The Coaching Tree: Pitt Coaching Staff

Mike Haywood is the new head coach at Pitt after two seasons as head coach at Miami (Ohio), where he went from a 1-11 season in 2009 to 9-4 and a conference championship in his second year. Haywood will bring Morris Watts with him as offensive coordinator, and Bill Elias, who was his assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach at Miami. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential candidates for the Panthers' new coaching staff:

RUNNING BACKS COACH

KiJuan Ware - Miami (Ohio) Running Backs Coach

RB coach at Miami under Mike Haywood the last two seasons.
Intern at Notre Dame in 2008, Haywood's last year as offensive coordinator.

Skip Peete - Dallas Cowboys Running Backs Coach

WR coach at Michigan State in 1993 and '94, when Morris Watts was the offensive coordinator.
Coached at Pitt from 1988-92.

Dennis Springer - ex-Indiana Running Backs/Special Teams Coach

Graduate assistant at Ball State in 1993 and '94. Mike Haywood coached receivers at Ball State in 1993 and RBs in '94.

WIDE RECEIVERS COACH

Alex Wood - Miami (Ohio) Wide Receivers Coach

WR coach at Miami in 2010 under Mike Haywood.

Adam Gase - Denver Broncos Wide Receivers Coach

Graduate assistant at LSU from 2000-02. Haywood was at LSU from 1995-2002.
Student assistant at Michigan State from 1996-99. Morris Watts returned to MSU for his third stint in 1999.

David Kelly - Central Florida Wide Receivers Coach

WR coach at LSU from 1996-99. Haywood, Watts, and Bill Elias were all on staff with Kelly while he was at LSU.

TIGHT ENDS COACH

JD Vonderheide - Miami (Ohio) Tight Ends Coach

Worked with Mike Haywood at Miami the last two seasons.

Charlie Coiner - North Carolina Defensive Line Coach

Special teams coach at LSU in 1999, when Haywood coached RBs.
Coached special teams at Vanderbilt from 1991-93, with new Pitt coach Bill Elias.

Shane Waldron - Hartford Colonials (UFL) Wide Receivers Coach

Graduate assistant at Notre Dame from 2005-07. Haywood was the OC at Notre Dame from 2005-08.

OFFENSIVE LINE COACH

Bill Mottola - Miami (Ohio) Offensive Line Coach

OL coach at Miami the last two years under Mike Haywood.
OL coach at Vanderbilt from 1991-93, when Bill Elias was the defensive ends coach.

Dave Magazu - Carolina Panthers Offensive Line Coach

Offensive line coach at Eastern Michigan in 1982. Elias was a graduate assistant at EMU in 1981 and '82.

Pat Morris - Minnesota Vikings Offensive Line Coach

OL coach at Michigan State from 1987-94. Morris Watts was the offensive coordinator from 1986-90, 1992-94, and again from 1999-2002.

DEFENSIVE LINE COACH

Antoine Smith - Miami (Ohio) Defensive Line Coach

Coached DL under Mike Haywood the last two years at Miami.

Jappy Oliver - Buffalo Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach

Defensive line coach at Notre Dame from 2005-08, the same time Mike Haywood was the offensive coordinator.
DL coach at Vanderbilt from 1991-93, where he worked with new Pitt LB coach Bill Elias, who coached defensive ends at Vandy.
Coached running backs at Eastern Michigan in 1981 and '82. Elias was a graduate assistant at EMU at the same time.

Brian George - ex-Indiana co-Defensive Coordinator

Played at Ohio from 1990-94. Mike Haywood coached outside linebackers at Ohio in 1991 and '92.

LINEBACKERS COACH

Sal Sunseri - Alabama Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach

LB/Special teams coach at Michigan State in 2001, where Morris Watts was the offensive coordinator.
LB/Special teams coach at LSU in 2000, where Mike Haywood was the RB coach.
Coached DL and LB at Pitt from 1985-92.
Played at Pitt from 1978-81.

Chuck Bullough - ex-UCLA Defensive Coordinator

Played at Michigan State from 1988-91. Morris Watts was the OC there from 1986-90.

Carl Reese - Miami (Ohio) Defensive Coordinator

DC at Miami under Mike Haywood the last two seasons.
Defensive coordinator at Texas from 1998-2003. Worked with Mike Haywood in 2003, his first season as the Longhorns' RB coach.
Defensive coordinator at LSU from 1995-97, where he worked with Haywood, Morris Watts, and new Pitt assistant coach Bill Elias, who were all on the LSU staff together.
Defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt from 1991-94. Bill Elias was the defensive ends coach at Vandy from 1991-93.
Defensive coordinator for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL from 1982-85. Morris Watts was the Stallions QB coach in 1984 and '85.

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH