Edwards drops Gators for NFL after a month

By Adam Silverstein
February 4, 2010

ESPN‘s Adam Schefter is reporting that recently hired Florida Gators defensive coordinator George Edwards, last season an inside linebackers coach with the Miami Dolphins, has been hired away from Gainesville, FL, by the NFL‘s Buffalo Bills to serve as defensive coordinator.

Edwards, who was officially hired by the University of Florida on Jan. 8, is an 18-year coaching veteran who started his career with the Gators as an assistant under Steve Spurrier in 1991. Three stops later, he moved to the NFL to coach the defensive line for the Dallas Cowboys (1998-2001) but was snatched up by the Washington Redskins and then-head coach Spurrier as a linebackers coach and eventual defensive coordinator. Upon Spurrier’s dismissal, Edwards worked for the Cleveland Browns and then most recently the Dolphins from 2005-09.

The Bills hired Chan Gailey as head coach on Jan. 16. Gailey was head coach of the Cowboys in 1998-99 and had Edwards on his staff as defensive line coach. Joe Schad reports that Edwards was offered the position on National Signing Day.

“We are very excited that George Edwards has joined our staff as defensive coordinator,” Gailey said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, not only as a motivator and communicator, but he has been involved with some great schemes and we are excited about him being the head of our defense.”

“I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to come in and have a chance to work with coach Gailey again and the staff that he has been able to put together,” Edwards added. “I am excited to have the opportunity to come to Buffalo and look forward to getting started as quickly as possible. This is a team that has played good defense in the past and I am excited to continue on with that tradition.”

Florida head coach Urban Meyer raved about Edwards upon his hiring. “George is a tremendous teacher of the game of football,” he said. “He is a great addition to our staff and will be a great coach and mentor to our players.” He also said Edwards “came strongly recommended by many, many people and kind of blew us away.”

Edwards seemed equally as pleased to coach the Gators. “I’m thrilled to be joining the UF coaching staff. I enjoy teaching and molding young men. I am looking forward to working with a great group of people at Florida and a great group of players.”

He was expected to institute a pro-style 3-4 defense but left after less than a month on the job and just a day after the Gators signed the nation’s top recruiting class.

OGGOA, on pure conjecture, expects co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Chuck Heater to be promoted to defensive coordinator.

27 Comments

  1. SC Gator says:

    …yeah, didn’t see that one coming.

    At this point I’d have to agree with you, promoting Heater is the way to go.

  2. Mitch says:

    I dont know George Edwards. But I don’t like George Edwards. Didn’t he sign a contract with UF? Very unprofessional behavior. Good riddance. Anyone with such little committment is not needed at UF. I’m sure more money, but I would say more noterity coaching future NFLers at UF than coaching a mediocre Bills team in frigid Buffalo. I vote Geo Edwards as a loser if this is true. As to the next DC, I guess Heater, unless we can get Strong to bail on Louisville.

  3. Bill says:

    What a dick. This is worse than Kiffen. I can’t imagine making a commitment to school then leaving in less than a month

  4. Shawn says:

    F this mother f#cker, he is a piece for doing Gator Nation like this. Go Heater and Go Gators!! What an assclown, way to commit to something george.

  5. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    On a positive side at least our class is signed and we don’t really need to be thinking about a 3-4 with the load of talent we now have on the D-line

  6. JvilleJohnny says:

    Adam, How do you think the new defensive recruits will feel about his leaving?? All of our 5 star recruits are on the defensive side of the ball. Do you think any of them will transfer?

  7. Gio Showtime says:

    If Meyer took so long to promote Heater in the first place, he has to know that Heater isn’t capable of handling the defense by himself. We need someone to help Heater and a LB coach. TCU and South Carolina have pretty good defensive coordinators.

  8. None of the defensive players the Gators recruited likely committed to the school for Edwards. Don’t forget, he was only on board for the last four weeks. The position coaches and head coach they committed to are still there. Don’t think there is much to worry about on that end.

  9. Mr2Bits says:

    What a c—-sucker. Oh well, best leave now than a year after these kids start looking up to you. There is plenty of defensive talent out there to fill this high profile hole. My take is the recruits don’t give a rats ass anyhow as most barely knew him.

  10. gp7787 says:

    What a display of professionalism from Mr. Edwards…..Psyche! This guy is a joke. No need for him to be around football @ Florida. College football is about commitment and this guy had none. Heater for DC……

  11. JvilleJohnny says:

    I like Heater for the job..I did before we got Edwards. But there should be some top defensive coaches that would love this job as Co-DC.

  12. Alphagator91 says:

    Wow, I guess this is going to delay Meyer’s leave of absence.

  13. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    Just when Meyer was supposed to be on his LOA!!!

  14. Addazio will be hiring the defensive coordinator.

  15. Jonathan says:

    Why is no one else reporting this?

  16. “No one” meaning who? ESPN and many others are as well.

  17. Gatorfan33 says:

    LOL not reporting this? I read about this at 9:00am this morning on another site. I am thinking along the same lines as Gio Showtime. Urban took over a month to hire a DC when he already had Heater on staff so that tells me something. I am sure we can find someone to be our DC but letting Addazio make the hire is worrisome in itself.

  18. Basshole says:

    He’s probably referring to the fact ESPN has it under NFL news, but not under CFB

  19. dp says:

    What an ass…I guess he likes buffalo wings, snow and losing better than nice weather, winning and pride.

  20. 9 a.m.? Don’t know about that 33…everyone seemed to be shocked by it at 2 p.m.

  21. ReimLaw says:

    Give the DC position to Heater and bring in Willie Martinez as LB coach. Let’s bring in someone who appreciates college football, especially the SEC, and is said to be a great recruiter.

  22. dp says:

    I have two words…Buddy Ryan

  23. Denver Gators says:

    Pretty sure Martinez took a job with Oklahoma this weekend but you point is well taken. Replace him with a college coach who appreciates the game and what it takes to be successful. What a crazy off season for the coaching staff…

  24. Basshole says:

    Martinez was hired by the Sooners as the coach of their secondary.

  25. Pingback: UF's DC to bills - SECTalk Forums

  26. Aligator says:

    Martinez sucks balls people. I am sure coach meyers knew about this and they did not do this until today for a reason. I am sure heater will be the man and they will bring in another coach on the defensive side of the ball. I just hope we attack on defense and i am glad we will not be experimenting with the 3-4 so much.

  27. O-town Gator says:

    Based on what I’ve been hearing and also reading on Twitter, it’s likely that the next DC could be promoted from within and a defensive position coach be brought in from the outside. Yeah it sucks that Edwards dropped a bomb so soon, but I suppose that’s the “nature of the beast”, so to speak.

    Gatorfan33, if Coach Meyer didn’t have the amount of trust he has in Addazio he wouldn’t be delegated this much responsibility and authority in the first place. TRUST is the keyword. That being said though, Meyer will likely have some input in the decision made even though he’s officially on LOA now.

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