The Florida Gators are heading into 2026 with a big question mark at a position that’s quietly become one of the most important in modern college football: the Star, or nickelback. Under former head coach Billy Napier, the Gators leaned heavily on the Star role, rotating Sharif Denson and Aaron Gates as starters early in the 2025 season. But both have since moved on-still in the SEC, no less-with Gates now at Kentucky and Denson at Ole Miss.
That leaves Florida with a major hole to fill in a defense now under the direction of coordinator Brad White. When the Gators released their roster breakdown on National Signing Day in early February, only three players were listed at the Star position. That number immediately raised eyebrows: is the nickelback still going to be a staple of Florida’s scheme under White, or are we looking at a philosophical shift?
The full answer won’t come until spring camp kicks off on March 3, but one thing is already clear: the Gators are placing a premium on versatility across the secondary.
Safeties coach Chris Collins made that much known, emphasizing that the staff is cross-training the entire defensive backfield to play multiple roles-including Star. It’s not just about who starts where, but who can move where when the situation calls for it.
“We want to be very flexible and very versatile,” Collins said. “Early on, we’re position-less. We’re just learning fundamentals and techniques so we can plug and play.”
That means strong safeties could find themselves dropping into the nickel spot, boundary safeties could shift to strong safety, and so on. The idea is to build a defense that can adapt on the fly, handle different personnel groupings, and survive the grind of a long SEC season.
“The more you can do as an individual player, the more versatile the defense becomes,” Collins added.
And it’s not just the safeties getting this treatment. Florida is also giving its cornerbacks reps at Star, further emphasizing the need for depth and interchangeability. According to Collins, the Gators are structuring their installs with that end-goal in mind-creating a system where roles are fluid and players are comfortable lining up all over the field.
“There’ll be times where a corner will play Star, where a safety will play Star,” Collins said. “We can interchange pieces in our defense.”
It’s a tall order, especially with two experienced starters now wearing different SEC colors. But Collins isn’t tackling the challenge alone.
His familiarity with White’s system-built during their shared time at Kentucky-gives him a head start in implementing the scheme in Gainesville. That experience is already paying dividends, especially with a young but rising assistant like Dae’one Wilkins helping lead the charge.
Wilkins, just 25 years old, will oversee the development of the Star position in 2026. He’s no stranger to the SEC grind, having started his coaching journey at Furman before joining Kentucky in 2024 as a graduate assistant working with defensive backs. Napier brought him to Florida in 2025 as a quality control assistant, and new head coach Jon Sumrall chose to retain-and promote-him.
Collins spoke highly of Wilkins, praising both his work ethic and his willingness to embrace the learning curve that comes with being a young coach.
“He’s a roll-his-sleeves-up type of guy,” Collins said. “Whatever needs to get done, he’s willing to do it.”
That mindset has helped Wilkins rise quickly through the coaching ranks. More importantly, it’s helped him earn the trust of the players and staff around him-something Collins believes will be crucial as the Gators work to rebuild depth and continuity at a key defensive spot.
“He’ll play a big role in what we do, and in our success and our development of our young men,” Collins said.
So while the Gators may have just three players officially listed at Star right now, that number doesn’t tell the full story. Florida is building a secondary that can flex, shift, and adjust as needed-something that could prove critical in an SEC where offenses are constantly throwing new looks at defenses.
The position may be in transition, but the plan is clear: build a defense that’s as versatile as it is physical, and make sure the Star remains a strength-not a question mark-in 2026.