Gators wide receiver coach Aubrey Hill resigns
Citing personal reasons, Florida Gators wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Aubrey Hill stepped down from his position with the team, the school announced on Friday.
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Hill, who was hired by head coach Will Muschamp when he took over the program in 2011, said he did not want personal things he was going though to hurt the program in any way.
"I have too much love and respect for this program to become a distraction as I deal with some personal issues," he said in a statement. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to have worked with Coach Muschamp, a tremendous staff and great group of players. The future is very bright here and the University of Florida will always have a special place in my heart. Go Gators."
Muschamp accepted his resignation and thanked Hill for his time at Florida.
"Aubrey informed me he was resigning for personal reasons that have nothing to do with the University of Florida,'' Muschamp said in a school release. "Aubrey didn't want to be a distraction to our team and our football program and he thought it was best for him to move on.
"I appreciate Aubrey's efforts and wish him the best moving forward. He will always remain a Gator."
Hill was marred in scandal in August 2011 after being named by Yahoo! Sports in connection with what were deemed to be major recruiting violations at the University of Miami.
[RELATED: Hill named in Miami allegations]
He indicated to Florida that he was "very comfortable with, and very confident in how he conducted himself while at the University of Miami" in wake of the report, a statement the school released the same day it was filed by Yahoo!. Hill was again named by Yahoo! when new allegations arose last month.
The Gators announced that offensive coordinator Brent Pease and offensive graduate assistant Bush Hamdan will coach wide receivers in Hill's place this season. Pease, who is also the team's quarterback coach, taught wide receivers at Boise State from 2006-10.
Hamdan was a backup quarterback for Pease at Boise State and is in his first year with Florida.
Hill is a Gators alumnus who played for head coach Steve Spurrier from 1991-94 and helped Florida win three SEC Championships.
Stay tuned as Inside the Gators provides feedback from the wide receiver commitments and takes a look at some possible replacements