The Florida Gators have appointed Ryan O’Hara as the new offensive play-caller for the remainder of the season. Interim head coach Billy Gonzalez made this announcement as the team seeks to improve its struggling offense, currently ranked 91st in college football. O’Hara, who has limited experience at the college level, will attempt to revitalize an offense that has averaged just 1.7 touchdowns per game this season.
O’Hara’s coaching journey has been unconventional. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Alabama A&M during part of the 2016-2017 season. His career path has included various coaching roles at Mt. San Antonio College and Santa Monica College. He first connected with Gonzalez at Louisiana before joining the Gators. Reflecting on his coaching beginnings, O’Hara noted, “I wanted to be the quarterback coach in the SEC… I said ‘We’re gonna go coach in the SEC.’”
Despite his aspirations, the road to this point has not always been easy. At one point, O’Hara found himself driving for Uber while searching for coaching opportunities. He advised his past self during that challenging time, saying, “Keep going, because this was the goal and the mission.”
As O’Hara takes on this pivotal role, he faces significant challenges. The Gators are currently 123rd in the nation in points per game, struggling to score over 30 points against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents. The team has failed to score more than 20 points in four of its seven games this season, highlighting the urgency for improvement.
O’Hara’s previous stint as a play-caller offers some insight into what to expect from his approach. During the 2016 season at Alabama A&M, his offense averaged 23.82 points per game and managed nearly 366 yards of total offense. In conference matchups, the Bulldogs’ scoring increased, averaging 27 points per game, though they faced significant challenges against FBS teams, scoring zero points against both Auburn and Middle Tennessee.
The Bulldogs’ quarterback that season, De’angelo Balla, threw for just under 2,000 yards, completing 10 touchdowns while also throwing nine interceptions. In terms of receiving, four players had over 20 catches, with Tevin McKenzie leading the team with 50 catches for 539 yards. A strong rushing game was emphasized, with Alabama A&M rushing the ball 449 times at an average of 4.4 yards per carry.
Despite the struggles in the red zone, where Alabama A&M scored just 19 touchdowns on 35 attempts, O’Hara’s tenure will benefit from a collaborative game-planning approach involving offensive coordinator Russ Callaway and other coaches. Gonzalez has highlighted the importance of building a rhythm between O’Hara and the Gators’ quarterback, DJ Lagway, stating, “The most important piece to that is there is a rhythm piece between (O’Hara) and DJ.”
O’Hara previously held an unofficial role as Florida’s play-caller during the 2025 spring game, where the Orange Team set a record with quarterback Harrison Bailey throwing for 363 yards. With his first official game on the horizon, O’Hara will face a tough challenge against the Georgia Bulldogs, ranked 28th in total defense. This matchup will serve as a crucial test for the Gators as they aim to find offensive momentum in the second half of the season.
As O’Hara steps into this significant role, the eyes of fans and analysts alike will be watching to see if he can turn the tide for a team eager for improvement.
