New Florida Gators Coach Spent Disney Cruise Recruiting Players to Stay

Brandon Harris prioritized keeping top cornerbacks on the team during his first week on the job.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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When Brandon Harris was hired as the new cornerbacks coach for the Florida Gators, he spent his family's Disney cruise vacation on the phone recruiting the team's current players to stay. Harris, who played at the University of Miami and spent time in the NFL, has connections to the South Florida area and was able to convince top recruits like Ben Hanks III and J'Vari Flowers to remain with the Gators despite the coaching change.

Why it matters

Retaining top talent is crucial for the Florida Gators as they look to rebuild under a new coaching staff. Harris' aggressive recruiting efforts during his first week on the job, even interrupting a family vacation, demonstrate his commitment to keeping the Gators' talented cornerback group together.

The details

Harris spent his entire Disney cruise FaceTiming with current Florida players and their parents, convincing them to stay with the program. He had personal connections to some of the players, like Ben Hanks III, whose father was coached by Harris' own father in high school. Harris also knew top recruit J'Vari Flowers well from watching him play in youth leagues. The new coach made it a priority to meet with all five of Florida's top cornerbacks in person after the cruise to ensure they were comfortable with him and understood how important they were to the team.

  • Harris was hired as Florida's new cornerbacks coach in late 2025.
  • Harris spent his family's Christmas vacation on a Disney cruise in late December 2025, recruiting players the entire time.

The players

Brandon Harris

The new cornerbacks coach for the Florida Gators, who played at the University of Miami and spent five seasons in the NFL.

Ben Hanks III

A five-star cornerback recruit in Florida's 2025 class, who Harris has known since Hanks was 5 years old.

J'Vari "Jrock" Flowers

A top cornerback recruit in Florida's 2025 class who Harris had been following since Flowers was in middle school.

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What they’re saying

“My entire Disney cruise was just FaceTime calls with our players. FaceTime with them and their parents, talking to them about staying here at Florida.”

— Brandon Harris, Florida Gators Cornerbacks Coach (on3.com)

“Certain players just got that 'it' about them. When their games are going on, certain guys people want to see play. And Jrock was one of those guys. That's J'Vari. 'Man, I want to watch Jrock play.' Or, 'I'm here to watch Ben's team play.' When certain guys just have that aura and that 'it' about them, I knew they were gonna be pretty special.”

— Brandon Harris, Florida Gators Cornerbacks Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

Harris will continue working to build relationships with Florida's top cornerbacks and ensure they remain committed to the program as the Gators look to bounce back under a new coaching staff.

The takeaway

Brandon Harris' aggressive recruiting efforts during his first week on the job, even interrupting a family vacation, demonstrate his commitment to keeping Florida's talented cornerback group together and building a strong foundation for the Gators' future success.