Who is the new nickelbacks coach for the Florida Gators?

Dae'One Wilkins, aged 25, has been promoted to nickelbacks coach for the Florida Gators.

What is Dae'One Wilkins' coaching experience?

Wilkins has experience as a defensive backs quality control assistant at Florida, a graduate assistant at Kentucky, and a defensive assistant/nickels coach at Furman.

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Youngest SEC Coach Promoted at Florida

Q: What notable achievements did Dae'One Wilkins have at Furman?

At Furman, he helped lead the team to a Southern Championship and a quarterfinal appearance in the FCS Playoffs, with the defense ranking among the best in FCS.

25 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Dae'One Wilkins, 25, is Florida's new nickelbacks coach.
He previously coached defensive backs at Florida as a QC assistant.
Wilkins helped Furman's defense achieve numerous top rankings in 2023.

The Florida Gators are promoting Dae'One Wilkins to the role of nickelbacks coach. At 25 years old, Wilkins is noted as one of the youngest position coaches within the Southeastern Conference. His prior experience with the Gators involved working as a quality control assistant for the defensive backs during the 2025 season.

Before joining Florida, Wilkins spent time with the Kentucky Wildcats, working under current defensive coordinator Brad White. He also had a stint as a defensive assistant and nickels coach at his alma mater, Furman, in 2023. This period saw Furman achieve significant success, including a Southern Championship and a quarterfinal appearance in the FCS Playoffs.

Wilkins played a key role in Furman's highly effective defense in 2023, which led the SoCon in multiple statistical categories, including rushing defense and total defense. His coaching impact was evident with nickel back Cally Chizik earning All-America honors.