� [h1]Top five candidates to replace Mickey Andrews[/h1]
Gene Williams
Warchant.com Publisher
Warchant.com's top five candidates to take over as Florida State's next defensive coordinator
Current Job: Defensive Line Coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
Resume: Has been in the NFL coaching defensive line for Minnesota for the past four years. In 2008, the Vikings became the 1st NFL club since the 1970 to rank #1 in rushing defense for 3 straight seasons. Served as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach at LSU in 2005. Coached defensive line at Oklahoma State from 2002-03 for current LSU coach Les Miles. Served as the Chicago Bears DL coach in 2004. First stint at LSU was as an assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2000-01. Was a standout player for LSU in the early 1990's. After college, played three seasons in the NFL for the Saints and Arizona Cardinals. Born in Louisiana. 42-years old.
FSU/Fisher ties: Worked with Fisher at during his two-year span as assistant strength coach and again in 2005 when he was the defensive line coach.
Chances: Good. His NFL experience is a big plus especially since he is a big part of one of the league's best defenses. While he has no defensive coordinator experience he was considered for the position at Minnesota prior to the 2008 season. Was a college assistant coach for three years but his ability to recruit is uncertain.
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Karl Dunbar
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Current Job: Assistant Defensive Line Coach for the New Orleans Saints.
Resume: Has been in the NFL coaching defensive line and linebackers the past five years with the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints. Served at the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for LSU from 2003-04. Before that was he defensive line coach at Kansas from 2001-02. Got his start as a graduate assistant coach at Georgia in 1997. He played for the Bulldogs from 1990-94.
FSU/Fisher ties: Worked with Fisher at LSU for two years at LSU.
Chances: Good. Was known as an outstanding recruiter when he was a college coach. His five years in the NFL also really helps his resume. Growing up in Georgia and playing at UGA gives him a much needed familiarity with the Southeast. Only downside is his lack of defensive coordinator experience.
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Travis Jones
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Current Job: Defensive Coordinator at New Mexico
Resume: Served as LSU's secondary coach from 2005-08 and guided the Tigers to a No. 3 national rating in pass efficiency defense for three-straight years. In 2008, he was promoted to co-defensive coordinator. Left Baton Rouge before the 2009 season to take over as New Mexico's defensive coordinator under Mike Locksley. Prior to LSU, he was the secondary coach for Oklahoma State (01-04), Maryland (97-00) and Indiana (96-94). He also served as defensive coordinator for Western Kentucky back from 1990-93. Will turn 45 in November.
FSU/Fisher Ties: Worked with Fisher at LSU in 2005, 2006.
Chances: Fair. Has defensive coordinator experience at three different schools and that will help. But has no NFL coaching background. So far in 2009, New Mexico's defense has not done well. Also, Mallory's ability as a recruiter is uncertain. Other than a two-year stint at LSU, he has no real ties to the Southeast.
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Doug Mallory
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Current Job: Defensive coordinator at East Carolina
Resume: Has been the defensive coordinator at ECU since 2005 where he has greatly improved the Pirates' defense. In addition to being known as a run-stopping specialist, his defenses always have a knack for creating turnovers. Before ECU, he spent four years at Minnesota coaching the linebackers coach and as the Gophers' recruiting coordinator. He was later promoted to defensive coordinator. Prior to Minnesota, he coached various positions at Cincinnati (1997-2000) and Connecticut (1994-96) with Skip Holtz. He is 42 years old.
FSU/Fisher ties: Coached with Jimbo Fisher at Cincinnati in 1999 and the two have reportedly stayed in contact since then.
Chances: Fading. Has several years of experience as a defensive coordinator and has had great success despite not having elite talent to work with. A year ago Hudson was probably the top candidate to replace Mickey Andrews but we hear he is now holding out for a head coaching job, even possibly at ECU should Skip Holtz get an opportunity elsewhere. As a result, the chances of him coming to FSU to coach the defense may not be great.
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Greg Hudson
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Current Job: Defensive coordinator for Alabama
Resume: While relatively young at 33, Smart has risen up the coaching ranks quickly. His coaching career really started at Valdosta State where he started as defensive backs coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator. Smart then became a graduate assistant coach at FSU helping Mickey Andrews coach the secondary from 2002-03. Got his first full-time major college job coaching the secondary at LSU in 2004. After a one-year stint as running backs coach at Georgia, he followed Nick Saban to the Miami Dolphins in 2006 and back to Alabama after that. Was promoted to defensive coordinator before the 2009 season. Alabama's defense currently ranks in the top 10 nationally in five major statistical categories. Played defensive back for Georgia where he earned 1st team all-SEC honors in 1998 racking up 13 interceptions.
FSU/Fisher ties: The only candidate to have ties to both Florida State (GA 2002-03) and Jimbo Fisher (LSU 2004).
Chances: Not great. May be the best overall candidate of the group in terms of his resume and ties. He is familiar with the Southeast growing up in Alabama and playing his college ball at Georgia. Smart also has defensive coordinator experience at a major program and has had great success. While Smart looks great on paper, pulling him away from Nick Saban will be extremely difficult. And in today's college football, a lateral move from Alabama to Florida State doesn't make much sense. If there's a positive it's that Nick Saban has a heavy hand in Alabama's defense but at FSU he would likely have total autonomy to oversee the defense.
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Kirby Smart
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Dark horse candidates:
Kevin Steele (Clemson DC),
Manny Diaz (DC MTSU),
Tim Walton (Detroit Lions DB coach)
Imo get Kevin Steele back and call it a day....
@ Tim Walton evenbeing considered