The Coaching Tree: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Chicago Bears Offensive Line Coach

With Mike Martz leaving the Bears staff, Mike Tice has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Shane Day also left the staff, so there are now openings at the QB and OL coaching positions. We planned to put together a list of QB coach candidates, but each of our names (Jeremy Bates, Dirk Koetter, Clyde Christensen) has already either taken another job or been taken out of the running for the job already. Here is our list of potential candidates to fill the OL coach spot:

Steve Loney - ex-St. Louis Rams Offensive Line Coach

Offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2002-04 and was the team's offensive coordinator in '05, where he worked under head coach Mike Tice.
OL coach at Colorado State from 1989-92. Mike DeBord was on the Colorado State staff in 1990 and '91.

Harold Goodwin - Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Assistant

Assistant offensive line coach for the Bears from 2004-06, Lovie Smith's first three years as head coach.
OL coach at Central Michigan from 2000-03, where he worked under head coach Mike DeBord.
Played OL at Michigan from 1992-94, followed by two seasons as a student assistant and one year as a graduate assistant for the Wolverines. DeBord was the OL coach at Michigan from 1992-96 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in '97.

Pete Metzelaars - ex-Indianapolis Colts Offensive Line Coach

Played tight end for the Seahawks from 1982-84. Mike Tice played TE for the Seahawks from 1981-88.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coordinators

Greg Schiano has been hired as the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach. Here is a look at some potential names to fill the coordinator spots on his new staff:

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Matt Cavanaugh - New York Jets Quarterbacks Coach

Offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 1997 and '98. Greg Schiano was a defensive assistant for the Bears in 1996 and '97 and was the DB coach in '98.

Craig Ver Steeg - Baltimore Ravens Offensive Assistant

OC at Rutgers from 2003-07 under Greg Schiano.
Offensive quality control coach with the Bears in 1996, where he worked on staff with Schiano.

Frank Cignetti - Rutgers Offensive Coordinator

Worked as Schiano's OC at Rutgers in 2011.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Butch Davis - ex-North Carolina Head Coach

Head coach at Miami from 1995-2000. Greg Schiano was his defensive coordinator in 1999 and '00.

Teryl Austin - Baltimore Ravens Defensive Backs Coach

Graduate assistant at Penn State in 1991 and '92, where he worked with Schiano, who was the DB coach at Penn State from 1991-95.

Darren Perry - Green Bay Packers Safeties Coach

Played safety at Penn State from 1989-91. Greg Schiano was a graduate assistant for the Nittany Lions in 1990 before taking over as DB coach in '91.

SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR

Kevin O'Dea - Chicago Bears Assistant Special Teams Coach

Worked on the Buccaneers staff from 1996-2001 as a defensive assistant.
Coached defensive line and linebackers at Penn State in 1992 and '93 after working as a GA in '91. Schiano was the DB coach at Penn State from 1991-95.

Paul Ferraro - ex-St. Louis Rams Linebackers Coach

Defensive coordinator at Rutgers from 2001-04, Schiano's first four years as head coach.

Marwan Maalouf - Baltimore Ravens Assistant Special Teams Coach

Worked on the Rutgers staff under Schiano in 2002 and '03.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Temple Offensive Coordinator

Scot Loeffler left the Temple staff to become the new offensive coordinator at Auburn. Also, Zach Smith took the receivers opening at Ohio State. With two openings on staff, the first priority is to find the next offensive coordinator. Here are a few names who may be in the mix as potential candidates:

Karl Dorrell - ex-Miami Dolphins Quarterbacks Coach

Offensive coordinator at Washington in 1999 after four seasons as the OC at Colorado. He also coached receivers at Colorado in 1992 and '93. Chuck Heater was on the Colorado staff from 1993-98 and went, along with Dorrell, to Washington in '99.

Kirk Ciarrocca - ex-Richmond Quarterbacks Coach

Offensive coordinator at Delaware from 2002-07. He worked with Ben Albert, who was the LB coach at Delaware in 2006 and '07.
Graduated from Temple and began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at Temple in 1990 and '91.

Brian White - Florida Running Backs Coach

TE coach at Florida in 2009 and '10, where he worked on staff with Steve Addazio, Chuck Heater, Justin Frye, and Sean Cronin.
Graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 1988 and '89, when Heater was the DB coach for the Fighting Irish.

Lester Erb - Iowa Running Backs/Special Teams Coach

Assistant at Syracuse from 1994-96. Steve Addazio was the TE coach at Syracuse in 1995 and '96 before taking over the offensive line in 1997.
Played WR at Bucknell from 1987-90. Director of football operations Ed Foley played OL at Bucknell from 1985-88.

Mark Carney - Bowling Green Wide Receivers Coach

QB coach at Richmond from 2004-07, where he spent one year on staff with Ben Albert, who coached the Spiders' defensive line and special teams in '04.
Played QB at Fordham from 1998-2001 and joined the coaching staff as QB coach in 2002 and '03. Ed Foley was the offensive coordinator at Fordham from 1999-2003.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Oregon Head Coach

Chip Kelly has left to become the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here are our potential candidates to replace him at Oregon:

Chris Petersen - Boise State Head Coach

WR coach at Oregon from 1995-2000.

James Franklin - Vanderbilt Head Coach

WR coach at Maryland from 2000-04. Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens was the associate AD at Maryland from 1996-2002.

Mark Helfrich - Oregon Offensive Coordinator

OC at Oregon since 2009.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Cincinnati Defensive Coordinator

Tim Banks has left the Cincinnati staff to take a position as defensive coordinator at Illinois. Butch Jones has said that he will promote from within, but has yet to decide between DL coach Steve Stripling, LB coach John Jancek, or DB coach Kerry Coombs. Regardless of who is promoted, a new position coach will need to be hired, the question is what position that will be. Here are some possibilities to fill the opening on the Bearcats staff:

DEFENSIVE LINE COACH

(If Steve Stripling is promoted to Defensive Coordinator)

Eli Rasheed - Toledo Defensive Line Coach

Played defensive line at Indiana from 1991-95. His position coach was Steve Stripling.

Ted Daisher - Bryant University Defensive Backs Coach

DL coach at Indiana from 1998-2000, where he worked on staff with TJ Weist, who was the Hoosiers WR coach from 1997-2001.
DL coach at Cincinnati from 1989-92.
DL coach at Northern Illinois from 1980-84. He worked on staff with Stripling for four of those seasons.

Larry McDaniel - Bowling Green Defensive Line Coach

Began his coaching career as a strength & conditioning coach at Indiana in 1996 and became a graduate assistant in '97. He worked with Steve Stripling in '96 and TJ Weist in '97.
Played DL at Indiana from 1989-92. Stripling was his position coach.

LINEBACKERS COACH

(If John Jancek is promoted to Defensive Coordinator)

Mike Cox - ex-Washington Linebackers Coach

LB coach at Michigan State from 2003-06. Steve Stripling was the Spartans defensive line coach in 2003 and '04.
LB coach at Louisville from 1998-2002. Stripling was on the Louisville staff as DL coach in 2001 and '02.

Jay Hopson - ex-Memphis Defensive Coordinator

DB coach at Marshall from 1996-2000, where he worked on staff with Dave Johnson for four seasons.

George Ricumstrict - Central Missouri Linebackers/Special Teams Coach

Coached linebackers and special teams at Central Michigan from 2000-03, where he worked on staff with Butch Jones, Mike Bajakian, and John Jancek.

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH
(If Kerry Coombs is promoted to Defensive Coordinator)

Willie Martinez - ex-Oklahoma Defensive Backs Coach

DB coach at Georgia from 2001-09, including five seasons as defensive coordinator. Dave Johnson was on the Bulldogs staff from 2001-07 as TE coach and John Jancek was the LB coach from 2005-09.
DB coach at Central Michigan from 1998-2000, where he worked on staff with Butch Jones as well as one season with Don Mahoney.
Defensive coordinator at Central Florida in 1995 and '96. John Jancek was his defensive line coach in '95.

Joe Danna - Miami Dolphins Assistant Defensive Backs Coach

Coached at Central Michigan from 2002-05 and was a graduate assistant for the Chippewas in 1999 and 2000 after playing for the team from 1995-98. He worked with Butch Jones, Mike Bajakian, and John Jancek during his time at CMU and Don Mahoney was on staff during Danna's playing career.
Graduate assistant at Georgia in 2001, where he worked on staff with Dave Johnson, who was the Bulldogs TE coach.

Mike Dietzel - Buffalo Safeties Coach

Coached linebackers and special teams at Western Kentucky from 2003-06 before taking over as defensive coordinator from 2007-09. TJ Weist was the Hilltoppers WR coach from 2002-09, including four seasons as offensive coordinator.
Graduate assistant at Michigan in 1989 and '90. Weist joined the Wolverines staff as WR coach in 1990.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Northern Illinois Offensive Coordinator, Linebackers Coach

Going into his second season as head coach at Northern Illinois, Dave Doeren will have three new members of his coaching staff. Eddie Faulkner left for Pitt, and he has already been replaced by Frisman Jackson, who was the WR coach at Akron. Matt Canada took the offensive coordinator job at Wisconsin and LB coach Tom Matukewicz became the defensive coordinator at Toledo. Here are our potential replacements for the two remaining openings on the Huskies staff:

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Mike Dunbar - ex-New Mexico State Offensive Coordinator

Head coach at Northern Iowa from 1997-2000, where he worked with Jay Niemann, who was an assistant on his staff and was his defensive coordinator in 1999 and 2000.

Grant Heard - Ole Miss Wide Receivers Coach

Graduate assistant at Ole Miss in 2005 and '06, where he worked with Ryan Nielsen, who was the Rebels defensive line coach from 2005-07.
Just returned to his alma mater when Hugh Freeze was hired, but may be lured away if given the chance to be a coordinator.

Luke Swan - Wisconsin Graduate Assistant

Played receiver at Wisconsin from 2004-08. Dave Doeren was on staff at Wisconsin from 2006-10.
Wouldn't be hired as offensive coordinator, as he is only at the beginning his coaching career. He could fit in as WR coach, if Bob Cole were to be promoted to offensive coordinator and shift over to QB coach.

LINEBACKERS COACH

Randall McCray - ex-Pitt Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coach

Coached at Wisconsin from 2006-09, working with Dave Doeren each of those four seasons.

David Corrao - ex-Miami Dolphins Assistant Linebackers Coach

LB coach at Ole Miss in 2007 after working as a graduate assistant with the team in 2005 and '06. Ryan Nielsen was the Rebels DL coach from 2005-07.

Fred Pagac - Texas A&M-Commerce Linebackers Coach

Played linebacker at Ohio State from 1999-2003. Richard McNutt played DB for the Buckeyes from 1999-2002.

Other names in consideration:

Charlie Camp, ex-Akron
Craig Aukerman, ex-Jaguars

Iowa State Defensive Backs Coach

Bobby Elliott has left the Iowa State staff to take a position at Notre Dame. Here are three names to keep an eye on as a potential replacement:

Troy Douglas - ex-North Carolina Defensive Backs Coach

DB coach at South Florida from 2006-08, where he worked with Wally Burnham, who was the defensive coordinator at USF from 2000-08.

Chris Thurmond - Rice Cornerbacks Coach

Coached cornerbacks at Texas A&M from 2003-05, at Alabama in 2001 and '02, coached DBs at TCU from 1998-2000, and at Oklahoma in 1996 and '97. At each of these stops, he worked on staff with Kenith Pope.

Aaron Alford - ex-Utah Director of High School Relations

DB coach at Akron from 2004-06, where he worked on staff with Bill Bleil, who coached running backs at Akron in 2005 and '06.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Kansas State Defensive Coordinator

Chris Cosh is leaving Kansas State to take the defensive coordinator job as South Florida. Here are three potential replacements for the position:

Matt Wallerstedt - Air Force Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

LB coach at Kansas State in 2006 and '07, working on staff with both Mo Latimore and Sean Snyder.
Played linebacker for the Wildcats from 1984-87 and stayed on as a student assistant in '88. Dana Dimel was a teammate of Wallerstedt for three years before Dimel joined the coaching staff in 1987.

Brent Venables - Oklahoma Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

LB coach at Kansas State from 1996-98 after starting as a graduate assistant (93-95). He also played linebacker for the Wildcats from 1990-92. During his time as a player and coach, he worked with seven of the nine coaches currently on staff, including Bill Snyder, who was his head coach.

Larry Coyer - ex-Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator

LB coach at UCLA from 1987-89. Tom Hayes was the defensive coordinator at UCLA from 1982-88.
Defensive coordinator at Iowa from 1974-77. Hayes joined the Hawkeyes staff in 1977, as did Del Miller.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Boise State Coaching Openings

Brent Pease has left to become the new offensive coordinator at Florida and special teams coach Jeff Choate left to join Mike Leach's staff at Washington State. Robert Prince has been promoted to offensive coordinator, but the Broncos will still need a QB coach. Here are our potential candidates to fill the open spots on staff:

QUARTERBACKS COACH

Mike Sanford - Stanford Running Backs Coach

Played quarterback at Boise State from 2000-04. Chris Petersen was his offensive coordinator for four years and he played with Scott Huff, who was an offensive lineman for the Broncos.

Mike Johnson - ex-UCLA Offensive Coordinator

QB coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 2003-05. Robert Prince was an offensive assistant with the Falcons from 2004-06.

Akili Smith - Cal Administrative Assistant

Played quarterback at Oregon from 1995-98. Chris Petersen was the Ducks WR coach from 1995-2000 and Damon Griffin was one of Smith's teammates.

SPECIAL TEAMS COACH

Pete Alamar - ex-Fresno State Tight Ends/Special Teams Coach

Coached tight ends and special teams at Cal from 2003-09, where he worked on staff with Bob Gregory.

Dennis McKnight - Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) Running Backs Coach

Special teams coach at Hawaii in 1999 and 2000, where he coached Keith Bhonapha.

Byron Storer - ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant Special Teams Coach

Played at Cal from 2002-06, where Bob Gregory was one of his coaches.