GAINESVILLE, Fla. — No. 33 is coming back to Gainesville. Former Florida Gators linebacker David Reese is returning to Florida as a quality control coach, working closely with the EDGE rushers.

Reese spent one season in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers before transitioning to the college coaching ranks. Reese started as an assistant linebackers coach at Central Michigan University, where he developed his coaching foundation at the college level. After that season, he spent two years as a defensive line assistant at Indiana University, gaining valuable experience within a Power Five program. In 2024 he worked at Eastern Michigan University, as a defensive line assistant. Most recently, Reese was hired as the defensive line coach at Wayne State University. His experience at both the professional and collegiate levels has shaped his approach to coaching, player development, and recruiting.

Reese will work with another former Florida Gators player, Mike Peterson, and the EDGE rushers.

David Reese as a Gator

Appeared in 46 games during his collegiate career (38 starts). He finished his career with 322 defensive stops (121 solo), 21.0 tackle-for-loss, 3.5 sacks and one interception.

2019: Appeared and started in all 13 games his senior year with Florida… Finished the season with 94 defensive stops (39 solo), 6.5 Tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one fumble recovery… Recorded a career-high 16 tackles at Kentucky… Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week (Kentucky), as well as to the AP All-SEC Second Team and Preseason Second Team All-SEC… 

2018: Despite missing the first three games of the season due to an ankle injury he sustained during fall camp, he finished second on the team in tackles (77) and also recorded 2.5 tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery… Led the Gators with 11 tackles in their win over LSU… For his efforts, he was named to the Bednarik Award & Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch lists during the season…

2017: Despite missing the entire offseason after having surgery on both of his wrists, he returned and did not miss a start while leading the team in tackles (102) and finishing second on the team in tackles-for-loss (10.0)… Also tallied 1.5 sacks, one interception and one quarterback hurry… Since 2007, Reese is the third UF linebacker to record 100-plus tackles in a season (Brandon Spikes, 131 in 2007; Antonio Morrison, 103 in 2015 & 101 in 2014)… Overall, he’s the second UF player to have 100 tackles since Ahmad Black in 2010… Surpassed the 100-tackle mark in the final game of the season when he posted a career-best 14 tackles against Florida State… Led the Gators in tackling in 10 out of the 11 games… Notched his first-career interception against Tennessee… Became the first Gator linebacker to intercept a pass since Daniel McMillian recorded an INT against Iowa in the 2017 Outback Bowl… Garnered Second Team All-SEC honors by Phil Steele… Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll…

2016: Appeared in 12 games and started four contests throughout the season… Missed the Outback Bowl against Iowa due to a pair of wrist injuries… Began the season as a reserve linebacker and member of Florida’s special teams’ units… Started the final four games of the regular season at linebacker after the Gators sustained some injuries… Totaled 49 tackles and two tackles-for-loss… In his first-career start against South Carolina, Reese tallied a game-high 11 tackles… Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after he posted a career-high 12 tackles and a 0.5 tackle-for-loss in Florida’s SEC Eastern Division-clinching win at LSU…In the SEC Championship Game against Alabama, DE Jabari Zuniga blocked UA’s extra point attempt with 1:42 left in the first quarter, and Reese returned it for a defensive PAT (two points)… That marked the first blocked extra point in the SEC Championship since 2003 (Georgia’s Kedric Golston blocked LSU’s Chris Jackson) and it was the blocked extra point returned for a defensive PAT in the SEC Championship since 1997 (Auburn’s Charles Dorsey blocked Tennessee’s Jeff Hall, and Auburn’s Quinton Reese returned the block)… In addition, the last time UF blocked an extra point and returned it for a defensive PAT was November 12, 2005 vs. South Carolina (144 games)… Meanwhile, the score was Resse’s first of his career… Garnered Freshman All-America honors by Pro Football Focus and the FWAA… Named Freshman All-SEC by Gridiron Now.