Florida defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, the Gators’ 29-year-old wunderkind, is now the highest paid member of Billy Napier’s 10-man coaching staff.
Armstrong signed a 3-year, $3.6 million deal, entitling him to more than predecessor Patrick Toney’s $1 million annual salary.
Armstrong’s deal, which he signed Feb. 22, will pay $1.1 million in 2023, $1.2 million in 2024 and $1.3 million in 2025, according to coaching contracts provided the Orlando Sentinel by the school’s University Athletics Association following a public records request.
Armstrong is one of three new assistant coaches, joining receivers coach Billy Gonzales and tight ends coach Russ Callaway.
Gonzales, now serving his third stint as UF’s receivers coach, will earn $500,000 in 2023 and 2024 after replacing Keary Colbert, who left for the Denver Broncos. Callaway is due $300,000 each of the next two years after Napier promoted him from an offensive analyst role to replace William Peagler. Peagler and Toney left for the Arizona Cardinals.
Napier hired Armstrong after a brief stint as Alabama’s inside linebackers coach, which followed two seasons as Southern Miss defensive coordinator.
The move appears to have paid immediate dividends at UF.
The Gators’ defense recorded 9 sacks and outperformed the offense during the Orange and Blue game, won 10-7 by the Orange squad April 13 in the Swamp. The aggressive approach is atypical of a spring game.
“To each his own,” Napier said. “We did pressure tonight. That’s the personality and temperament of the play-callers. That’s their decision.”
In 2022 under Toney, Florida recorded 23 sacks, tied for the fewest since 2017’s 4-win season. The Gators also allowed opponents to convert an SEC-worst 49.71% on third down and yielded more plays of 10 yards or longer than all but Arkansas among 14 conference teams.
Southern Miss finished 2022 third nationally in average tackles for loss (8.3), fifth in sacks (3.38) and seventh in interceptions (17).
Armstrong is among three of Napier’s 10 assistants earning a seven-figure salary. Co-offensive coordinator Rob Sale, who also coaches offensive line, and co-defensive coordinator Sean Spencer, who coaches defensive line, are paid $1 million annually.
Former UF assistant D.J. Durkin is highest earning defensive coordinator with a salary of $1.5 million at Texas A&M.
If Armstrong were to leave UF before his contract expires he would owe 60% of the remaining compensation if he left for another SEC school or 40% if he left for another university. He would owe nothing if another school hired him as a head coach or an NFL team made him a coordinator.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.
