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UPDATE: Cal has reportedly hired Greg Burns.
At Cal, sources confirm to FootballScoop that Greg Burns will be the new defensive backs coach http://t.co/WuvOiF3uws
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) February 4, 2014
Burns was USC's DBs coach under Pete Carroll earlier in the 2000s. Sonny adds another quality coach to the staff
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) February 4, 2014
Burns was at UMass this past season and at Purdue and Arizona State prior to that.
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) February 4, 2014
(HT Redonkulous Bear for tracking that news down for us)
Burns is a veteran of the Pac-12, having coached at USC during all three national championship contending years with the Trojans. He coached at Louisville from 1998-2001, USC from 2002-2005, the Bucs in 2006, Kansas State in 2007, Arizona State in 2008-2011, and Purdue at 2012. He was UMass defensive backs coach last season. His pupils include Troy Polamalu, Darnell Bing, Anthony Floyd, and Antonio Roundtree.
Here were the other rumored candidates.
According to CoachingSearch, we might finally have some more names.
Sonny Dykes has yet to fill the defensive backs job at Cal. Keep an eye on former UMass defensive backs coach Greg Burns, Alabama defensive backs coach Greg Brown, Georgia State defensive backs / special teams coordinator JD Williams, and former Texas defensive backs coach Duane Akina.
This might align with what has been circulated behind paywalls.
All THREE names we've confirmed in the #Cal DB coaching search? They've got NFL experience... ($) http://t.co/fHnUmbNtwB ... ...
— Cal Rivals (@CalRivals) February 4, 2014
Let's break them down name-by-name.
Duane Akina: We've covered him before. Go here!
Greg Brown: Brown is a Pac-12 veteran who just spent a year with the Crimson Tide. Brown coached in Colorado during the golden age (1991-93), then went through the NFL ranks (Chargers in 1995-1996, Oilers/Titans in 1997-98, 49ers in 1999, Falcons in 2000-01, Saints in 2002-05). Brown returned to Colorado in 2006-09, served as co-defensive coordinator in 2010 at Arizona, then served as the defensive coordinator for Jon Embree. Brown is coming off an inconsistent season at Alabama though, where the defense struggled on numerous occasions and probably blew their chances at a third national championship. He was forced to step down.
J.D. Williams: Hey, J.D! That name might sound familiar to you. He was on Jeff Tedford's original coaching staff in 2002 when he took over at Cal. He coached defensive backs from 2002 to 2005 at Cal (remember Ryan Gutierrez, Matt Giordano, Donnie McCleskey, Harrison Smith, Tim Mixon, Daymeion Hughes?). He then chose poorly and ending up on Ty Willingham's sinking ship in Washington from 2006 to 2008. After going to Utah for a year. He then spent most of the last several seasons at UNLV as a defensive backs coach, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Last season he was defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Georgia State.
What do you think of Burns? Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments!
