On Tuesday, a flurry of reports had Brian Kelly focusing in on the final pieces of his reshuffled coaching staff. They include two likely additions, one transition, and a position shift.
BlueandGold.com reported that North Carolina defensive line coach Keith Gilmore will be reuniting with Kelly and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, coaching the same position for the Irish.
Gilmore coached the defensive line for Kelly at Central Michigan for a season before spending two years with him in Cincinnati, also serving as assistant head coach. Gilmore also worked with VanGorder at Wayne State, and shares the Grand Valley DNA that both also possess.
SI.com’s Thayer Evans reported the same news. With corresponding reports shifting Mike Elston to linebackers for Gilmore’s arrival, Tar Heels defensive lineman Tim Jackson seemed to confirm the news via Twitter, with a compliment for his outgoing coach.
I had 6 DL coaches in my 4 yrs at UNC so trust when I say Keith Gilmore was the best
— Tim Jackson, CSCS (@TimTrizzy) February 17, 2015
While Notre Dame has yet to make any change to the staff official, another former player looks to be close to joining the Irish staff. Record-setting running back Autry Denson is said to have accepted the job as running backs coach. Once again, SI.com’s Thayer Evans confirmed previous reports.
In Denson, Kelly lands another former Notre Dame and NFL player on his staff, joining former All-American and Pro Bowler Todd Lyght, who is already on the recruiting trail for the Irish as the defensive backs coach. Kelly also adds a Florida native, who has experience coaching at the high school level as well as collegiately (Denson was an assistant at Bethune-Cookman.)
Denson had just joined Willie Taggert’s USF staff after leaving Miami (Ohio) where he was will Chuck Martin last season. Other names had surfaced for the position, but multiple reports -- including Irish 247, Blue and Gold and Irish Illustrated -- have Denson’s deal all but official.
To make room among the nine assistants, veteran assistant Bob Elliott will reportedly be shifting into an off-field role. Elliott was brought in by former defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, who was coached by Elliott along with former secondary coach Kerry Cooks at Iowa.
Elliott battled through a kidney transfer and the corresponding health challenges, staying on the recruiting trail through this cycle as the Irish inked 24 recruits. He’s said to have taken a position inside the program, though that’s still to be determined. That appears to be the fate for former Kelly aide Jeff Quinn, who had been reportedly in line for the quarterbacks coach job before Kelly added former Boise State offensive coordinator Mike Sanford.
With Notre Dame’s HR process still in motion, no moves have been announced. But when they are, expect former Irish captain Maurice Crum to be announced as a Graduate Assistant, replacing Kyle McCarthy who is pursuing a career in sports management after a season on the Irish staff.
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