Report: Gators Extend DB Coach, Assistant HC Corey Raymond
Photo: Corey Raymond; Credit: Zach Goodall
The departure of three assistant coaches this season sent Florida into extensive searches to find viable replacements.
After finalizing the last hire by naming Billy Gonzales as the wide receivers coach on Tuesday, following the announcements of Russ Callaway as tight ends coach and Austin Armstrong to call plays defensively, the Gators were proactive in ensuring a coveted piece to the coaching staff puzzle remains with the program for the foreseeable future.
Defensive backs coach and assistant head coach Corey Raymond signed an extension with the team on Thursday evening, reports On3 Sports' Matt Zentiz.
The deal locks the decorated assistant in through January 2025.
Following the exit of defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney to the Arizona Cardinals, Raymond assumed control of the entire defensive backs group, combining the cornerback's room he oversaw in 2022 with the safeties. The move came as no surprise given the impressive resume he's built in his coaching career and the evident respect he draws from head coach Billy Napier.
"I know the players respect him because he's very good at what he does," Napier gleamed following the hire.
"He has a pedigree. He has a track record. The more you get to know Corey, the more you get to know he cares about people. He does a good job communicating with his guys, and he's a fantastic teacher."
Raymond's impact on the Florida secondary since his arrival has been immense.
Immediately upon making the trek to Gainesville from LSU — where he spent 10 seasons recruiting and developing numerous prospects for the NFL, including Tre'Davious White, Derek Stingley, Jamal Adams, Donte Jackson and many others — Raymond sparked the Gators' recruiting efforts by hauling in cornerback Devin Moore and safety Kamari Wilson.
In his first full cycle with UF in 2023, he pinned down two top cornerback prospects, Ja'keem Jackson and Dijon Johnson. He also played a role in the Gators maintaining safety Aaron Gates — who pledged to the team under the previous staff — in the 2023 class.
On the field, despite documented struggles in the lone year with Patrick Toney as defensive coordinator, Raymond's cornerback group saw success under his tutelage.
Namely, Jason Marshall Jr. took a notable step forward in his sophomore campaign, and Devin Moore showcased promise as a true freshman before suffering a season-ending injury against Eastern Washington.
Now, he'll get the opportunity to continue luring and refining talent at the third level of the Gators' defense over the next several years.
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