Florida Football: Meet Dan Quinn, Defensive Coordinator of the Gators

Every Monday, The SEC Blog will feature an assistant coach in the SEC. This week, we take a look at Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Dan Quinn came to Florida from the Seattle Seahawks shortly after new head coach Will Muschamp was hired before the 2011 season—and he made his presence felt.

Muschamp's decision to hire Quinn came with some criticism, considering that the Salisbury University defensive lineman had just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator on his resume—in 2000 at Hofstra.

His inaugural season in Gainesville calmed those fears.

The Gators finished fifth in the SEC in total defense (and eighth in the nation) after giving up an average of 299.5 yards per game. 

Not bad, but there's still plenty of room for improvement for Quinn's defense.

One of the biggest problems with Florida's defense last season was a remarkable lack of big plays. The Gators finished last in the SEC in turnovers gained (14), fumbles recovered (six) and passes intercepted (eight). Forcing more turnovers was one of the primary focuses of the spring practice, according to the Tom Green of the Orlando Sentinel.

With the guidance of a very defensive-minded Will Muschamp by his side, Quinn is off to a fast start in Gainesville. Things will only improve in 2012 with the return of linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins, safety Matt Elam and the hopeful return of BUCK Ronald Powell from his ACL injury.

Florida has the talent, and the combination of Quinn and Muschamp in year two should make the Gators' defense a force to be reckoned with in 2012.

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