Gerald Chatman

Biography

Gerald Chatman enters his third season with the Gators in 2026 and his first as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line. Chatman served as the team's defensive line coach from 2024-25. In 2025, Chatman guided Florida’s defensive line into one of the team’s best units, despite the loss of standout Caleb Banks to injury for most of the season. Seven players in the unit recorded at least on tackle for loss on the year. In 2024, Chatman helped guide Florida to a late-season charge, winning the last four games of the season to finish with an 8-5 record overall, with victories over No. 21 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, Florida State and Tulane in the 16th Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The Gators were one of just six unranked teams in the nation to post multiple top-25 wins on the year. As a unit, the Florida defense finished the season ranked ninth in the nation in red zone defense (.725), 11th in sacks per game (3.0), 11th in fumbles recovered (11) and 13th in turnovers gained (25). The Gators finished the year with at least one takeaway in 10-straight games and 12 times in 13 games. The Gator defense improved in nearly every statistical category from 2023 to 2024, including sacks (+17), tackles for loss (+28), forced fumbles (+11), pass breakups (+12), interceptions (+11) and turnovers gained (+18). Individually along the interior defensive line, Caleb Banks and Cam Jackson were a formidable duo for opponents all season long. Banks finished with 21 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 s