The Coaching Tree: February 2012

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

LSU Defensive Backs Coach

Ron Cooper has left the LSU staff to become the new defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here are some possibilities for potential replacements to fill the Tiger's open position on staff:

Larry Slade - Louisville Defensive Backs Coach

Joined the Louisville staff in 2009, Steve Kragthorpe's last year as head coach.
DB coach at Tennessee from 1999-2008, where he worked on staff with John Chavis, who was the Vols' defensive coordinator.
DB coach at Texas A&M from 1994-98. Steve Ensminger was the offensive coordinator at A&M from 1994-96 and Steve Kragthorpe was on the Aggies staff from 1997-2000.

Corey Raymond - Nebraska Defensive Backs Coach

Began his coaching career as a graduate assistant as LSU from 2006-08.
Played DB at LSU from 1988-91.

Lance Guidry - Western Kentucky Defensive Coordinator

Defensive coordinator at McNeese State from 2000-04, where he worked on staff with new LSU WR coach Adam Henry.
Played DB at McNeese State from 1990-93, where he played four years with Henry, who was a WR on the team.
Is a native of Welsh, LA. He may be known better recently as the father of former Tennessee DB Janzen Jackson.

Mike Mallory - New Orleans Saints Assistant Defensive Backs Coach

DB coach at Louisville in 2007, Steve Kragthorpe's first year as head coach.
Mike's brother, Doug, coached DBs at LSU and Oklahoma State under Les Miles and played at Michigan, where Miles was an assistant Doug's senior season. Another brother, Curt, played at Michigan while Miles was on the Wolverines staff.

Grady Brown - South Carolina Defensive Backs Coach

Worked at LSU in 2009 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. Brown played for and coached with Ron Cooper at Alabama A&M. Obviously Cooper is gone now, but that's the connection that brought Brown to LSU in '07.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Ohio State Cornerbacks Coach

Bill Sheridan has left the Ohio State staff after a very short stint with the program. He left to become the defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sheridan came to OSU after Taver Johnson left for a job at Arkansas in mid-January. Here are some potential candidates to fill the opening on the Buckeyes staff:

Richard McNutt - Northern Illinois Cornerbacks Coach

Played at Ohio State from 1999-2002.
McNutt has strong Ohio ties. In addition to playing for the Buckeyes, he has spent time coaching at Toledo, Kent State, and the Cleveland Browns.

Paul Nichols - ex-Toledo Defensive Pass Coordinator/Safeties Coach

Started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2004 and '05, working on the Buckeyes staff along with Luke Fickell.

Aaron Alford - Utah Director of High School Relations

Played DB at Colorado State from 1992-95. Urban Meyer was the WR coach at CSU from 1990-95.
Began his coaching career at Kent State in 1998 and also spent three seasons ('04-06) as DB coach at Akron.

Ronnie Lee - ex-Minnesota Defensive Coordinator

Was on staff at Minnesota from 2007-10. In '07, he worked with Everett Withers, who was the Gophers defensive coordinator for one season before going to North Carolina.
DB coach at Colorado State from 1993-2000. He spent three years on staff with Urban Meyer, who was the Rams WR coach.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Kentucky Wide Receivers Coach

Tee Martin has left after two years on Joker Phillips staff to become the new receivers coach at USC. Here are some potential candidates to fill the opening on the Wildcats staff:

Pat Washington - East Carolina Wide Receivers Coach

WR coach at Mississippi State in 2007 and '08, where he worked on staff with David Turner, who was the team's DL coach from 2007-09.
WR coach at 1995-2005. Randy Sanders was on the Vols staff from 1989-2005, including seven seasons as offensive coordinator.

Gerad Parker - Marshall Wide Receivers Coach

Spent the 2011 season on the Marshall staff along with new Kentucky DB coach Mike Cassity.
Began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kentucky after playing for the Wildcats from 2001-04.

Thomas Woods - ex-Tulane Wide Receivers Coach

Played receiver at Tennessee from 1985-89. Randy Sanders was a QB for the Vols from 1984-88 and stayed on as an assistant with the team starting in '89.

Steve Bird - USF Program Assistant

Worked as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1992 after two years as a GA at Kentucky. During his time at UK, he worked on staff with Joker Phillips and he worked with Randy Sanders durin his year at Tennessee.

Pitt Running Backs Coach

Eddie Faulkner has left the Pitt coaching staff after a brief stint to take a position at Wisconsin. Here are some potential candidates to fill the opening on the Panthers staff:

Wayne Moses - ex-UCLA Running Backs Coach

Spent the 2011 season on staff at UCLA with new Pitt DL coach Inoke Breckterfield.
RB coach at Pitt in 2004.

Cornell Jackson - Purdue Running Backs Coach

RB coach at New Mexico from 2004-06. Bob Bostad was the OL coach at New Mexico from 1999-2005.

Gerald Carr - Virginia Destroyers (UFL) Running Backs Coach

Offensive coordinator at Buffalo from 2006-09, where he spent two seasons on staff with new Pitt DB coach Matt House.

Ken Browning - ex-North Carolina Running Backs Coach

Was part of the North Carolina staff from 1994-2011. Dave Huxtable was the defensive coordinator at UNC from 2001-03.

Steve Logan - ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Backs Coach

Was on staff at East Carolina from 1989-2002, including 11 seasons as head coach. Dave Huxtable was the DL coach at ECU in 1998 and '99 and coached the team's linebackers and special teams in 1990 and '91.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Air Force Running Backs Coach

Des Kitchings has left the Air Force staff after one season to become the new running backs coach at NC State. Here are some potential candidates to fill the opening on the Falcon's coaching staff:

Gerald Carr - Virginia Destroyers (UFL) Running Backs Coach

QB coach at Indiana in 2001, where he worked on staff with Ron Burton.
QB coach at North Carolina from 1992-94. Burton was a graduate assistant for the Tar Heels in 1992 and '93.
RB Coaching Experience:

Davidson, 1983-85
Kentucky, 2002
Baylor, 2003-05

Chris Barclay - Wake Forest Graduate Assistant

Has worked on the Wake Forest staff the past two seasons. He could reunite with Steve Russ, who just came to Air Force after four years at WF.
Played RB at Wake Forest from 2002-05. Brad White played LB at Wake from 2001-03 and Matt Weikert was a graduate assistant from 2002-04.
RB Coaching Experience:

New York Sentinels (UFL), 2009

Greg Forest - Buffalo State Offensive Coordinator

WR coach at Grand Valley State from 1993-2003. He spent one season on staff with Ron Burton, who coached the DL at GVSU in 2002.
RB Coaching Experience:

Central Michigan, 2004-06

Texas A&M Defensive Line Coach

Terrell Williams has left the Texas A&M staff to become the new defensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders. Here are a few possible candidates to fill the opening on the Aggies staff:

Jim Heacock - ex-Ohio State Defensive Coordinator

Replaced Mark Snyder as defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2005 when Snyder became head coach at Marshall. Prior to that, Heacock worked on staff with Snyder as DL coach for four seasons.

DJ Eliot - Florida State Defensive Ends Coach

DL coach at Rice from 2007-09. In '07 he worked on staff with David Beaty, who was the team's WR coach.
Graduate assistant at Wyoming in 1999 after playing LB for the team from 1995-98. Matt Wallerstedt was the DL coach at Wyoming from 1997-2002.

Buddy Wyatt - Kansas Defensive Line Coach

Spent the 2011 season as defensive coordinator at Kansas, where he worked on staff with David Beaty.
Has had two stints already as DL coach at Texas A&M, first from 2000-02 and again in 2008 and '09.
DL coach at Minnesota from 1993-95. Kevin Sumlin was the Gophers WR coach from 1993-96.

Fred Pagac - Texas A&M - Commerce Defensive Line Coach

Played LB at Ohio State from 1999-2003. Mark Snyder was his defensive coordinator his final three seasons with the Buckeyes.
Not the most experienced coach, but a good fallback candidate at such a late time to find a new coach.

Other names in consideration:

Craig Naivar, Texas State Defensive Coordinator

Spent two years on staff at Rice with David Beaty.

Ron Burton, Air Force Defensive Line Coach

Worked with Matt Wallerstedt the last four seasons at Air Force.

Romeo Bandison, ex-Colorado Defensive Line Coach

Former DL coach at Boise State, spending three years on staff with Marcel Yates.

George Barlow, ex-New Mexico Defensive Coordinator

Played DB at Marshall with Mark Snyder; has coached DL at James Madison.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Idaho Running Backs Coach

With Luther Carr leaving the staff and Jason Gesser moving to QB coach, the Vandals need someone to coach running backs. Here are some potential candidates to fill the open position:

Dave Ungerer - ex-Washington State Running Backs/Special Teams Coach

Spent the last two seasons on the Washington State staff with new Idaho OC Mike Levenseller.

Joe Wade - Fresno State Running Backs Coach

RB coach at Eastern Washington from 2000-08, including one season as offensive coordinator. He spent one year on staff with Torey Hunter and three years with Eti Ena.
Was retained by Tim DeRuyter at Fresno State. He probably won't leave, but being the lone holdover from the previous staff, there is a slight chance he may choose to start fresh somewhere else.

Al Pupunu - Idaho Tight Ends Coach

Came to Idaho after two years as RB coach at Southern Utah.
If moved to RB coach, one of the OL coach candidates such as Mitch Browning or Rich Rasmussen could fill the opening as TE coach.

San Jose State Offensive Coordinator

John DeFilippo has left San Jose State to join the Raiders as their new quarterbacks coach. Here are some possible candidates to fill the opening for the Spartans offensive coordinator position:

Mike Sanford - ex-Louisville Offensive Coordinator

Head coach at UNLV from 2005-09. Gary Bernardi was his TE coach and Andy Larussa was a graduate assistant with the Rebels from 2005-08.
WR coach at USC from 1989-96. Bernardi coached tight ends and special teams at USC from 1987-92.

Bob Toledo - ex-Tulane Head Coach

Head coach at UCLA from 1996-2002 after spending two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Bruins in 1994 and '95. Gary Bernardi was the TE coach at UCLA from 1993-2003.
Was born and raised in San Jose. He started his college playing career at SJSU in 1964 before transferring to San Jose City College and ultimately went on to become an All-American at division II San Francisco State.

Terry Shea - Virginia Destroyers (UFL) Offensive Coordinator

Head coach at SJSU in 1990 and '91, compiling a 15-6-2 record before leaving for a job at Stanford. Shea was also the offensive coordinator at San Jose State from 1984-86.
Offensive coordinator at Cal from 1987-89, where he worked on staff with Kent Baer, who was the team's defensive coordinator.
Was an assistant at Utah State from 1976-83, where he worked with Baer, who was on the Aggies staff from 77-85.

Idaho Offensive Line Coach

John McDonnell left Idaho to become the offensive line coach at Tulane. Here are some possible candidates to fill the opening on the Vandals staff:

Gordie Shaw - ex-Hawaii Offensive Line Coach

Coached at Minnesota from 1993-2006. Mark Criner was the linebackers and special teams coach at Minnesota in '06.
DL coach at Idaho in 1989.

Steve Morton - ex-Washington State Offensive Line Coach

OL coach at WSU in 2010 and '11, where he worked with new Idaho OC Mike Levenseller.
Played OL at Washington State from 1971-74, and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Cougars in 1975 before being promoted to TE coach in '77. Levenseller played WR at WSU from 1974-77.

Rich Rasmussen - ex-Washington State Tight Ends Coach

Worked with Mike Levenseller on the Washington State staff from 2008-11.
TE coach at Eastern Washington from 1998-2007. Eti Ena coached at EWU from 2003-05.

Michael Christianson - San Francisco 49ers Offensive Quality Control Coach

RB coach at Portland State from 1996-99, where he worked on staff with Mark Criner, who was the team's DB coach and defensive coordinator during Christianson's time there.

Mitch Browning - ex-Akron Offensive Line Coach

TE coach at Minnesota from 1997-2006, including two seasons as offensive coordinator. In his last year with the Gophers he worked on staff with Mark Criner.

USF Wide Receivers Coach

Phil McGeoghan has left USF for a position with the Miami Dolphins. Here are some potential candidates to fill the opening on the Bulls staff:

Dwayne Dixon - Ohio Wide Receivers Coach

WR coach at Florida from 1994-2004. He worked on the Gators staff with Carl Franks, who coached at Florida from 1990-98.
Played WR at Florida and spent three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so the opportunity to come back to Florida may be enough to bring Dixon to USF.

Mike Haywood - ex-Pitt & Miami (Ohio) Head Coach

Head coach at Miami (Ohio) in 2009 and '10. Peter Vaas was his offensive coordinator in '09.
Offensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2005-08. Vaas was the QB coach at Notre Dame in 2005 and '06.
Played at Notre Dame from 1982-86. Skip Holtz was a freshman WR for the Irish in '86.
Is more of a RB coach than receivers, so if hired, expect him to coach the backs and Todd Fitch to shift over to receivers.
Went through some legal issues, being fired shortly after being hired as head coach at Pitt. The domestic battery charges that were filed against him were recently dropped, so it's only a matter of time before he is back on the sidelines somewhere.

Jim Pry - ex-Dartmouth Offensive Coordinator

QB coach at Duke from 2001-03, including two seasons as offensive coordinator under head coach Carl Franks.

Donnie Kirkpatrick - East Carolina Inside Receivers Coach

Coached receivers at ECU under Skip Holtz from 2005-09.