Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Colorado Coaching Staff


Jon Embree is the new head football coach at Colorado. He was in his first season as the tight ends coach with the Washington Redskins. He has also been a position coach with the Chiefs, and at UCLA and Colorado. The coaching tree has projected possible candidates to fill the Buffaloes' coaching staff:


OFFENSIVE COACHES ALREADY HIRED/RETAINED


Eric Bieniemy was Jon Embree's first hire. He will be the team's offensive coordinator and will presumably also coach running backs. Bieniemy has been the Minnesota Vikings' RB coach since 2006. He played at Colorado from 1987-90. Darian Hagan was retained by Jon Embree and will be on the staff in some capacity. It is unlikely he will continue to coach running backs, which he has done at Colorado since 2005. Hagan was a quarterback at CU from 1988-91, so he could become the Buff's new QB coach.


DEFENSIVE COACHES ALREADY HIRED/RETAINED


Brian Cabral, who was the interim head coach after Dan Hawkins was fired, has been retained by Jon Embree. Cabral played linebacker at Colorado from 1974-77 and has been coaching in Boulder since 1989. He may have a chance to be named defensive coordinator, but will definitely be coaching linebackers in 2011. Mike Tuiasosopo has also been hired by Jon Embree. He has been the defensive tackles coach at Arizona since 2004.


DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR


Greg Brown is in his first season as Co-defensive coordinator at Arizona after four seasons as defensive backs coach at Colorado. Brown has also spent fifteen years coaching in the NFL.

COACHING TREE CONNECTIONS:
  • Greg Brown: DB coach at Colorado from 1991-93 and again from 2006-09. 1993 was Jon Embree's first year coaching tight ends at Colorado.

WIDE RECEIVERS COACH


Eric Kiesau was the offensive coordinator at Colorado in 2009 and '10. He won't be back in that role, but may have a shot to be retained as a position coach. Cedric Cormier is the WR coach at UNLV. He has also coached receivers at Miami (Ohio) and Montana. Ryan Ficken is an offensive quality control coach with the Minnesota Vikings, where he mainly works with receivers.

COACHING TREE CONNECTIONS:
  • Eric Kiesau: Colorado offensive coordinator from 2009-10. Coached the Buff receivers from 2006-08.
  • Cedric Cormier: Played WR at Colorado from 1998-2001. Jon Embree coached at CU from 1993-2002, and was Cormier's position coach in '01.
  • Ryan Ficken: Offensive quality control coach with the Vikings from 2007-present where Eric Bieniemy has been RB coach since '06. Ficken was a volunteer coach at UCLA in 2004 and '05, when Bieniemy coached the Bruins' running backs.

TIGHT ENDS COACH


Al Pupunu is in his first year coaching tight ends at Idaho after two seasons at Southern Utah. He played for nine years as a tight end in the NFL for three different teams. Paul Creighton is in his second year as a graduate assistant at Colorado, where he mainly worked with the defensive line.

COACHING TREE CONNECTIONS:
  • Al Pupunu: Played with Eric Bieniemy with the San Diego Chargers for three seasons (1992-94).
  • Paul Creighton: GA at Colorado from 2009-present. Played tight end for the Buffaloes from 2002-06. Jon Embree was the wide receivers coach Creighton's freshman year.

OFFENSIVE LINE COACH


Chris Morgan is the assistant offensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders, where he is in his second season. He was also a graduate assistant at Idaho in 2003. Stan Brock was most recently the head coach at Army from 2007-08 after three seasons as the team's offensive line coach. Jason Eck is the offensive line coach at Ball State. He has also coached OL at Winona State and Idaho.

COACHING TREE CONNECTIONS:
  • Chris Morgan: Played OL at Colorado from 1996-99. Jon Embree coached defensive ends from '96-98 and tight ends in 1999.
  • Stan Brock: Played OL at Colorado from 1976-79. Also played with Eric Bieniemy for two years with the Chargers.
  • Jason Eck: Graduate assistant at Colorado in 2002 and '03.

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH


Ashley Ambrose coached the defensive backs at Colorado in 2010 after two seasons as an intern. He was being groomed to coach receivers until Greg Brown left for Arizona. It is possible that he could move to offense if Brown returns to Boulder. Ronnie Bradford is an administrative assistant at Cal, where he is in his first year after seven seasons as an NFL assistant. Vance Joseph is the assistant DB coach with the San Francisco 49ers. He is in his sixth year with the Niners after three years as a college DB coach.

COACHING TREE CONNECTIONS:
  • Ashley Ambrose: Coach/intern at Colorado since 2008. Played with Eric Bieniemy with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1996-98.
  • Ronnie Bradford: Played DB at Colorado from 1989-92.
  • Vance Joseph: DB coach at CU in 2002 and '03. Was a graduate assistant from 1999-2001. Played for the Buffaloes from 1990-94.
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