Coaching changes

Sources: Manny Diaz to TexasEmail Print Comments8 By Bruce Feldman
ESPN.com
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Manny Diaz will accept the job as Texas Longhorn defensive coordinator as early as Wednesday, sources close to Longhorn football has confirmed.

Diaz spent the 2010 season running the Mississippi State defense. MSU (9-4) improved from being ranked 71st in scoring defense last season to 22nd this year. Its SEC ranking went from 11th to third. The Bulldogs also improved under Diaz against the run, going from 62nd nationally to 17th.

MSU shut down a dangerous Michigan offense in the Gator Bowl, routing the Wolverines, 52-14. Diaz replaces Will Muschamp who left UT to become the head coach at Florida.

Diaz inherits a defense that struggled last season as Texas went 5-7 in the Longhorns' first losing season since 1997.

Prior to his arrival at MSU, Diaz was the defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee. Before that he coached at NC State and Florida State after working at ESPN as a production assistant in the mid-90s.

SMART / strength/conditioning coach get raises

Kirby Smart gets $100K pay raiseEmail Print Comments2 Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama has given defensive coordinator Kirby Smart a $100,000 raise and one-year contract extension.

Smart will make $850,000 annually through Feb. 28, 2014 under the new deal approved Wednesday by the university system's board of trustees compensation committee.

Smart had his salary more than doubled last year after winning the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach and helping the Crimson Tide to a national title.

He won't have to pay a buyout to leave Alabama for a head coaching position. Smart would owe the university $72,000 if he takes a job another job as an assistant.

The compensation committee also voted to raise the salary of strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran. Cochran will make $290,000 this year and $320,000 in 2012.

Bryan Harsin to be Texas' play callerEmail Print Comments77 Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas -- Seeking to add some punch to an offense that faltered badly last season, Texas coach Mack Brown hired Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin on Friday to handle the play calling for the Longhorns.

Harsin will share the offensive coordinator title with former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite, who has been on the staff the last three seasons as running backs coach.

"What a great opportunity to come to a place like Texas with its rich history and tradition," Harsin said. "We've had success at Boise State over the years, but you look at a Texas and it has been a championship program for a long, long time and it's just one of those places you want to be a part of."

Harsin replaces Greg Davis, who won a national championship with Texas in 2005 and played for another in 2009, but resigned after the Longhorns went 5-7 last season.

Harsin spent 10 seasons on the Boise State staff, the past five as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award given to the nation's top assistant coach.

Under Harsin, the Broncos had one of the nation's most potent offensive attacks. Boise State went 61-5 over the past five seasons. The Broncos ranked among the top-scoring teams in the country under his play calling.

"Bryan and Major working together gives us two of the best, young offensive minds in the country," Brown said.

Hiring Harsin is the latest move in Brown's staff shake-up. On Thursday, Texas introduced new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who spent last season with Mississippi State. Five Texas assistants, including defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who had been designated as Brown's successor, left the program to take other jobs or resigned or retired.

Muschamp left Texas to be the head coach at Florida.

Davis had been with Brown at Texas since 1997 and had led some of the most successful offenses in program history. But he was the frequent target of fan frustration when Texas lost, which reached a fever pitch in Texas' dismal 2010 season.

Source: Stanford seeks out Boise coachEmail Print Comments115 ESPN.com news services

Stanford has notified Boise State it would like to speak with Broncos coach Chris Petersen about replacing Jim Harbaugh, a person close to the situation told ESPN.com's Joe Schad on Saturday.

Petersen, a native of Yuba City, Calif., has a 61-5 record in five seasons at Boise, leading the Broncos to two Fiesta Bowl victories and first place in the WAC four times.

With Harbaugh taking over as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, the Cardinal also plan to look at internal candidates.

Sources: Les Miles interests Michigan Email Print Comments65 By Joe Schad
ESPN.com
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Michigan expressed interest in talking to LSU coach Les Miles prior to the Cotton Bowl and it is expected the meeting will occur soon, sources told ESPN.


One source close to Miles said a time and place has not been finalized. Another source said the coach would give LSU 24 hours notification before the interview and that had not occurred.


Miles, a Michigan alum, would be interested in listening to athletic director Dave Brandon, one source close to him said

Interesting Article

Garner To Coach Offensive Line?
Written by ecdawg
6 January 2011


UGA Blog posted the following rumor.
...word is that McGarity and Richt haven't mentioned much about a replacement for Stacy Searels because some restructuring is going to be done to the current staff. It goes a little like this: Rodney Garner may be moved from coaching D-line to coaching the O-line, which is where he once coached at the SEC level. Then, that would open up the D-line coaching for Todd Grantham, where he has been known for being simply a great coach. Then, Warren Belin would have total reign over all four linebacker positions. Now, you're thinking, that leaves us with an open coaching spot, right? Yes, then McGarity can go out and hire a coach that is completely dedicated to recruiting. All things recruiting, and in this new media age, that can be huge!

Hmmmmm. What the hell? Let's try it.

BulldogShannon wrote:

Hmmmmm. What the hell? Let's try it.

I think it certainly makes sense. I had rather have CTG coaching the D line. Anybody remember Dallas' front 3 a year ago? Also, if Garner has had OL coaching experience then it looks pretty obvious to me.