Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Randy Shannon has been promoted to defensive coordinator, University of Florida head coach Jim McElwain announced Friday.
 
Shannon previously coached linebackers for the last two seasons at Florida and has also served as the associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.
 
This will be Shannon's third stint as a defensive coordinator. His first was spent in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins (1998-99), and his second helped produce a national championship during a six-year term in the position at his alma mater, Miami (FL) (2001-06).
 
Since McElwain and Shannon's arrival two years ago, Florida has boasted a top-10 defense nationally.
 
After ranking seventh defensively in the country a season ago and despite losing five starters to the NFL, including two first-round picks, the Gators were even better on defense this season. Entering Monday's national championship game between Clemson and Alabama, UF sits fifth nationally (second in the SEC) in total defense, allowing just 293.0 yards per game. In addition, UF has the top pass defense in the conference and the second-best in the country, allowing opponents to tally just 148.5 yards per game through the air.
 
Overall this season, UF surrendered just 3,809 total yards, the fifth-lowest amount allowed nationally.
 
Shannon was an all-state football player at Miami Norland, started at linebacker for UM's 1987 national championship team, played 17 games over two seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and distinguished himself for his defensive acumen as an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins (1998-2000) and Miami Hurricanes (1991-97, 2001-06) before being promoted to replace Larry Coker as UM's head coach in December 2006.
 
Shannon has led some of the best defenses in recent history as both head coach and defensive coordinator at Miami.
In his 17 years there, Shannon coached 14 defensive players that were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
 
A three-time national champion as a player (1987, 1989) and coach (2001), Shannon arrived at Arkansas in 2013 as the Razorbacks' linebackers coach before being promoted to senior associate head coach the following season. Shannon coached linebackers at TCU in 2012 following his aforementioned four-year stint as head coach at Miami (2007-10).
 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Head Coach Jim McElwain:
"Coach Shannon has been a big part of our success over the last two years. It's been really cool to watch him handle his business. He really connects with our players and they have a lot of respect for him. More than being a great coach, he is a great mentor and teacher to these young men and that is one of our greatest measuring sticks as coaches."
 
Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon:
"I appreciate the opportunity Coach Mac has given me to be the defensive coordinator at the University of Florida. We will continue to work together as we have the past two years to put together a plan so our players are in a position to be successful in football and in life."