On Friday, Florida officially announced the hiring of West Virginia running backs coach JaJuan Seider to an assistant coaching position on the Gators' coaching staff.
"I've always had an affinity for this university and am honored to have the opportunity to join the Florida Gators family. I look forward to working with Coach Mac and his staff," Seider said. "I can't wait to meet the players, spend time with them and help them achieve their goals."
Added Florida head coach Jim McElwain: "We are excited to have Ja'Juan in the Gator family. A lot is talked about his ability to recruit, but he is more than that – he is a great coach as well. Recruiting is about relationships and he does a great job of connecting and relating to players not only while is recruiting them, but while they are play for him and well after their playing days are over."
Now, Inside the Gators takes a closer look at Seider with a Take Five.
FIVE MOST RECENT COACHING STOPS
1. Seider, 38, a Belle Glade, Fla., native, has served as West Virginia's running backs and tight ends coach for West Virginia from 2013-16.
2. Before that, he was Marshall's running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2010-12. During his final year with the program in 2012, Seider was named Conference USA's top recruiter after Marshall signed the best class in the league.
3. Seider was a graduate assistant at West Virginia from 2008-09, where his responsibilities included coordinating position drills with quarterbacks (2009 was Geno Smith's first season with the team), assisting in the recruiting process and breaking down game film.
4. Seider served as Lake Worth High School's quarterbacks coach from 2006-08, where he coached quarterback Star Jackson, a U.S. Elite 11 and U.S. Army All-American game selection.
5. His previous high school coaching stops before his time at Lake Worth were as Palm Beach Lakes High's offensive coordinator from 2003-05 and Glades Central High's running backs coach from 2001-02. At Palm Beach Lakes High, he helped the squad to the Class 6A regional finals during his first two seasons while coaching three players who earned first-team all-state honors.
