Jacksonville State defensive coordinator and former Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri has stepped down from his role as Jax State’s defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to AL.com.

Sunseri was officially announced as the defensive coordinator on Jan. 2 and was the third official hire under first-year coach Charles Kelly.

It’s been reported by multiple outlets that Sunseri has accepted the position of co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Florida.

The move comes after previous Florida defensive coordinator and Sumter County native Austin Armstong took the defensive coordinator position at the University of Houston.

“Vinnie is one of the brightest young coaches in the country,” Kelly said of Sunseri in a release when he was hired. “He brings unparalleled energy, a wealth of football knowledge, and a relentless commitment to excellence. His experience as both a player and coach at the highest levels of the game makes him the perfect fit to lead our defense to new heights.”

A Northridge High graduate, Sunseri spent last season as the safeties coach at the University of Washington.

Before he was hired to coach at Washington, he served as running backs coach for the New England Patriots from 2021-2023 after one season as a coaching assistant with the NFL team.

He started his coaching career in 2019 as a graduate assistant at Alabama alongside Kelly, who was serving as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the time under Nick Saban.

A longtime safety at the University of Alabama, Sunseri helped lead the Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS national titles in 2011 and 2012 as a safety and special teamer before being selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

He also spent time with the Patriots and San Francisco 49ers during his NFL career.

He’s the son of longtime coach Sal Sunseri, who coached alongside Kelly at Alabama, Florida State and Colorado, and brother of former Pitt quarterback and currently UCLA offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri.