The Coaching Tree

Monday, February 13, 2012

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.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Colorado State Defensive Coordinator

Jim McElwain has almost completed his coaching staff as he enters his first season as head coach at Colorado State. The only remaining hire is at defensive coordinator. Here is a look at some potential candidates to fill that role:

Kevin Steele - ex-Clemson Defensive Coordinator

Defensive coordinator at Clemson from 2009-11. He spent two seasons on staff with Billy Napier, who was the offensive coordinator at Clemson in 2009 and '10.
Defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007 and '08. Jim McElwain came to Bama as offensive coordinator in 2008.
Head coach at Baylor from 1999-2002. Dave Baldwin was his offensive coordinator in 2002.

Tim Hundley - ex-UCLA Defensive Backs Coach

DB coach at UCLA from 2009-11. Alvis Whitted was an offensive assistant with the Bruins this past season.
Defensive coordinator at UTEP from 2004-07, where he worked with Tim Duffie, who coached linebackers and safeties for the when he worked with Hundley.

Steve Stripling - Cincinnati Defensive Line Coach

DL coach at Michigan State in 2003 and '04, where he worked on staff with Jim McElwain, who coached receivers and special teams, as well as Dave Baldwin, who was the Spartans offensive coordinator.
DL coach at Louisville in 2001 and '02. McElwain coached receivers and special teams at Louisville from 2000-02.

Chris Smeland - Army Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach

Defensive coordinator at Michigan State from 2003-06, where he worked on staff with Jim McElwain and Dave Baldwin.
Defensive coordinator at Louisville from 1998-2002. He worked with McElwain for three seasons on that staff.

Nick Holt - ex-Washington Defensive Coordinator

DL coach at Louisville from 1998-2000. His last year at Louisville was Jim McElwain's first on staff as WR/special teams coach.

Auburn Cornerbacks Coach

Phillip Lolley has been reassigned from coaching Auburn's cornerbacks to an off-the-field role with the team. Here are some potential candidates to replace him on the Tigers staff:

Willie Martinez - ex-Oklahoma Defensive Backs Coach

DB coach at Georgia from 2001-04, when Brian VanGorder was the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator.
DB coach at Central Michigan from 1998-2000 under VanGorder, who was the DC in 1998 and '99. Scot Loeffler was on the CMU staff in 2000 and '01 as QB coach.
Defensive coordinator Central Florida in 1995 and '96. VanGorder was his LB coach.

Mark Collins - Atlanta Falcons Defensive Assistant

Worked under Brian VanGorder the last two seasons with the Falcons.
LB coach at Georgia Southern in 2006, where VanGorder was the head coach.
Graduate assistant at Michigan in 2003 and '04, where he worked on staff with Scot Loeffler, who was the Wolverines' QB coach.

Jeff Koonz - Louisiana Tech - Linebackers Coach

DB coach at Iowa State in 2007 and '08, where he worked on staff with Gene Chizik as well as Jay Boulware and Mike Pelton.
Graduate assistant at Texas in 2005 and '06 under Gene Chizik, who was the Longhorns defensive coordinator.
GA at Auburn in 2004 after starting his coaching career as a student assistant for the Tigers. Chizik was the DC at Auburn from 2002-04.