Florida expected to promote tight ends coach Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator role

Florida is expected to promote tight ends coach Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator, 247Sports reports. Callaway has been on the Florida staff for the past two seasons and was hired as a defensive intern in 2022 after a brief stint as an offensive assistant with the New York Giants.

“I think ultimately, he’s a guy that obviously is going to acquire more responsibility,” Florida coach Billy Napier said earlier this month during Florida’s signing day press conference. “How we define that, you know, I think we’ll work our way through that. Ultimately, Russ is a heck of a young coach. And much like me, he’s worked on defense in the past as a young coach, he’s called plays at different levels, played quarterback, has the leadership components, has the respect of the players. So, Russ is a guy that we certainly are excited about. And you know, he definitely in the future will require more responsibility.”

Callaway, 35, had stops at Alabama, Murray State, Samford and LSU before arriving in Gainesville. He served as Samford’s offensive coordinator from 2018-19 before landing a job back in the SEC with the Tigers. 

Callaway will work alongside Florida’s current offensive coordinator Rob Sale, who is entering his second season as the OC and offensive line coach. Callaway’s promotion is part of numerous changes on Florida’s coaching staff this season, which includes moving on from secondary coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer. 

Even with all the staff changes, Florida coach Billy Napier told the Gator Tales podcast last month that he wants to continue calling the plays for the Gators offense next year. 

“Yeah, I do (want to call plays in 2024),” Napier said. “I think that big-picture wise, we’re taking the group of people that we have and we’re trying to develop some people, groom some people. We’ve done a ton of work in the offseason to kind of evaluate that in terms of what that looks like.”