When Dan Quinn left Florida to join the Seattle Seahawks staff on Jan. 17, coach Will Muschamp wasted no time in naming a new defensive coordinator. Muschamp replaced Quinn the same day with special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin.
Muschamp took more time to name Durkin’s replacement, announcing the hiring of UTEP defensive coordinator Jeff Choate as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach on Wednesday. Choate is Muschamp’s second new hire since the 2012 season ended.
Choate fills the vacancy left by former defensive line coach Bryant Young, who resigned from Muschamp’s staff on April 10.
“We are excited to have Jeff Choate join our staff,” Muschamp said in a release. “He is a high-energy coach, an outstanding recruiter and evaluator, and has a reputation as one of the top special teams coaches in the nation.”
Choate joins offensive coordinator Brent Pease as one of two former Boise State assistant coaches on Muschamp’s staff. Choate spent six seasons on Broncos coach Chris Petersen’s staff from 2006-2011, coaching special teams, running backs, linebackers and nickelbacks.
After spending the 2012 season as Washington State’s linebackers coach, Choate joined coach Sean Kugler’s staff at UTEP as defensive coordinator.
“Coach Choate is the epitome of an energizer bunny. His motor runs full 24/7,” Kugler said at Choate’s introductory press conference on Jan. 8. “He was probably the top special teams coach in the country when he was at Boise State.”
Muschamp added in Wednesday’s release: “We are very much on the same page philosophically.”
Choate takes over a special teams unit that ranked fifth nationally with six blocked kicks and punts last season. He will have the opportunity to work with Ray Guy Award finalist Kyle Christy as well as kick returner Andre Debose and one of the nation’s top gunners in Loucheiz Purifoy.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to join the Gator staff and have the chance to compete at the highest level,” Choate said in a release.
“I’ve gotten to know coach Muschamp over the past couple of years and have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a coach and a person. I’m looking forward to continuing the great special teams tradition that has been established here and can’t wait to get to work.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
UTEP defensive coordinator Jeff Choate was hired as Florida’s special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach on Wednesday. Choate was Washington State’s linebackers coach last season.
