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Potential DC candidates

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Ok, I didn't want to be one of those posters to rehash 95 different threads out there, but I did a chunk of work on this and felt it was worthy of its own posting. So, with that being said, here's what I have.

In using the job description for the DC posted online:
qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree; ten years of full-time experience as a collegiate football coach at the FBS level; working knowledge of the correct application of NCAA regulations; strong commitment to the academic goals of the University; and excellent organizational, teaching, communication and public relations skills.
Preferred Qualifications: three years of playing experience in the NFL .

I've narrowed a list down of every single assistant coach (let's face it, we're not pulling in a HC of an FBS school for our DC. if it happens, I'll be happy to be wrong) in the FBS (USA Today database) that has specifically 3 years of playing experience in the NFL (databasefootball.com). I removed any guys that would be age 70 or higher. This list includes players that were on the offensive side of the ball in the NFL, as they may still end up on the defensive side coaching, you never know. I also have a complete database of all current FBS assistants that have ANY NFL experience at all, but it's a pretty large list (124 possible candidates), so if you want to weed through that, PM me your email and I'll shoot over the spreadsheet so you can edit it yourself.

The list (3 years NFL experience, current FBS assistant coach):
Kirk Botkin, South Carolina
Thomas Brown, Marshall
Ron Burton, Michigan State
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio
John Hunter, Bowling Green
Keith Jones, Navy
Calvin Magee, Arizona
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State
Van Malone, Oklahoma State
Jeff Mills, New Mexico
Greg Robinson, Texas
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas
Steve Russ, Air Force
Todd Spencer, Army
John Thompson, Arkansas State

Note, I have not vetted any of these to see if they have 9+ years of FBS coaching experience. That's the work I leave up to you yarders. This is my contribution to the endless rampant and flippant speculation, so have at it.
 
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If someone wants to find the guy on this list, if indeed he is on the list, it goes back to the 6 degrees of separation. It is unlikely the new DC is not connected to Diaco's former stops or current coaches.
 

Chin Diesel

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If someone wants to find the guy on this list, if indeed he is on the list, it goes back to the 6 degrees of separation. It is unlikely the new DC is not connected to Diaco's former stops or current coaches.


Personally, I'm hoping for Kirk Botkin, Dwayne Dixon, Calvin Magee or Timm Rosenbach.

Out of the list they seem to have names most likely to be misspelled which drives many posters bonkers.
 
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Ok, I didn't want to be one of those posters to rehash 95 different threads out there, but I did a chunk of work on this and felt it was worthy of its own posting. So, with that being said, here's what I have.

In using the job description for the DC posted online:
qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree; ten years of full-time experience as a collegiate football coach at the FBS level; working knowledge of the correct application of NCAA regulations; strong commitment to the academic goals of the University; and excellent organizational, teaching, communication and public relations skills.
Preferred Qualifications: three years of playing experience in the NFL .

I've narrowed a list down of every single assistant coach (let's face it, we're not pulling in a HC of an FBS school for our DC. if it happens, I'll be happy to be wrong) in the FBS (USA Today database) that has specifically 3 years of playing experience in the NFL (databasefootball.com). I removed any guys that would be age 70 or higher. This list includes players that were on the offensive side of the ball in the NFL, as they may still end up on the defensive side coaching, you never know. I also have a complete database of all current FBS assistants that have ANY NFL experience at all, but it's a pretty large list (124 possible candidates), so if you want to weed through that, PM me your email and I'll shoot over the spreadsheet so you can edit it yourself.

The list (3 years NFL experience, current FBS assistant coach):
Kirk Botkin, South Carolina
Thomas Brown, Marshall
Ron Burton, Michigan State
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio
John Hunter, Bowling Green
Keith Jones, Navy
Calvin Magee, Arizona
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State
Van Malone, Oklahoma State
Jeff Mills, New Mexico
Greg Robinson, Texas
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas
Steve Russ, Air Force
Todd Spencer, Army
John Thompson, Arkansas State

Note, I have not vetted any of these to see if they have 9+ years of FBS coaching experience. That's the work I leave up to you yarders. This is my contribution to the endless rampant and flippant speculation, so have at it.


Here's my choice. Screw you Narduzzi. The DC position would be the perfect position for Diaco to bring in a very experienced position coach from a P5 school. If he is smart, can teach and recruit...bingo.

Ron Burton, DL coach for Michigan St

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Ron Burton, a 21-year coaching veteran who also played four seasons in the NFL, has been named the defensive line coach at Michigan State, seventh-year Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio announced on Friday, Feb. 8. Burton has spent the past 10 seasons as the defensive line coach at Air Force.

http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020813aab.html
 
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Hilarious how easy this is yet Des can't get it.

Van Malone appears to have coached at Western Michigan in 2004 with Diaco. Malone is currently the cornerbacks coach at Oklahoma State, who plays tomorrow. Figure Malone is announced as the DC on January 2nd.
 
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I'm going to add a few caveats to cover my bases before someone trashes me for incomplete speculation: 1.) The next DC may not be a current FBS coach. That rules out even my list of 124 2.) If the preferred qualification of NFL experience isn't met for our next DC, they won't be on this list or 124 overall (I think it's consensus on this board that once a job posting is put up, a candidate is already set to go with those specific characteristics) 3.) Garbage in, garbage out. I'm relying on databasefootball.com for my NFL career length. Therefore, the 3 years specifically may or may not be accurate, depending upon what the internet says and I believe to be true (if it's on the internet, it's gotta be right, doesn't it?)

Now, assuming both 3yrs nfl experience and 10years FBS coaching are met, I'll be surprised if they're not on the full list of 124 coaches I have with NFL experience and are assistants.
 
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Props to you for the work you put in. I'm always amazed at yarders who do this type of work.
 
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Here's my choice. Screw you Narduzzi. The DC position would be the perfect position for Diaco to bring in a very experienced position coach from a P5 school. If he is smart, can teach and recruit...bingo.

Ron Burton, DL coach for Michigan St

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Ron Burton, a 21-year coaching veteran who also played four seasons in the NFL, has been named the defensive line coach at Michigan State, seventh-year Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio announced on Friday, Feb. 8. Burton has spent the past 10 seasons as the defensive line coach at Air Force.

http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020813aab.html

Grand Valley State... Brian Kelly.
 

sdhusky

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Love this:

Forcing turnovers was a recurring theme during Malone's time in Tulsa. In 2010, the Tulsa defense ranked first nationally in interceptions with 24, while the Hurricane was the NCAA's second-ranked team for turnover margin and third for turnovers gained. In 2011, Tulsa was 12th nationally with 18 passes intercepted and 25th with 28 turnovers gained despite facing elite quarterbacks such as Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, Boise State's Kellen Moore, Houston's Case Keenum and Oklahoma's Landry Jones.
 
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Now eliminate anyone who has no connection to HCBD just based on the hires he has made to this point it's obviously a criteria;

Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Thomas Brown, Marshall - RB's coach, Chuck Heater is DC at Marshall who should be a candidate, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio - he's a wide receivers coach
John Hunter, Bowling Green - RB's coach/ ST coordinator
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Calvin Magee, Arizona - offensive coordinator/rb's coach, no connection to BD
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State - offensive tackles/tight ends, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Greg Robinson, Texas - he has been the conductor of a train wreck in all of his last three stops, let him become someone elses problem not ours
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas - offensive coordinator, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD
Todd Spencer, Army - 22 years as a Oline coach
John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

half of your list is OC candidate types not DC...
 
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Now eliminate anyone who has no connection to HCBD just based on the hires he has made to this point it's obviously a criteria;

Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Thomas Brown, Marshall - RB's coach, Chuck Heater is DC at Marshall who should be a candidate, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio - he's a wide receivers coach
John Hunter, Bowling Green - RB's coach/ ST coordinator
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Calvin Magee, Arizona - offensive coordinator/rb's coach, no connection to BD
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State - offensive tackles/tight ends, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Greg Robinson, Texas - he has been the conductor of a train wreck in all of his last three stops, let him become someone elses problem not ours
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas - offensive coordinator, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD
Todd Spencer, Army - 22 years as a Oline coach
John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

half of your list is OC candidate types not DC...

Ron Burton was on staff at Grand Valley St in 2002 with Brian Kelly. One would think Kelly would help Diaco find the right guys. A DL coach with Mich St or DC with UConn....more money and a chance to build your resume. Doesn't look like Narduzzi is in a rush to leave.
 
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Now eliminate anyone who has no connection to HCBD just based on the hires he has made to this point it's obviously a criteria;

Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Thomas Brown, Marshall - RB's coach, Chuck Heater is DC at Marshall who should be a candidate, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio - he's a wide receivers coach
John Hunter, Bowling Green - RB's coach/ ST coordinator
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Calvin Magee, Arizona - offensive coordinator/rb's coach, no connection to BD
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State - offensive tackles/tight ends, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Greg Robinson, Texas - he has been the conductor of a train wreck in all of his last three stops, let him become someone elses problem not ours
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas - offensive coordinator, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD
Todd Spencer, Army - 22 years as a Oline coach
John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

half of your list is OC candidate types not DC...

Albeit only 1 year ~ 2004 --- "WESTERN MICHIGAN-Named Bob Diaco linebackers and special teams coach, Van Malone cornerbacks coach, Clayt Birmingham safeties coach and Scott Niles coordinator of football operations."

http://coachingroots.com/football/teams/western-michigan-broncos/2004 - Diaco, Malone, Cummings. Same staff.

Still wonder whether he would even leave OSU or is in play but there is your connection.
 
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Now eliminate anyone who has no connection to HCBD just based on the hires he has made to this point it's obviously a criteria;

Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Thomas Brown, Marshall - RB's coach, Chuck Heater is DC at Marshall who should be a candidate, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Dwayne Dixon, Ohio - he's a wide receivers coach
John Hunter, Bowling Green - RB's coach/ ST coordinator
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Calvin Magee, Arizona - offensive coordinator/rb's coach, no connection to BD
Rick Mallory, Middle Tennessee State - offensive tackles/tight ends, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Greg Robinson, Texas - he has been the conductor of a train wreck in all of his last three stops, let him become someone elses problem not ours
Timm Rosenbach, Nevada-Las Vegas - offensive coordinator, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD
Todd Spencer, Army - 22 years as a Oline coach
John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

half of your list is OC candidate types not DC...

Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD

John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

I am going to assume that any coach still playing this season will announce after their bowl game. That eliminates Jones, Mills and Russ. I am also going to eliminate those without enough experience as they do not qualify to interview. That eliminates Botkin and Malone.

That leaves Ron Burton and John Thompson. If we don't hear by 1/3 then John Thompson would be the likely choice based on my assumption.
 
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Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD

John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

I am going to assume that any coach still playing this season will announce after their bowl game. That eliminates Jones, Mills and Russ. I am also going to eliminate those without enough experience as they do not qualify to interview. That eliminates Botkin and Malone.

That leaves Ron Burton and John Thompson. If we don't hear by 1/3 then John Thompson would be the likely choice based on my assumption.
Malone has enough experience to make interview requirements:
Started coaching in 2003 at North Dakota St
Coached with Diaco in 2004 at Western Michigan
2004 through present season of 2013 (inclusive)= 10 yrs
(Western Michigan and North Texas are D-1 or FBS along with Texas A&M, Tulsa, and OSU
 

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Even with the promotion, getting a Tx native to come to UConn from Ok St would reflect pretty well on Diaco.
 
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Malone has enough experience to make interview requirements:
Started coaching in 2003 at North Dakota St
Coached with Diaco in 2004 at Western Michigan
2004 through present season of 2013 (inclusive)= 10 yrs
(Western Michigan and North Texas are D-1 or FBS along with Texas A&M, Tulsa, and OSU

You are correct! He has exactly 10 years of BCS experience and Ok. St plays Jan. 3 so he is in contention. I also checked and John Thompson does not have NFL experience. Malone seems like a perfect fit .... unlike your Wikipedia search that came up with Chuck Long for OC (who by the way happens to be a terrible play caller which would have been far worse than Mike Cummings inexperience at play calling).

So Van Malone it is.
 
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You are correct! He has exactly 10 years as BCS experience and Ok. St plays Jan. 3 so he is in contention. I also checked and John Thompson does not have NFL experience. Malone seems like a perfect fit .... unlike your Wikipedia search that came up with Chuck Long for OC (who by the way happens to be a terrible play caller which would have been far worse than Mike Cummings inexperience at play calling).

So Van Malone it is.
It was a google search not a Wikipedia search..Long's Wiki profile came up first that is why I used it...Long did meet the experience criteria required by job posting, I never figured that the OC would also be the OL coach. I'll bet with the way Diaco has named guys to this staff it will be someone we either haven't though of..or someone who we quickly pushed to the side because they didn't make sense.
 
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Kirk Botkin, South Carolina - not enough experience IMO - Petrino relieved him of ST duites at Arkansas 2009, no connection to BD
Ron Burton, Michigan State - don't think he would leave Mich St, no connection to BD
Keith Jones, Navy - 12 years on the defensive side LB's and DB's, no connection to BD
Van Malone, Oklahoma State - not enough experience IMO, no connection to BD
Jeff Mills, New Mexico - decent experience, no connection to BD
Steve Russ, Air Force - decent experience, no connection to BD

John Thompson, Arkansas State - decent experience,no connection to BD

I am going to assume that any coach still playing this season will announce after their bowl game. That eliminates Jones, Mills and Russ. I am also going to eliminate those without enough experience as they do not qualify to interview. That eliminates Botkin and Malone.

That leaves Ron Burton and John Thompson. If we don't hear by 1/3 then John Thompson would be the likely choice based on my assumption.

I hope that doesn't happen to us.. a few coaches that are moving on to new schools that are still bowling are announcing...
 
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