Joe Houston spent the past four seasons on New England’s staff.

After four seasons with the New England Patriots, Joe Houston will be returning to the collegiate ranks.

The Florida Gators plan to add the former kicker as a special teams analyst, as reported Sunday by 247Sports’ Jacob Rudner, with his addition not requiring a place on the on-field staff for the Gators.

Houston had arrived in Foxborough as assistant special teams coach in 2020. He did so after serving as an analyst in the kicking game at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2019. Coaching stops at El Camino College, Toledo and Iowa State were logged prior to then by Houston, who was promoted to special teams coordinator while with the Cyclones in 2018.

A USC product, Houston led the Trojans in scoring as a redshirt senior in 2010 while converting 10-of-16 field goals and 43-of-43 extra points. From there, he played in the Arena Football League for the Chicago Rush and in the Indoor Football League for the Nebraska Danger.

In 2023, New England’s special teams finished the 4-13 campaign ranked 28th in DVOA, with Houston overseeing the unit along with coordinator Cam Achord as well as assistant head coach Joe Judge. Rookie kicker Chad Ryland had gone 16-of-25 on field goals by year’s end, including a long of 56 yards, and 24-of-25 on extra points. Elsewhere, rookie punter Bryce Baringer, a member of the Pro Football Writers of America’s 2023 All-Rookie team, averaged 46.9 yards per punt with 38 punts downed inside the 20.

Since then under new head coach Jerod Mayo, the organization has been linked to interviews around the league with Thomas McGaughey, Jeremy Springer and Marquice Williams, who reportedly turned down an offer to remain with the Atlanta Falcons alongside familiar hire Raheem Morris.