Wednesday January 10, 2018
Longtime college coach Tom Dowling, who was the head coach at Georgetown (KY), Liberty, and Cumberland (KY) sadly passed away recently. Please join us in praying for his family and those affected. Dowling's coaching career spanned 1969-1995.
Houston Texans: The Texans are in negotiations to make Brian Gaine their new GM reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle who adds that Bill O'Brien is also expected to get a new long-term deal soon as well. Gaine, who previously worked for the Texans as director of player personnel from 2014-16, currently serves as Bills VP of Player Personnel.
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers are finalizing a deal to bring Norv Turner to town as offensive coordinator & to bring his son Scott as quarterbacks coach reports ESPN's David Newton. Scott spent this season as an offensive analyst at Michigan; but coached quarterbacks for the Vikings from 2014-16. Scott has also coached with the Browns, Panthers and at Pitt.
Texas Tech: Houston co-defensive coordinator / defensive backs Clay Jennings is joining the Texas Tech staff coaching the defensive backs we are told. Jennings know the state of Texas well, having coached DBs at Houston, Texas, Arkansas, TCU, Baylor, Sam Houston and more....
Indianapolis Colts: Baylor head coach Matt Rhule interviewed for the Colts head job this week reports ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. Rhule previously coached on Tom Coughlin's staff with the Giants in 2012. In his first season at Temple his squad won 2 games. There after, they won 26 in 3 seasons. This year, his Baylor Bears went 1-11 as they begin to rebuild the program.
Houston Texans: The Texans are expected to hire Buffalo Bills vice president of player personnel Brian Gaine as their new GM, per Ian Rapoport.
Oregon State: Jonathan Smith has officially completed his staff with the additions of Greg Burns (secondary), and Michael Pitre (RBs).
Seattle Seahawks: The organization has formally announced that they're parting ways with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell (as reported this morning), and offensive line coach Tom Cable.
Michigan: Newly hired strength coach Ben Herbert has a three-year deal and will make an initial salary of $450,000 plus a signing bonus of $50,000, per Steve Berkowitz. Herbert will make $500,000 in 2019 and 2020 and work with a salary pool of $450,000 for football assistant strength coaches and a nutritionist.
Walsh (D-II - OH): Walsh has promoted associate head coach / co-defensive coordinator, and longtime member of the staff John Fankhauser to the head coaching post. He replaces Dan Pifer, who led the team for one season.
LSU: LSU has formally promoted Steve Ensminger to offensive coordinator.
Mississippi Valley State (FCS): The program is no longer accepting resumes for their open positions. Thanks for the overwhelming interest.
Cincinnati: Former Bearcat and current Bowling Green cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens will return to his alma mater to coach cornerbacks, tweets Chad Brendel of Bearcat Journal.
Washington: San Jose State defensive backs coach Will Harris has joined the staff to work with the Huskies' defensive backs, the program has announced. Harris will be Washington's 10th assistant.
LSU: USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin spoke with LSU about its coordinator job last week but no deal could be reached, according to Scott Wolf of the LA Daily News.
Oakland Raiders: Former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon told 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area that he will not be Jon Gruden's quarterbacks coach in Oakland.
Stanford: Stanford Football looking to hire 1 or 2 GAs for the upcoming year. Interested applicants must apply and GAIN admission to a grad program for consideration. The MLA grad school deadline is Jan 30. Minimum 3.0 undergrad GPA required.
Denver Broncos: Greg Williams has been hired as cornerbacks coach. He was previously the Colts defensive backs coach. This is a different coach than the former Saints and current Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
UCF: Former Baylor running backs coach / passing game coordinatorJeff Lebby is joining the program as quarterbacks coach, and retired NFL offensive lineman Jon Cooper, who was most recently on the Missouri staff as an offensive analyst, will coach the tight ends, per Bradnon Helwig.
UNLV: The University of Nevada, Las Vegas football program is seeking applicants for the position of Graduate Assistant (Defense). Applicants with Defensive coaching and/or playing experience are preferred. Applicants must be able to gain acceptance into a graduate program offered at UNLV. Tuition, books, fees and insurance are paid for by the applicant out of their stipend. Housing and meals are not included. Please send an email to the Director of Football Operations at dennis.slutak@unlv.edu, and attach a cover letter, resume, and references. Inquiries must be received by Friday, January 19th, 2018 at 5:00pm PST for consideration. No phone calls please.
Cleveland Browns: In addition to the hire of Eliot Wolf as assistant GM, the organiation has also added Alonzo Highsmith as VP of player personnel, Ken Kovash is transitioning from VP of player personnel to the strategy department, according to a report from Mary Kay Cabot. The report adds that the Browns have parted ways with senior personnel exec Ryan Grigson, while chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta remains in his current role and three Cheifs scots have been added in Jimmy Noel (assistant director of pro scouting) Matt Donahoe (scout) and Dan Zegers (personnel coordinator). More changes are expected in the analytics department, Cabot adds.
New York Giants: The Giants completed their interview with Eric Studesville for their open head coaching job today. Studesville has spent 17 years in the NFL coaching running backs, including a few seasons with the Giants in the early 2000's.
AFCA: AFCA executive director Todd Berry laid out the organization's legislative agenda during a Wednesday press conference.
Dallas Cowboys: A lot going on right now, but keep this one in the back of your mind: Jason Garrett will not return in 2019 if he does not make the playoffs this upcoming season, reports David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Garrett has one playoff win in seven full seasons as a head coach.
Michigan: Wide receivers coach Dan Enos has signed a 4-year contract with a $150,000 salary -- Enos is still being paid by Arkansas through 2019 -- but will jump to $750,000 should he add a coordinator title, per Nick Baumgardner of the Detroit Free Press. New strength coach Ben Hebert signed a 3-year deal that starts at $450,000 and then raises to $500,000 for the final two years.
Chicago Bears: Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand will coach the offensive line for the Bears, according to multiple reports.
Eastern Michigan: Per source, former Minnesota tight ends coach Rob Reeves is joining the staff as passing game coordinator.
Denver Broncos: In addition to the hires we covered earlier today, the Broncos have also announced the addition of Tom McMahon as special teams coordinator. McMahon spent the past five seasons with the Colts. Bears wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni will join the staff in a similar post, per
Zach Azzanni will be named the Broncos WRs coach, per NFL source. He was the WRs coach for the Bears.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2018
" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Tennessee: Jeremy Pruitt announced most of his staff today, most of which we have previously reported. The coaches and their positions are as follows; Tyson Helton (OC), Kevin Sherrer (DC), Charles Kelly (STC), Will Friend (OL), Robert Gillespie (RBs), Brian Niedermeyer (offensive assistant), Tracy Rocker (DL), Chris Rumph (LBs), Terry Fair (CBs), and Craig Fitzgerald (strength and conditioning). Colorado State: On Monday, we reported that Alabama defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley was leaving to become the defensive coordinator at Colorado State, which was later confirmed by the Denver Post and the Coloradoan. Today, Ian Rapoport tweets Ansley will interview for the Oakland Raiders' defensive backs job. Stay tuned. Oregon: Georgia assistant strength coach Aaron Feld will become Oregon's head strength coach, according to Justin Hopkins. You may remember Feld's mustache.
Florida State: Sources tell FootballScoop that Oregon defensive analyst Alonzo Hampton will join the staff as special teams coordinator and Michigan State defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator Mark Snyder is a strong candidate to come aboard as defensive ends coach.
Denver Broncos: Chris Strausser has been named tackles coach. Strausser spent last season as the assistant offensive line coach and will now work in tandem with Sean Kugler, who will coach the interior offensive line for the Broncos.
Green Bay Packers: The Packers are interviewing former 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil for the linebackers job, per Ian Rapoport.
Iowa: Kirk Ferentz noted today that tight ends coach LeVar Woods will coach all special teams moving forward, freeing up linebackers coach Seth Woods to concentrate more on his duties on the defensive side of the ball.
Alabama: Associate AD for football Ed Marynowitz is not expected to return to Tuscaloosa. More on where he could be going.
Florida A&M (FCS): Ralph Street and Brandon Sharp are joining the staff from Prairie View A&M (FCS), per sources. Street will stay in the same role as defensive coordinator / defensive line coach and Sharp will coach the Nickel backs and serve as defensive pass game coordinator. We understand that those two hires complete the defensive staff.
Missouri: Offensive coordinator Derek Dooley has agreed to a three-year deal paying him a guaranteed salary of $900,000 annually, according to a report from the Post-Dispatch. The report adds that Dooley's salary makes him the highest paid assistant in the history of Missouri football. Dooley's contract expires February 28, 2021 and includes a one-year extension effective February 28, 2019 unless Missouri provides a notice of non-extension by then. If terminated without cause, Dooley would receive his base salary payable in monthly increments until his contract expires, but not beyond 12 months. If Dooley were to leave for another position or a head coaching job in the NFL or Canada he would owe Mizzou monthly installments of his base salary through the end of his deal. Josh Heupel, who was the offensive coordinator the last two seasons, made $700,000 annually at Mizzou.
Atlanta Falcons: Addressing rumors that offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian may be heading west to Seattle to take over their recently opened offensive coordinator job, Dan Quinn noted that there is "zero chance" of that happening, according to Vaughn McClure, who covers the Falcons for ESPN.
Arkansas Tech (D-II): Arkansas Tech has a full-time offensive coordinator position open. Interested candidates can visit this link for more details and how to apply.
Loras (D-III - IA): Loras College is no longer accepting applications for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Thanks to everyone for the overwhelming interest.
Seattle Seahawks: Defensive coordinator Kris Richard would be allowed out of his contract for another opportunity, according to Ian Rapoport. Rap adds that Carroll may benefit from "experiencing something new."
Dallas Cowboys: Offensive line coach Frank Pollard will not return, per a tweet from Alex Marvez.
Saginaw Valley State (D-II - MI): Sources tell FootballScoop that Drew Burton has been hired to coach the offensive line at SVSU. Burton coached at Alma (D-III - MI) the past four seasons as offensive line coach and offensive coordinator.
Mississippi State: As we originally reported back on January 2nd,Georgia special teams analyst Scott Fountain is joining the staff as special teams coordinator. Fountain previously coached the special teams at Auburn and has previous stops at Florida State, UCF, Middle Tennessee, Georgia Southern, and Iowa State.
Texas Wesleyan (NAIA): Per source, Trinity International (NAIA - IL) defensive backs coach / recruiting coordinator Dwayne Taylor Jr. is leaving the staff to join the staff at Texas Wesleyan.
AFCA: The AFCA has elected a new president and three new Board of Directors members.
Cleveland Browns: Eliot Wolf has accepted a position in the Browns front office as assistant GM and agreed to a 4-year deal, per Jason La Canfora. Wolf had previously been with the Packers since 2004, most recently as the director of football operations.
Arizona: We alluded to this last night and are continuing to hear today that Rick Neuheisel is very much in play for the Arizona head job. Stay tuned...
Arkansas: The final members of Chad Morris' defensive staff has been finalized and will consist of Steve Caldwell (DL), Ron Cooper (secondary), John Scott Jr. (DL), Mark Smith (secondary).
Maryland: D.J. Durkin has formally announced the hirings of safeties coach Chuck Heater and offensive line coach Bryan Stinespring.
North Carolina: UNC has announced the hiring of former Tar Heel linebacker Tommy Thigpen to an unspecified post. He previously worked at his alma mater as a GA and also worked as a defensive assistant at Auburn and Tennessee.
Houston Texans: Dallas Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay declined a chance to interview for the Texans GM job, per a tweet from Todd Archer. The Cowboys have since announced this.
Louisiana-Lafayette: Rory Segrest, who spent the past few seasons coaching the defensive line at Arkansas, has joined the staff as defensive line coach.
Notre Dame: Linebackers coach Clark Lea has been promoted to defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Mike Elston has been promoted to associate head coach.
Georgia Southern: Ron Hudson has been announced as the new offensive line coach. Hudson has 25 years of college coaching experience and spent last season coaching the offensive line at Charleston Southern.
San Francisco 49ers: The Niners have announced Ken Norton Jr. as assistant head coach defense / inside linebackers. In addition, Johnny Holland will become the team’s run game specialist / outside linebackers coach and Michael Clay will become an assistant special teams coach.
Cal: Burl Toler III, a former wide receiver at Cal, has been added to the staff and will coach the running backs. Toler coached the receivers at UC-Davis last season, and at Fresno State prior to that.
Temple: Adam DiMichele has formally been added to the staff as their 10th assistant and will be the recruiting coordinator and offensive assistant after serving in an offensive quality control role and recruiting assistant last year.
Incarnate Word (FCS - TX): Kyle Lehman (TX) High School head coach Josh Kirkland will join the Incarnate Word staff, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Kansas City Chiefs: Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy has been named offensive coordinator.
Cincinnati Bengals: Alex Marvez tweets that Utah assistant head coach / offenive line coach Jim Harding has interviewed for the Bengals offensive line job.
Texas A&M: Longtime Oklahoma head strength coach Jerry Schmidt is leaving to accept the same job at Texas A&M, sources tell FootballScoop. The news was first reported by ESPN analyst Dusty Dvoracek.
New York Giants: Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets that all signs point to Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as the new head coach of the Giants. Will update...
Houston Baptist (FCS - TX): Texas Tech offensive graduate assistant Zach Kittley has been hired as quarterbacks coach. Kittley worked with the quarterbacks the past three seasons at Texas Tech and was a volunteer assistant for two years prior to that.
Alderson Broaddus (D-II - WV): Zach Lewis, who spent the past three seasons coaching the quarterbacks and serving as recruiting coordinator at Morehead State (FCS - KY), has been hired as offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach.
Washington State: Darcel McBath has been announced as an assistant coach after serving in a quality control role last season.
Wyoming: Gordie Haug, who has led the team's recruiting efforts the past four seasons, has been hired as the program's 10th assistant and will work with the tailbacks. In addition, Mike Bath will now work with the tight ends and continue to work with the program's fullbacks while Justin Mesa will take on some added responsibilities as the director of recruiting.
Seattle Seahawks: Per an early morning report from Curtis Crabtree, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has been let go after seven seasons.
Rice: Per source, safeties coach Scott Vestal is being retained as a part of Mike Bloomgren's new staff.
TCU: Sources tell FootballScoop thatStephen F. Austin (FCS - TX) running backs coach Jake Brown is leaving for an offensive analyst role at TCU.
Augsburg (D-III - MN): Augsburg University, located near downtown Minneapolis, has an opening for a full time defensive backs coach. Please apply via this link. No phone calls/emails please. Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Other duties are negotiable depending on experience and fit.
West Los Angeles (JC - CA): West Los Angeles CC, located in Culver City, is looking to hire an assistant coach to work with the quarterbacks. The coach's responsibility would require them to begin this off-season to develop the quarterbacks on campus as well, recruit high school quarterbacks. This is a not an offensive coordinator position. Currently, this is a non-paid position but a stipend is being negotiated with the college. If interested please contact coach Miller at millerm@wlac.edu. No phone calls please.
Fitchburg State (D-III - MA): Fitchburg State University has an immediate opening for an assistant coach working on the offensive side of the ball. This is a part-time position and does not include housing or meals. Send resume and cover letter to Jim McGuire at jmcguir8@fitchburgstate.edu. No phone calls, please.
Albany (FCS - NY): Per source, Keith Dudzinski has been promoted to defensive coordinator / associate head coach / linebackers and Nick Sanchez becomes assistant defensive coordinator / cornerbacks coach.
LA Rams: Zac Taylor has been promoted to quarterbacks coach after spending last season as the assistant wide receivers coach. Taylor is entering his sixth season coaching in the NFL ranks.
Green Bay Packers: The Packers are preparing to hire former Browns head coach Mike Pettine as their defensive coordinator, per Adam Schefter.
Arizona State: Special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum is being retained.
LA Chargers: The team has announced that offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will remain with the team in 2018.
Baltimore Ravens: Linebackers coachDon "Wink" Martindale has been promoted to defensive coordinator. Martindale was previously the defensive coordinator for the Broncos in 2010. In addition, Mike MacDonald will serve as linebackers coach, and Sterling Lucas will work in a quality control role with the defense, per Adam Schefter.
Furman (FCS - SC): Former South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw has joined the staff and will coach the tight ends.
Nebraska: Former Nebraska player Barrett Rudd has been named inside linebackers coach.
Cincinnati Bengals: Former Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna has interviewed for a job on Marvin Lewis' staff, presumably working with the quarterbacks, per a report from Alex Marvez. Kitna recently served as the head coach at Waxahachie HS (TX).
Head coaching changes: 2017-18 NFL & college head coaching changes