety looks to return to campus next month.

College football recruiting action has heated up in March following the end of the previous dead period and the Florida Gators have put the pedal to the metal in their efforts to field a winning team in the Swamp. Now that the floodgates are open, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff are working tirelessly while the iron is still hot.

While this month’s schedule is packed to the brim with visitors, those numbers also spill over into April when the Orange and Blue are slated to get four-star safety [autotag]Travaris Banks[/autotag] back on campus. The 6-foot-1-inch, 190-pound defensive back told Swamp247 on Friday that he plans on returning to Gainesville on April 8 after making a stop making a stop back in January.

Following Banks’ Junior Day visit that ended with him receiving a scholarship offer, the high school junior noted that Florida was among his top three schools so far.

“I would say they are one of my top schools,” he told 247Sports. “I would say them (Florida), Florida State, Tennessee are doing a good job with me.

“I liked the environment, the new facility they had, and they went through a lot of things with me. I got to see a demonstration of how things go in their weight room and how they do their meal prep for their players. I got to watch some film of how they do their practices and got to tour places where they do their academics and schoolwork too.”

Former safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] had previously led the charge for the young man’s talents, but now that he has departed for the NFL, assistant head coach and secondary coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] is presumed in charge of his recruitment. The visit in April will give him a chance to acclimate with Raymond as well as new defensive coordinator [autotag]Austin Armstrong[/autotag].

Banks is ranked No. 126 overall and No. 9 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking also has him at Nos. 121 and 12, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently has the Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of the pack for the defensive back’s talents with a 30.3% chance of signing him, while the Ole Miss Rebels, Florida State Seminoles and Auburn Tigers follow behind at 20.1%, 17.2% and 9.7%, respectively.

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Corey Raymond coaching entire Florida defensive back corps in 2023

Cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is stepping into a larger role in 2023 and coaching the entire Florida secondary.

Following the departure of former Florida safeties coach and defensive coordinator [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag], cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] is getting a promotion of sorts.

Raymond will coach the entire Florida secondary in 2023, according to a Gators Online report. The Gators have reportedly landed on former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to take over Toney’s playcalling role, but it’s Raymond who will take over the safeties room – a room that he helped build.

Several of Florida’s biggest signings in the Billy Napier era have seen Raymond as the lead recruiter, including five-star IMG Academy safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and incoming freshman four-star safety [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag]. He knows the position room well and should manage the increased workload just fine. Raymond is considered among the nation’s elite position coaches and has a knack for developing NFL talent.

It won’t be easy for Raymond in Year 1, though. He has to replace both Trey Dean III and Rashad Torrence II’s production next season. Losing two starters is always tough, but Florida also lost some depth to the transfer portal. Wilson is ready to step into a starting role, but Raymond might have to lean on some of Florida’s young talent this season.

Napier could add someone to help Raymond before finalizing his staff, but this move seems like it addresses the team’s needs.

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This 4-star DL received an offer from Florida, eyes March visit

The Gators are a long shot for this bayou-based defensive lineman but he seems pretty happy about receiving an offer from Florida.

The NCAA college football recruiting dead period is still in effect but that has not slowed down [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and the Florida Gators when it comes to handing out scholarships.

On Tuesday, the team extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman [autotag]De’Myrion Johnson[/autotag] out of New Iberia (Louisiana) Westgate. It was a big deal for the 6-foot-3-inch, 280-pound high school junior who gushed over the offer to Gators Online’s Corey Bender.

“It’s big, man… a dream come true. I like the new culture coach Billy (Napier) is building down there.”

Florida is the first Southeastern Conference East Division team to break the ice with Johnson thanks in large part to UF cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], who spearheaded the Orange and Blue’s efforts. He told Gators Online that he plans to visit sometime during March but still needs to work out the details with his family.

The coveted defensive lineman listed the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas Longhorns as the favorites for his commitment back in August. The Texas A&M Aggies, Oregon Ducks, Auburn Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan State Spartans, among other schools, have also extended offers and are currently in the mix.

Johnson is ranked No. 262 overall and No. 27 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 275 and 23, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has LSU practically a lock for his signature with a 99.1% chance of landing him.

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Which Florida school has the best non-head coach football recruiter?

Two Gators assistants are among the best recruiters in the state, according to The Athletic.

The path to a resurrection of the glory days in the Swamp runs through Florida football’s recruiting efforts, which has become the focus of the program since [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] took over for [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag], the latter who took a lackadaisical approach when it came to bringing premiere prep talent to Gainesville.

But the endeavor involves more than just Napier — the first-year head coach also brought in an army of coaches and staffers with him to assist in making the University of Florida a premiere destination for aspiring football players once again. Among those now on the payroll are some of the best in the business when it comes to turning raw talent into top-level athletes.

The Athletic’s Manny Navarro took a look at how all the Sunshine State schools compare to each other in his most recent mailbag. Read below his response to one reader’s query regarding the best recruiter from each program who is not the head coach.

If you go by the 2023 recruiter rankings at 247Sports, Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal (No. 7), Florida co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] (No. 14) and Florida State receivers coach Ron Dugans (No. 27) ranked the highest last cycle.

Most insiders, though, would tell you Mario Cristobal anchors Miami’s recruiting efforts. I did a straw poll of beat writers, scouts and analysts, and all of them agreed Cristobal is the guy. When I pressed for names of Miami staffers, tight ends coach Stephen Field, running backs coach Kevin Smith, linebackers coach [autotag]Charlie Strong[/autotag], defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae, defensive analyst DeMarcus Van Dyke and Mirabal all received some love. But there was no clear-cut No. 1.

At Florida State, offensive coordinator Alex Atkins received the most love with veteran defensive line coach Odell Haggins and co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Randy Shannon[/autotag] getting a shout-out.

At Florida, it was defensive backs coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] who was the overwhelming selection.

While the Hurricanes appear to have the upper hand in this survey of assistants including former Gators coach [autotag]Charlie Strong[/autotag], between Spencer and Raymond — especially considering that Cristobal is considered the alpha and omega of Miami’s recruiting efforts — it appears that the Gators likely have the upper hand in this one.

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South Florida ATH enjoys first visit to UF, picks up offer

Florida has its eye on a South Florida athlete that’s picking up steam in the recruiting world. The Gators offered him over the weekend.

Florida offered three-star athlete [autotag]Kevin Levy[/autotag] over the weekend when the Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, Florida) prospect visited the Swamp for the first time.

He announced the news on Twitter on the same day as Florida’s most recent Junior Day (Jan. 28) and later added that he had a great time in Gainesville and planned to return soon. 247Sports caught up with Levy after his visit, and he had plenty of positive things to say about the university and program.

“I had never been there before, so I thought it was really great for a first visit,” Levy said to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. “They have a lot of great coaches. I thought it was perfect.”

Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] stood out to Levy in particular. Raymond’s history of developing future NFL stars is undeniable, and the Gators are recruiting Levy as a defensive back instead of a wide receiver. That doesn’t seem to be a problem for him at all, though.

“Coach C-Ray is a great coach and he’s coached a lot of great players who have played my position,” he said. “That makes me feel real comfortable, because I know he knows what he is doing. He can make me a better football player and a better man outside of football.”

Levy got to see the new facilities and locker rooms, as well as the academic centers and freshman apartments. He toured the baseball and softball stadiums and sat in on meetings during the trip too. Before he left, Levy and his parents met with head coach Billy Napier in his office. That’s when Napier extended the offer, which helped UF jump straight into Levy’s top five.

“That offer was really something I don’t know if I can describe the feeling,” he said. “It’s always been one of my dream schools, because I always grew up watching Florida and a fan. That offer was a moment I will cherish forever.”

The Gators are in a good spot with Levy, but they’ll have to beat out at least Boston College, Illinois, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisville and Texas A&M over the next year or so to win him over. His return visit to the Swamp could come as early as March, but Levy has plans to check out the rest of his top schools too.

His plan is to take official visits over the summer and decide before his senior season, so that gives Levy nearly half a year to flesh out a top five. Florida should be one of those five, but that’s when the real competition begins. The Gators aren’t the only SEC program pushing for Levy, and probable playing time should be a factor in this race.

The 247Sports composite ranks Levy at No. 452 overall and No. 61 among athletes. He plays receiver and defensive back for his high school and is a track star. Levy ran a 10.66-second 100-meter sprint and a 21.54-second 200-meter sprint in May.

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Florida quality control assistant leaves for on-field role at SEC school

Deron Wilson took a step up with his next role with the ‘Backs.

One sign of a successful program is when your assistant coaches and staff get poached for bigger roles elsewhere. That seems to have happened to Billy Napier this week when quality control assistant [autotag]Deron Wilson[/autotag] left his role in Gainesville for an on-field position at Arkansas.

Wilson will serve as the Razorbacks’ secondary coach. At Florida, Wilson worked with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] in developing the Gators’ young secondary. Before his arrival in Gainesville, Wilson spent two seasons as McNeese State’s defensive coordinator. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UTSA before being promoted to defensive coordinator.

In his time at McNeese State, Wilson coached the No. 1 ranked defense in the Southland Conference. While at UTSA, he was a part of a defensive staff that saw the Road Runners’ defense finish in the top ten in 2017. He can also take credit for coaching two Southland Conference defensive MVPs, 14 All-Southland Conference players, and two All-C-USA players. He has also coached NFL defensive backs Jordan Moore and Tariq Woolen, who was a 5th-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Wilson played defensive back at Southern Miss from 2009-2012, starting in 39 games and earning multiple awards, including Freshman All-American Second Team honors in 2010.

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Florida drops outside top 10 in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings

After the departure of Jaden Rashada, the Florida Gators have dropped outside the top ten in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings.

The Florida Gators have dropped outside of the top 10 in ESPN’s ranking of 2023 recruiting classes. The Orange and Blue’s incoming class rank went from No. 9 to No. 11, largely due to [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]’s departure from Florida’s class.

The Gators had been hovering around the top 10 of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]. This was a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation, pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Napier was a fantastic recruiter at Louisiana, having the No. 1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in all four seasons at the helm. But he didn’t do this alone. The addition of top-tier assistants such as assistant head coach and defense/cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag], and many more, have had a massive impact on the recruiting trail. Raymond is considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs developers in the nation.

The Gators were able to sign most of their 2023 commits during the early signing period in December. After the Rashada situation, Florida’s quarterback situation started to look murky, with [autotag]Jack Miller[/autotag] the lone scholarship quarterback from 2022 to remain on the roster. The arrival of [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag] from Wisconsin creates some competition for the starting role.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about including the Gators in his latest 2023 class ranking:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. The Gators also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen. Napier showed what he can do with a full cycle to work assembling one of the top classes in the country, but a late split with ESPN 300 QB Jaden Rashada still leaves a need under center.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, with most of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

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