Florida's Mullen fills out coaching staff by hiring English
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's Dan Mullen filled out his staff Thursday by hiring Ron English as safeties coach.
Mullen also announced assignments for his other nine assistants, including naming Billy Gonzales and John Hevesy co-offensive coordinators.
Mullen is expected to call plays while Gonzales coaches receivers and Hevesy works with the offensive line.
Gonzales, Hevesy and English are among the seven assistants who followed Mullen from Mississippi State. Strength and conditioning coordinator Nick Savage also left Starkville, Mississippi, and moved to Gainesville.
The other four are defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, running backs coach/special teams coordinator Greg Knox, linebackers coach Christian Robinson and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. Johnson was with Mullen for three years (2014-16) before spending last season at Houston.
The lone holdover from coach Jim McElwain's staff is Ja'Juan Seider, who is moving from running backs to tight ends coach.
Mullen also hired Sal Sunseri as defensive line coach, Christian Robinson as linebackers coach and Charlton Warren as cornerbacks coach.
The staff has a mix of experienced veterans and young, up-and-coming coaches.
English has the most interesting background.
English spent the last two decades coaching at the college level, including a five-year stint (2009-13) as Eastern Michigan's head coach.
He was abruptly fired on Nov. 8, 2013, less than 24 hours before a game against Western Michigan. The following day, the school said English was dismissed for using inappropriate language that included a homophobic slur during a video session with defensive backs earlier that season. The school received audio of English's tirade before firing him.
English was out of coaching for three years before resurfacing as San Jose State's defensive coordinator in 2016 and then hired by Mullen at Mississippi State last season.
He also worked at Louisville (2008), Michigan (2003-07), Arizona State (1998-2002), San Diego State (1996-97), Northern Arizona (1996) and Arizona State (1994-95).
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