By: Mike Huesmann
Today we move past the coordinators and look at the guys who get even less recognition, the position coaches. I’ll look at the best position coach hires this offseason. In a departure from the usual lists of 5 or 10, I have decided to do it by position. To qualify for this list, like the coordinator list, they cannot have followed a head coach to their new school. An additional stipulation since they are not coordinators, if they cannot be the offensive or defensive play caller, though some may have a Co-coordinator title. Here are the best position coaching hires by position.
Quarterback: David Gilbertson, Nevada
QB is always the toughest position to pick in this scenario because they usually are also the offensive coordinator but in David Gilbertson we have a coach of top pedigree and experience under good offensive minds. His Dad, Keith, was head coach at Washington, Cal, and Idaho. David spent last season with Joe Moorhead at Akron and before that was at Oregon for 4 seasons. Gilbertson will be pulling double duty coaching QB’s and WR’s. I continue to sing Jeff Choate‘s praises at Nevada HC.
https://twitter.com/NevadaSportsNet/status/1760378910900974044
Running Back: Willie Simmons, Duke
Not so long ago I said Willie Simmons would be an OC or possibly even HC at the FBS level, he was a fantastic hire for new head coach Manny Diaz. Simmons comes from FCS Florida A&M where he was head coach for 6 years and never finished lower than 2nd in the division. He’s a heck of an offensive coach and I expect him to keep rising in the ranks.
https://twitter.com/HBCUSports1/status/1742033055512944893
Wide Receiver: Chad Morris, Texas State
Chad Morris was a failure at Arkansas, but he’s been a good assistant coach at multiple stops and likely gets another shot at being a D1 head coach someday. He comes to San Marcos from Clemson and USF before that. He could be a sneaky good veteran hire for GJ Kinne, and a potential replacement if/when Kinnes gets a P4 job. The Bobcats look to be a Sun Belt contender if they can find a QB. Will it be Morris’ son Chandler?
More Sports News
https://twitter.com/TXSTATEFOOTBALL/status/1752855574004314496
Tight End: Joe Cox, Ole Miss
Joe Cox arrives in Oxford after spending the last two years learning from Nick Saban at Alabama. He also has stops at Charlotte, South Carolina, and Colorado State. This was a good hire by Lane and a guy who has succeeded at the top levels of the SEC.
https://twitter.com/OleMissFB/status/1753131421156467137
Offensive Line: AJ Blazek, Wisconsin
AJ Blazek comes to Madison from Vanderbilt and before that he was the OL coach at NDSU where he won multiple national titles and sent several players to the NFL. He knows how to coach his guys into a cohesive unit and to get after it. This could be a coup for a school that prided itself on OL play and the run game under Barry Alvarez but have gotten away from it lately.
https://twitter.com/McNamaraRivals/status/1745833847508422989
Defensive Line: Sean Spencer, Texas A&M
Sean Spencer coached with James Franklin at Vanderbilt and Penn State before going to the New York Giants. The last two years he has been Co-DC with Napier at Florida. He has an impressive resume and Mike Elko will need him to mentor a DL that was hurt by portal losses.
https://twitter.com/JUCOFFrenzy/status/1731517471276798406
Linebacker: Johnny Nansen, Texas
Steve Sarkisian has proven to be very astute in his assistant coach hires and this is no different. Johnny Nansen comes to Austin from Arizona where he helped Jedd Fisch rebuild the Wildcats. Prior to that he had Pac 12 stops at UCLA, USC, and Washington. He has the title of Co-DC but makes this list via Pete Kwiatkowski being DC and play caller.
https://twitter.com/JUCOFFrenzy/status/1743730530367988151
Cornerback: Demetrice Martin, Michigan State
Spartan alumni Demetrice Martin was a big hire for Jonathan Smith. Martin spent the last two years at Smith’s rival school, Oregon, so he will be very familiar with his work. Like Nansen, Martin has coached all over the West. Washington, USC, Colorado, Arizona, and UCLA.
https://twitter.com/Jared_Mack7/status/1747366166795014532
Safety: Joe Schaefer, Syracuse
Schaefer comes with new DC, and one of my Top 10 Coordinator hires, Elijah Robinson from Texas A&M, where he coached under another member of that list, DJ Durkin. The Aggies DB’s were very good the last two years and ranked near the top of most passing and total defense lists, despite being among the youngest defenses.
https://twitter.com/Qalonji145265/status/1743033318742835405
