The Coaching Tree

Thursday, January 13, 2011

LSU Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach

Gary Crowton has left LSU to become the new offensive coordinator on Randy Edsall's staff at Maryland. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Billy Gonzales - LSU Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator

Has a very good chance to be promoted to offensive coordinator. If that happens, Les Miles will still need to fill the opening with a quarterbacks coach.

David Reaves - New Mexico Quarterbacks Coach/Passing Game Coordinator

QB coach at Tennessee in 2009, where he worked with Frank Wilson, who coached receivers.
Coached at South Carolina from 2003-08, working his way up from graduate assistant to safeties coach to quarterbacks coach. Ron Cooper coached at South Carolina from 2004-08.

Tim Salem - Central Florida Tight Ends/Special Teams Coach

QB coach at Ohio State from 1997-2000. Greg Studrawa was a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes in '97.
Coached running backs at Colorado State in 1990 and '91. Billy Gonzales was a freshman wide receiver at CSU in 1991.
Was interviewed last off-season for the TE coaching job at LSU, which ultimately went to Steve Ensminger.

Morris Watts - ex-Miami (Ohio) Offensive Coordinator

Offensive coordinator at Mississippi State in 2003. Ron Cooper was the team's defensive coordinator the same year.
Offensive coordinator at LSU from 1995-98 in his second stint in Baton Rouge. He was the QB coach for the Tigers in 1983.

Jeff Horton - ex-Minnesota Offensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach

QB coach at Wisconsin from 1999-2005. Ron Cooper was the Badgers' defensive backs coach in 2002.
Graduate assistant at Minnesota in 1984, where he worked with Cooper, who was also a GA with the Gophers.

Randy Sanders - Kentucky Offensive Coordinator

Offensive coordinator at Tennessee from 1999-2005 after serving as a position coach with the volunteers from 1989-98. John Chavis was the LB coach at Tennessee from 1989-94 before becoming defensive coordinator (1995-2008).

Pep Hamilton - Stanford Wide Receivers Coach

QB coach for the Chicago Bears from 2007-09. Brick Haley was the Bears' defensive line coach in 2007 and '08.

San Diego Chargers Defensive Coordinator

Ron Rivera has left the Chargers to become the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Rob Ryan - ex-Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator from 2004-08. Norv Turner was the head coach of the Raiders in 2004 and '05, and Don Johnson coached the Raiders defensive line in 2007 and '08.

Dave Wannstedt - ex-Pitt Head Coach

Miami Dolphins head coach from 2000-04. Norv Turner was his offensive coordinator in 2002 and '03.
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator from 1989-92. Turner was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator in 1991 and '92.
Defensive coordinator at Miami from 1986-88. Rob Chudzinski and Mike Sullivan both played at Miami from 1986-90.
Defensive line coach at USC from 1983-85. Turner coached at USC from 1976-84.

Chuck Pagano - Baltimore Ravens Defensive Backs Coach

Oakland Raiders defensive backs coach in 2005 and '06. Norv Turner was the Raiders' head coach in 2004 and '05.
Cleveland Browns defensive backs coach from 2001-04. Mike Sullivan was the Browns' assistant offensive line coach from 2001-04 and Rob Chudzinski joined the staff as TE coach in 2004.
Defensive backs and special teams coach at Miami from 1995-2000, where he was on staff with Chudzinski for all six years and with Sullivan for one season.
Defensive coordinator at UNLV in 1990 and '91, where he worked with his brother, John, who is the linebackers coach for the Chargers.
Graduate assistant at Miami in 1986, which was Chudzinski and Sullivan's freshman seasons with the Hurricanes.
GA at USC in 1984 and '85. Norv Turner was the Trojans' offensive coordinator in 1984.

Mike Nolan - Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator

San Francisco 49ers head coach from 2005-08. Norv Turner was his offensive coordinator in 2006 before taking the Chargers job.
Washington Redskins defensive coordinator from 1997-99 under Turner, who was the Redskins' head coach from 1994-2000.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

NC State Running Backs Coach

Jason Swepson has left North Carolina State to become the new head coach at Elon College. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Andre Powell - ex-Clemson Running Backs/Special Teams Coach

RB coach at North Carolina from 2001-06. Jon Tenuta was the UNC defensive coordinator in 2001.

Earle Mosley - ex-Kansas Running Backs Coach

RB coach at Stanford in 1997 and '98. Dana Bible was the offensive coordinator at Stanford in 1997.
RB coach at Rutgers from 1980-83. Jerry Petercuskie was the linebackers coach at Rutgers in 1983.

KiJuan Ware - ex-Miami (Ohio) Running Backs Coach

Offensive intern at Notre Dame in 2008. Jon Tenuta coached linebackers at Notre Dame in 2008 before becoming defensive coordinator in '09.

Bill Durkin - Bowling Green Offensive Line Coach

Assistant at Richmond from 1997-2007, working with running backs from 2000-03. Mike Reed was the defensive backs coach at Richmond in 2000 and '01.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Arizona Cardinals Defensive Coordinator

Bill Davis has been fired as defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals after two seasons leading Ken Whisenhunt's defense. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Todd Bowles - Miami Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach

Dallas Cowboys DB coach from 2005-07. Freddie Kitchens was the Cowboys' TE coach in 2006.
New York Jets DB coach in 2000, when Ken Whisenhunt coached the Jets tight ends.
Played for the Washington Redskins from 1986-90 and again in 1992 and '93. Whisenhunt played for the Redskins in 1989 and '90 and Russ Grimm played there from 1981-91 before becoming an assistant coach in 1992. Grimm coached in Washington from 1992-2000.

Mike Nolan - Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator

Assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2001-04. Donnie Henderson coached the Ravens defensive backs from 1999-2003.
Defensive coordinator for the New York Jets in 2000, when Ken Whisenhunt was the tight ends coach.
Defensive coordinator for the Redskins from 1997-99, When Russ Grimm was the team's offensive line coach.

Tim Lewis - Atlanta Falcons Defensive Backs Coach

Assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1995-2003, becoming the defensive coordinator in 2000. Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Miller, Russ Grimm, and Kevin Spencer were each on the Steelers staff with Lewis at some point.
Played at Pitt from 1979-82, where he played with Russ Grimm for two seasons.

Darren Perry - Green Bay Packers Defensive Backs Coach

Coached defensive backs for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2003-06, where he worked with Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Miller, Russ Grimm, Matt Raich, and Kevin Spencer.
Played safety at Penn State from 1988-91. John McNulty was also a safety at Penn State, where he played from 1988-90.

Greg Manusky - San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator

Played for the Washington Redskins from 1988-90, where he was a teammate to Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm.

Bob Slowik - Washington Redskins Defensive Backs Coach

Coached the Denver Broncos defensive backs in 2005 and '06 before taking over as defensive coordinator in 2007 and '08. His son Ryan, who is a defensive quality control assistant for the Cardinals, was a defensive assistant with the Broncos from 2005-08.
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator in 1999, when Ken Whisenhunt was the Browns' special teams coach.

Jerry Gray - Seattle Seahawks Defensive Backs Coach

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator in 2004 and '05. Mike Miller was the Bills TE coach from 2004-05.

Memphis Running Backs Coach

Sedrick Irvin was fired after his first season as running backs coach at Memphis. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Wardell Smith - Omaha Nighthawks (UFL) Running Backs Coach

East Carolina RB coach from 2005-09. Don Yanowsky coached tight ends and special teams at ECU in 2006.
RB coach at Illinois State in 1998 and '99. Galen Scott played linebacker at Illinois State from 1997-2000 before becoming and assistant coach at the school.

Alex Gerke - ex-Utah State Offensive Line Coach

Coached at Utah State in 2009 and '10. Kevin McGivern was the quarterbacks coach at Utah State in '09.
Offensive line coach at Weber State in 2006 and '07, where McGivern was the offensive coordinator from 2006-08.

Jamaal Fobbs - Tennessee-Chattanooga Running Backs Coach

Graduate assistant at LSU in 2005, which was Larry Porter's first year as RB coach at LSU.

Jerry McManus - Kent State Running Backs/Special Teams Coach

RB coach at East Carolina from 1996-2004. Don Yanowsky coached the defensive line at ECU in 2001 and '02.

Western Michigan Wide Receivers Coach

Mike Grant has left Western Michigan to become the running backs coach on Dan McCarney's staff at North Texas. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Kirk Ciarrocca - ex-Rutgers Offensive Coordinator

Offensive coordinator at Delaware from 2002-07. Defensive coordinator Dave Cohen was the defensive coordinator at Delaware from 2002-05.

Mark Carney - Bowling Green Wide Receivers Coach

Played quarterback at Fordham from 1998-2001. Dave Cohen was the defensive coordinatro at Fordham from 1999-2001 and safeties coach Rich Nagy coached at Fordham from 1998-2000.

Greg Peterson - Northern Colorado Offensive Coordinator

Wide receivers coach at Kansas State from 1995-2005. Bob Stanley was the offensive line coach at Kansas State from 2003-05 and was a graduate assistant for the Wildcats in 2000 and '01.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Northwestern Wide Receivers Coach

Kevin Johns has left Northwestern to become the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator on Kevin Wilson's new staff at Indiana. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Gregg Brandon - Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL) Tight Ends Coach

Head coach at Bowling Green from 2003-08. Mick McCall was his on his staff from 2003 until coming to Northwestern in 2008.
WR coach at Colorado in 1999 and 2000. Pat Fitzgerald was the Buffaloes linebackers coach in '99.
WR coach at Northwestern from 1992-98. Was on staff with Jerry Brown, and Fitzgerald played for the Wildcats from 1993-96.

Zach Azzanni - ex-Florida Wide Receivers Coach

WR coach at Bowling Green from 2003-06. Mick McCall was the quarterbacks coach before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2007.

Dino Babers - Baylor Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coach

Offensive coordinator at Texas A&M in 2001 and '02. Mike Hankwitz was the defensive coordinator at A&M from 1997-02.
Coached receivers at Arizona from 1995-97 before becoming the offensive coordinator, a role he held from 1998-2000. Marty Long was the defensive line coach at Arizona from 1996-2002.

Conroy Hines - ex-North Texas Wide Receivers Coach

Coached at Louisiana Tech from 1992-2009, serving as offensive coordinator from 2001-06. Randy Bates was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 1999-2005.

Other names in consideration: Steve Watson, ex-Minnesota; Steve Bird, South Florida; Dan Ferrigno, San Diego State; Joe Pannunzio, ex-Miami.