‘Influential’ New Florida defensive line coach Gerald Chatman is Endorsed by Carlos Dunlap

Carlos Dunlap, who won the 2009 BCS National Championship as the defensive MVP for Florida, refers to Gerald Chatman, the new Gators assistant coach, as “one of the most influential coaches” of his NFL career.

Florida’s Gainsville — Think of Carlos Dunlap, a former All-SEC defensive lineman for the Gators, as a devoted follower of Gerald Chatman, the current defensive line coach at Florida.

Shortly after Chatman’s hiring by Florida on Thursday, away from Tulane, Dunlap, who spent three seasons at UF, recorded 19.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in that time and was named the Defensive MVP of the Gators’ 2009 BCS National Championship victory over Oklahoma, praised the coach he spent nearly two seasons with at the NFL level.

“We got another one, Gator Nation! When Coach “G” Chatman was an assistant coach, he undoubtedly had one of the biggest influences on my NFL playing career. However, I’m even more thrilled for him now that I’m the defensive line coach at Florida,” Dunlap stated in a UF statement.

When Chatman joined Cincinnati as an analyst in March 2019 to work with the team’s defensive ends and outside linebackers, he was one of the first personnel added to the assistant staff of current Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. In addition, Lou Anarumo called plays as defensive coordinator, while Nick Eason coached Dunlap’s defensive line.

While he was consistently effective in the years preceding the major campaign, Dunlap experienced a sort of renaissance with Chatman and Co. during that season, his tenth in the pros.

Dunlap recorded nine sacked, 13 tackles for loss, and 63 total tackles in 2019 despite missing two games. This was the most in each category he had recorded in a single season since he had 13.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 66 total tackles in 2015.

Not long after working with Chatman, Dunlap entered the NFL’s 100-sack club, however it was with a different team (he was moved to Seattle in 2021 and subsequently signed a free agent contract with Kansas City in 2022). Dunlap is a free agent after winning his first Super Bowl with the Chiefs.

Shortly after Dunlap’s departure from Cincinnati, Chatman returned to the collegiate ranks as an analyst at LSU in 2021. Following his tenure as defensive line coach at Colorado in 2022 and Tulane in 2023, Chatman moved to Gainesville to take up the same role as coach.

Dunlap used his relationship with the coach as a selling point when approaching potential athletes who would be interested in attending Florida to train under Chatman.

“If I was a young player hungry to learn, compete in SEC against the best of the best with a coach I know is committed to helping me be the best player and the best man, I’m headed back to SWAMP again!” Dunlap stated. “Coach G, congratulations! I appreciate your guidance that extends beyond the game. I’m thrilled he’s bringing that to Florida.

“Leave it, Gators! It’s great to be an F-L-O-R-I-D-A Gator, as always.

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