Shame on me, Gators, but my hometown has stolen from you, as it was announced on Thursday that your new defensive co-coordinator is moving north. Not more than a month after being hired away from the Miami Dolphins (coming off a 4 year stint there as a linebacker coach), George Edwards today went back to the NFL, dropping the “co-“ and stepping into the blizzard and cold of Buffalo, New York.

Perhaps UF knew about this, or maybe Edwards was really that careful when talking with the Bills, but it wasn’t until National Signing Day had come and passed that the news was broken, leading to speculation of the Kiffin/Orgeron variety in the press as to the conspiracy.

If it was a play to lure recruits, you have to wonder how it was supposed to work. I mean, did you know who George Edwards was before you saw his name on Sportscenter, announcing him as half of your new defensive mind?

Maybe this did all happen very quickly and no one was keeping secrets, but a little heads up from Mr. Edwards would have been nice. He’s going up there for more money of course, but also to be reunited with Buffalo’s new head coach, Chan Gailey, who worked with him in the late ‘90s when Edwards was the linebackers coach in Dallas. He’ll also be reuniting with Marcus Stroud, who played at Georgia in 1997 when the coach was an assistant there, and will have firsthand knowledge of Bills personnel and ability from his time with division rivals Miami.

All in all, not much of a bump for us here in Gainesville, though, as Edwards wasn’t even out on the road during recruiting trips and so shouldn’t really cause any uproar from incoming newbies. Most of us here in Gainesville probably wouldn’t have been able to pick the man out of a line-up.

Chuck Heater was already sharing the defensive chores with Edwards and though it is expected that defensive line coach Dan McCarney will be elevated to co-coordinator, O-coordinator Steve Adazzio is expected to explore all options for replacement, as Coach Meyer will be on a health leave.’

Go Gators…

(If you’re a bit peeved with Edwards or Buffalo, bear in mind that the current temp is 21.2 degrees without the wind chill, there’s snow piled everywhere, and their gas bills make your GRU look like nothing. Here’s to George Edwards, we barely knew you down here…Now go buy some fleece.)

Josh Bauer is a Columnist for GatorTailgating.com