In an exclusive interview with the Kansas City Star Sunday evening, current Kansas City Chiefs and future Florida Gators offensive coordinator called the opportunity to coach at the University of Florida while his son attends school there “almost a dream.”

Weis, who will stay on with the Chiefs through the duration of the 2010 NFL Playoffs, said he decided to accept the Gators job because it is a unique opportunity to do what he loves while simultaneously seeing and working with his son each day.

“This was a really tough decision for the Weis family,’’ he said. “This opportunity is one of those unique situations where I can go to a great institution where my son goes to matriculate and be able to spend the next bunch of years watching my son grow.

“He wants to coach. It took us very long to try to find a place where he could be involved with the football program in a student assistant capacity. When I finally did talk to [Florida head coach] Will [Muschamp], we chatted about that and then we talked about me. I had to really reflect on that, spend time with my wife and [my son]. We talked about a whole bunch of things and at the end of the day, I don’t think anybody could understand how wonderful an opportunity it would be to be able to work at a place and see your kid on a daily basis.

“It’s a tough business. To go to a program like Florida and be able to be around my kid at the same time … is almost a dream.”

Sports talk radio host Heath Cline notified OGGOA on Twitter that Weis’s son was originally planning to attend the University of Texas and serve as a student assistant under Muschamp with the Texas Longhorns. His move to Florida comes as a result of Muschamp’s, hence unique opportunity for his father.

A notorious family man, Weis said he is friends with Muschamp and that family issues were the catalyst for the decision to leave the NFL for college football. Though Weis likely had initial conversations with Muschamp about the opportunity, he says he had not made a final decision when news of his hire was initially reported.

“I didn’t even talk about the job until I got home at 10 o’clock at night,” he told the paper.

Weis also denied rumors that he had a falling out with Kansas City head coach Todd Haley. “I almost get offended when people say that,” he said. “People always want to look for a different angle for why you’re doing [something]. … This decision had absolutely zero to do with relationships in Kansas City.”

OGGOA RELATED: Charlie Weis to be named Gators OC Monday

Photo Credit: Bill Haber/Associated Press

Tags: Charlie Weis, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Texas Longhorns, Todd Haley, University of Florida, Will Muschamp

New Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp announced the first five members of his coaching staff on Sunday in an official statement from the University of Florida.

Muschamp decided to retain current Florida running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Stan Drayton, linebackers coach/special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin and tight ends coach Brian White. He also confirmed that former Gators pass catcher Aubrey Hill had been hired as wide receivers coach and announced that former Auburn Tigers All-SEC first team cornerback Travaris Robinson will coach the defensive backs.

“I thought it was important to have some continuity in the staff – D.J., Stan and Brian bring that to the table,” Muschamp said. “They are also solid recruiters. Aubrey is obviously a Gator, and it’s always a plus when you have someone coach at their alma mater. He understands the passion and the expectations here, and I know he is excited to return to Gainesville.

“Travaris worked on our staff and Auburn is a winner. He has competed at the highest level in this sport and is a good young coach with strong ties to the South Florida area, which will benefit us in recruiting.”

A Miami, FL native, Hill is a Gators alum who played for head coach Steve Spurrier from 1991-94 when Florida won their first three Southeastern Conference Championships. He served as a graduate assistant under Spurrier from 1996-98 and has coached wide receivers since 1999 including stints at Duke (1999-2003), Elon (2004), Pittsburgh (2005-07) and Miami (2008-10). He served as the Hurricanes recruiting coordinator only for the 2010 season.

Robinson is a four-time letterwinner for Auburn (1999-2002) who played two years in the NFL and worked as a graduate assistant under Muschamp when he was the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. Also a native of Miami, he coached at Western Kentucky (2008) and Southern Miss (2009) before being hired to the Texas Tech Red Raiders staff as an assistant secondary coach by former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville.

Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Addazio, who has been hired as head coach of the Temple Owls, will be replaced by Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis with an announcement expected for Monday. Associate head coach and defensive line coach Dan McCarney left the team before its bowl game to take the top job with the North Texas Mean Green.

*McCarney was also assistant head coach; Heater held the role of co-defensive coordinator.

Tags: All-SEC, Aubrey Hill, Auburn Tigers, Brian White, Charlie Weis, Chuck Heater, D.J. Durkin, Dan McCarney, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, North Texas Mean Green, Scot Loeffler, Stan Drayton, Steve Addazio, Temple Owls, Teryl Austin, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Tommy Tuberville, Travaris Robinson, University of Florida, Will Muschamp, Zach Azzanni

With the hire of any new head coach there is usually extensive turnover on the previous coaching staff. According to various reports, things will not be much different for new Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp, who is expected to hire numerous coaches outside the current staff while only retaining a few members.

The Gainesville Sun reported Saturday that Muschamp has chosen to bring back running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Stan Drayton and linebackers/special teams coach D.J. Durkin, though their responsibilities may be adjusted in the new staff.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, whose sources confirmed Weis’s interest in Florida on Friday, reported Saturday that Miami Hurricanes wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Aubrey Hill has said he will leave Miami to coach under Muschamp even though new Hurricanes head coach Al Golden said 12 days ago that he would be retaining Hill.

A Miami, FL native, Hill is a Gators alum who played for head coach Steve Spurrier from 1991-94 when Florida won their first three Southeastern Conference Championships. He served as a graduate assistant under Spurrier from 1996-98 and has coached wide receivers since 1999 including stints at Duke (1999-2003), Elon (2004), Pittsburgh (2005-07) and Miami (2008-10). He served as the Hurricanes recruiting coordinator only for the 2010 season.

Though it has yet to be confirmed, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach and defensive line coach Dan Quinn has emerged as the most talked about candidate to serve as the Gators next defensive coordinator. Muschamp noted that he wished to run a pro-style defense and was expected to find a candidate with NFL experience.

Quinn, who has coached in the NFL since 2001, served as defensive line coach when Muschamp was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Nick Saban. That year Miami ranked 15th in total defense (19.8 points and 317.4 yards per game) but was second in quarterback sacks (49).

It is unknown what Muschamp plans to do with current Florida co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Chuck Heater or tight ends coach Brian White, both of whom were expected by many to be considered for roles on the new coaching staff.

Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Addazio, who has been hired as head coach of the Temple Owls, will be replaced by Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis with an announcement expected for Monday. Associate head coach and defensive line coach Dan McCarney left the team before its bowl game to take the top job with the North Texas Mean Green

OGGOA will continue updating you on the Gators coaching staff situation as more information is made available.

Tags: Al Golden, Aubrey Hill, Brian White, Charlie Weis, Chuck Heater, D.J. Durkin, Dan McCarney, Dan Quinn, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes, NFL, Nick Saban, North Texas Mean Green, Seattle Seahawks, SEC, SEC Championship, Stan Drayton, Steve Addazio, Steve Spurrier, Temple Owls, Will Muschamp

Updated Jan. 2 at 6 p.m.

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has accepted the same position with the Florida Gators, and the University of Florida will officially announce the agreement on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Weis, whose Chiefs currently boast the No. 9 offense in the NFL, was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach from 2005-09 and has four Super Bowl rings including three with the New England Patriots. He is a terrific play caller and showed recruiting chops during his time at Notre Dame.

Beginning his career as an offensive assistant with the New York Giants under head coach Bill Parcells, Weis was a position coach until 1997 when he was hired as the New York Jets offensive coordinator. He held that job with the Jets and later coached the Patriots offense until 2004 when he left for Notre Dame.

New Gators head coach Will Mushcamp, who said at his introductory press conference that he prefers to run a pro-style offense and wanted an offensive coordinator with professional experience, fulfills both of his requirements with Weis.

With Kansas City set to participate in the playoffs one year after a 4-12 season, Weis will stay on as long as necessary. Some reports have Weis earning near $1 million in his new position with UF, though that figure is unsubstantiated at this time.

Notorious for his somewhat rough personality, it was rumored that Weis had a falling out with Chiefs head coach Todd Haley. However statements from Haley on Sunday after Kansas City’s regular season finale tell another story.

“Charlie Weis is moving on. He’s going to go to the University of Florida as a coordinator. There was obviously a lot of speculation on that. Charlie and I, the Chiefs, we had a bunch of real productive conversations this weekend – really productive. This is a bitter sweet deal for me, as the head coach, because Charlie was someone I was obviously really excited to have in here.

“With that being said, Charlie is a family guy. He has a situation, a family situation, where he can go to Florida and be with his son, who is going to get into coaching. Without talking personally about Charlie, this is a great situation for Charlie. And I respect it 100 percent and we respect it 100 percent. Again, I was really excited to get Charlie here. Charlie’s been a big part of what we’ve done this year and he’s going to continue to be a big part of what we do this year.

“Charlie is a professional. He’s been through a similar situation back a few years ago where there was some potential distractions that could have been distractions that he, being a professional, did his job to the fullest and helped the team win a Super Bowl. I have the utmost confidence that that’s what will go on.”

Weis’s son will be attending Florida perhaps as soon as this spring and will likely work as a student assistant on the football team with hopes of eventually earning a coaching job.

Muschamp and athletic director Jeremy Foley were both attendance at the 2011 Outback Bowl on Saturday to watch Florida prevail 37-24 over Penn State.

The Sporting News initially reported the agreement between Weis and the Gators.

Photo Credit: Bill Haber/Associated Press

Tags: Charlie Weis, Jeremy Foley, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Outback Bowl, Super Bowl, Todd Haley, University of Florida, Will Muschamp

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has been offered the same position with the Florida Gators and is expected to accept the job, according to various reports including one from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

Weis, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach from 2005-09, is known for his extensive offensive success in the NFL and would be a huge get for Florida.

Mortensen reports that new Gators head coach Will Muschamp contacted the Chiefs earlier this week in order to ask permission to speak with Weis about the job. Muschamp expressed a strong desire to hire a prominent offensive coordinator with professional experience in his introductory press conference with Florida.

Beginning his career as an offensive assistant with the New York Giants under head coach Bill Parcells, Weis was a position coach until 1997 when he was hired as the New York Jets offensive coordinator. He held that job with the Jets and later the New England Patriots until 2004 when he left for Notre Dame.

Kansas City head coach Todd Haley, who hired Weis last year after he was fired from Notre Dame, said he was “unaware of anything” in regards to Weis leaving, saying “It would be news to me.”

Muschamp said he would not be hiring any assistant coaches until the conclusion of the 2011 Outback Bowl, a statement upheld by athletic director Jeremy Foley earlier this week. The Chiefs will be playing their final regular season game on Sunday before advancing to the playoffs.

Kansas City boast the NFL’s ninth-ranked offense.

OGGOA will continue to update this story. Stay tuned.

Photo Credit: Bill Haber/Associated Press

Tags: Charlie Weis, Jeremy Foley, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Outback Bowl, Todd Haley, Will Muschamp

1 » USA Basketball has released a profile piece on Florida Gators four-star power forward commitment Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL) completed as he joined the Men’s U-18 National Team for the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men from June 26-40. Among the topics covered, Young says that Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel is working him and the rest of the team hard, the experience will do him well for his freshman year at Florida, he has plans to study sports medicine, his family is huge Gators fans and he wants to do what he can to help end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. “My parents put [giving back] into my head, I grew up with my own morals that I learned from them,” Young said. “I just applied it to my life and that’s just me.”

2 » Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo discussed how former Florida safety Major Wright has been progressing with his team thus far through mini camp; suffice to say, he is coming away impressed. “He’s billed as advertised. He’s a great kid who’s very competitive,” Angelo said. “He brings a lot of emotion and energy to the [secondary], which is great to see. He’s getting better with each practice. There’s going to be a learning curve at all positions for rookies, probably more so in the secondary because there’s much more going on at the safety position. But he’s doing a fine job. The coaches are very pleased with the way he’s progressing, particularly with his work habits. In terms of whether he’ll start this season, the players and coaches will determine that, but we’re very excited about seeing him in pads.”

3 » While some of the Gators’ more prominent stars over the years were unable to make a career for themselves in the NFL (see: quarterback Leak, Chris of the Montreal Alouettes), others have found slots on practice teams and in the back of rosters. Picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 9, 2009, as an insurance policy against a dwindling backfield, former Florida running back Kestahn Moore caught on and signed a deal with the team on Jan. 5. This offseason, Moore has been getting a lot of work in during practice – he has taken Wildcat formation snaps behind rookie wide receiver Dexter McCluster, run the ball as what many believe is the team’s third or fourth back and impressed coaches with what Chiefs writer Bob Gretz calls “a nice wiggle and burst.” As camp wrapped up on June 14, Gertz had this to say about Moore: “The first-year back out of Florida got a lot of opportunities with Jamaal Charles on the sidelines because of his shoulder surgery/recovery. There is no live action in these practices, so running backs can be hard to judge. But in every practice, Moore ripped off at least one impressive run with a burst of speed or moves. Moore has become a shadow of Thomas Jones and he’s trying to learn how to stay in the NFL from the 11-year veteran.”

4 » Safety Demar Dorsey, a five-star recruit who was previously committed to Florida before being forced to find a fit elsewhere, was released from his letter of intent with the Michigan Wolverines in early June for undisclosed reasons most likely relating to his past legal issues and was hoping to catch on with another program. As previously rumored and projected by OGGOA, he has officially landed with the Louisville Cardinals and two former Florida coaches – head coach Charlie Strong, and defensive coordinator and secondary coach Vance Bedford.

Tags: Charlie Strong, Chicago Bears, Demar Dorsey, Dexter McCluster, FIBA, FIBA Americas Championship, Jamaal Charles, Jeff Capel, Jerry Angelo, Kansas City Chiefs, Kestahn Moore, Louisville Cardinals, Major Wright, Michigan Wolverines, NFL, Patric Young, Thomas Jones, USA Basketball, Vance Bedford, Wildcat

Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was hospitalized Monday night after the first day of practices for the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl, according to agent Jimmy Sexton. “He’s been sick for two days,” Sexton told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch following practice Tuesday afternoon. “He had a 103 temperature.”

Reports throughout the day stated that Tebow has been suffering from strep throat since Saturday, and high fevers are commonly associated with that illness. Robby Tebow, Tim’s brother, told Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel that Tebow had a 103.5-degree fever Monday and barely got any sleep as he sweated throughout the night. He has been on IV for the last two days but has not missed a single Senior Bowl event.

Tebow struggled during Monday’s practice, by all accounts, with most of the criticism centered on his fumbling of snaps from under center. He also had some footwork issues and kept bringing the ball down to his waist when winding up to throw. However, Tebow appeared to rebound Tuesday by using his legs and making some nice deep passes, though two tosses late in practice were considered dropped interceptions and he had one fumbled snap during 11-on-11 drills.

Fowler also reported that Tebow has already sat down with representatives from the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings and had a more formal meeting with the entire coaching staff of the Carolina Panthers.

VIDEO: NFL Network’s interview with QB Tim Tebow after Day 2 of Senior Bowl.

Tags: Carolina Panthers, Jimmy Sexton, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Robby Tebow, Senior Bowl, Tim Tebow, Under Armour