Gators lose Diabate, gain Stapleton

Friday proved to be a big day for the Gators on both a positive and negative note. While the Gators coaching staff gained Darnell Stapleton as the new offensive line coach, they also lost Mohamoud Diabate to the transfer portal.

Diabate Leaving

Diabate could prove as a costly transfer for the Gators. The linebacker played in all 12 games this season, starting 10 of them. In the 2021 season, he racked up 89 total tackles, which lead the team. In his career in a Gators’ uniform, the junior recorded 176 total tackles, six sacks and one interception.

Diabate was a four-star recruit from Auburn, Alabama, when he came to UF with the class of 2019. He committed to the Gators in August of 2018.

With this news, the linebacker becomes the fifth player to enter the transfer portal for the Gators. Diabate joins Jacob Copeland, Khris Bogle, Gerald Mincey and Dante Zanders.

Stapleton Joins the Gators

Welcome to The Swamp @darnellru53! #GoGators

➡️: https://t.co/jjxmhnS4FR pic.twitter.com/IQJWWpHoOP

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 10, 2021

On a more positive note, the Gators hired former Super Bowl Champion Stapleton as an offensive line coach. Stapleton played for four season in the NFL as an offensive lineman.

As far as his coaching credentials are concerned, Stapleton is already familiar with Billy Napier. He served as an assistant offensive line coach at the University of Louisiana during the 2021 season. Stapleton also served as an offensive lines coach at Sam Houston State and Bucknell. He also joined Rutgers’ staff as a graduate assistant in 2013-2014.

Napier said he plans to have two offensive line coaches on his staff to manage the group of players. With this hire, Stapleton becomes the sixth assistant to join Napier’s new staff. He joins Patrick Toney, Jabbar Juluke, Ryan O’Hara, Mark Hocke and Corey Raymond.

Raymond’s hire sparked some hope for Gators fans. He served as the former LSU cornerbacks coach before being hired to join Napier and his staff at Florida.