GAINESVILLE — Billy Napier continues to retool his offensive staff as the Gators prepare to open spring practices March 7.

Napier has hired veteran coach Dan Enos as an analyst and promoted tight ends coach Russ Callaway to serve as co-offensive coordinator with offensive line coach Rob Sale, the Orlando Sentinel confirmed. Among his duties, Enos will focus on advanced scouting and head coach projects.

Jacob Rudner of 247Sports first reported both moves.

Enos served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023 at Arkansas, where he held the same role in ’15-17. But coach Sam Pittman demoted him last season after the Razorbacks’ 2-6 start.

 

The well-traveled Enos was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Maryland in 2021-22 and Miami in ’19; coached running backs at Cincinnati in ’20; and coached quarterbacks for Nick Saban in ’18 at Alabama.

Enos began coaching as a graduate assistant under Saban in 1991-93 at Michigan State. UF will be the 18th stop at 15 schools for the 55-year-old.

Meanwhile, Callaway enters his third season with the Gators and second as tight ends coach. He joined the staff in 2022 in an off-the-field role. The 36-year-old served as Samford’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from ’16-19 after coaching the wide receivers from ’15-17.

In ’18, Samford led the FCS in average passing yards (392.7).

Napier said he planned Callaway’s role in the offense.

“He’s a guy that obviously is going to acquire more responsibility,” Napier said Feb. 7. “How we define that … we’ll work our way through that.”

Napier still has an opening after offensive line assistant coach Darnell Stapleton left Feb. 15 for the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Stapleton and Sale coached in tandem, a unique approach Napier might well continue based on past history.

Napier has opted for two O-line coaches during all but one of his six seasons as a head coach, in 2020 at Louisiana after DJ Looney passed away during the offseason.

Napier is unlikely to go in another direction with the Gators. Yet, the 44-year-old’s decision to call plays the past two seasons has drawn critcism.

A failed fourth-down attempt deep in UF territory during a 43-20 loss to Georgia was among several ill-timed, head-scratching calls by Napier.

The Gators averaged just 18 points during their first games against Power 5 foes, culminating with a 33-14 loss at Kentucky. UF picked up the offensive pace, averaging more than 29 the rest of the way. But besides struggling against top-ranked Georgia, Napier’s attack managed just 15 points during the season finale against Florida State to end 5-7.