Gators DB Coach Will Harris to Depart Program, Coach at Miami

Harris leaves Florida after one season with the program.

New Florida secondary coach Will Harris runs a drill with one of his defensive backs during the Florida Gators as they held their final open Spring football practice before the Orange and Blue Game at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators secondary coach Will Harris' time with the program has come to an end.

Harris, who joined the program ahead of the 2024 season, is departing from the program for the defensive backs coaching position with the Miami Hurricanes, according to multiple reports.

The former Los Angeles Chargers assistant helped lead a late-season turnaround from the Gators' secondary, which saw improvements in almost every stat category. Under Harris' leadership, the Florida secondary improved from three interceptions in 2023 to 14 in 2024 and 8.5 yards per attempt in 2023 to 7.3 in 2024. Overall, Florida jumped from No. 87 nationally in passing yards-per-game allowed to No. 83, sparked by a four-game winning streak to end the year.

Harris was also integral in Florida's recruiting efforts. He helped put together a transfer class in 2024 that included multifaceted defensive back Trikweze Bridges and built one of the strongest high school classes in 2025 with five-star corner Ben Hanks III, five-star safety Hylton Stubbs, four-star corner Onis Konanbanny and four-star safety Lagonza Hayward.

Although his contract wasn't set to expire, Florida was reportedly working on extending Harris prior to his departure. In early February, head coach Billy Napier explained that contract extensions were being finalized.

“For the most part, yes. I mean some of those deals are not done," he said on Feb. 5. "Hopefully we’ll get everybody back.”

Harris is the second coaching departure from the 2024 staff after defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, who lost play calling duties to Ron Roberts, left for the same position at Houston. The Gators also lost Beyah Rasool, an analyst who focused on the corners, to a position with the Las Vegas Raiders and CJ Wilford, an analyst who focused on the safeties, to a position with Georgia State.

Florida hired Vinnie Sunseri in Armstrong's place as a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Additionally, the Gators recently hired Robert Bala as a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach to allow Roberts to focus more on the entire defense and play-calling duties.