Who will be the new defensive coordinator?
With the departure of Ellis Johnson to Arkansas, names are already starting to fly about who Croom will get as a replacement. Several names that have popped up are Jon Tenuta of Georgia Tech and Ron English of Michigan.
Of the names that have been mentioned so far, I think the job is Brick Haley’s to refuse. Haley is an 18-year coaching veteran with experience in college and the NFL. He has been the defensive line coach with the Chicago Bears for the past year.
He spent 3 years with Mississippi State after Croom was hired. Under Haley’s watch, Bulldogs defensive end Titus Brown developed into a second-team All-SEC selection after leading the team and ranking fifth in the conference in sacks in 2006. Another Haley protégé, Michael Heard, ranked 10th in the SEC in sacks in 2006. The previous year Haley coached the SEC leader in sacks (third in NCAA) and tackles for loss (fourth in NCAA) in Willie Evans.
Before joining the staff at State, he was linebackers coach at Georgia Tech. He has also coached at Baylor, Clemson, Houston, Troy, and Austin Peay. He was a graduate assistant at Arkansas and began his coaching career at Enterprise (Ala.) High School in 1989. He played college ball as a linebacker at Alabama A&M.
Croom has said that he wants to move fast on his next defensive coordinator. The bears season ended with a win over New Orleans, so Haley does not have any post-season commitments that we would have to wait on. I would look for Croom to make an announcement no later than next week.
Related Articles
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- More on Louis Campbell
- Charlie Harbison at top of Defensive Coordinator List
- Louis Campbell Joining Mississippi State Coaching Staff
- Ellis Johnson Accepts Job at Arkansas
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