Monday, January 9, 2012

USF Defensive Coordinator


Mark Snyder has left USF to become the new defensive coordinator at Texas A&M under Kevin Sumlin.  There is a possibility that Rick Smith could be promoted to defensive coordinator.  He was three years of coordinator experience, two at Louisiana Tech and one at Cincinnati.  If he is hired, USF will still need to fill the LB coach position that Snyder coached along with his coordinator responsibilities.  Here are a few possible replacements that we could see joining the staff: 


Greg Hudson - Florida State Linebackers Coach
  • Defensive coordinator at East Carolina from 2005-09 under head coach Skip Holtz.
  • LB coach at Cincinnati from 1997-2000.  Rick Smith was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati in 2000.  
  • OL coach at UConn from 1994-96.  Holtz was the head coach at UConn from 1994-98.
  • Graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 1993, Holtz' last year as the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame.
  • Played for the Fighting Irish from 1986-89.  Holtz played WR for the team in '89.


Rick Kaczenski - Nebraska Defensive Line Coach
  • Graduate assistant at South Carolina from 1999-2001, where Skip Holtz was the Gamecocks offensive coordinator and Todd Fitch was the WR coach.
  • Played offensive line at Notre Dame from 1993-96.  Skip Holtz was the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame in 1992 and '93.
  • Just left Iowa for the DL job at Nebraska.  Was the main Florida recruiter for the Hawkeyes and may be willing to come to USF if offered the defensive coordinator position.
  • If hired, expect Vernon Hargreaves to move to LB coach.


Brian Jean-Mary - Louisville Linebackers Coach
  • Graduate assistant at South Carolina in 2001 and '02, where he worked on staff with Skip Holtz and Todd Fitch.


Ron West - ex-Illinois Outside Linebackers Coach
  • OL coach at Tulane in 1997 and '98, where Rick Smith was the DB coach.
  • If hired, it would likely be as LB coach, with Rick Smith being promoted to defensive coordinator.

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