DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
KIRBY SMART(Defensive coordinator, Alabama): That he was offered the position is no surprise nor should it be a surprise that he turned Muschamp down to remain at Alabama. He makes $750,000 per year and is likely to get a raise, plus with so much uncertainty at Georgia (his alma mater) it makes plenty of sense for Smart to sit tight and see how things play out in Athens.
SAL SUNSERI (Linebackers coach, Alabama): Sunseri is thought to be the next in line for an offer from Muschamp to become Florida’s defensive coordinator but he could also be offered the defensive coordinator’s job at Pitt (his alma mater) depending on who is selected as the new head coach. His son Tino is the starting quarterback at Pitt so that would be a temptation. However, a friend of Sunseri’s says that if Florida does indeed offer, there is perhaps a 90 percent or better chance he would take it.
JAMES WILLIS (Defensive coordinator, Texas Tech): This might make the most sense. He has worked under Muschamp before (Auburn) and just finished his first year as a defensive coordinator under Tommy Tuberville. He wouldn’t be offended with a hands on approach by Muschamp, which is what Nick Saban does at Alabama. Willis is a very good linebackers coach and an outstanding recruiter, which is why Saban snagged him off the Auburn staff in 2009.
MANNY DIAZ (Defensive coordinator, Mississippi State): This one seems to be a throw something against the wall and see if it sticks rumor. A day after first hearing it, nobody close to Muschamp can see this one happening. Diaz could very well become the top choice to become defensive coordinator at Miami under Al Golden. Diaz’s dad is the mayor of Miami.
GEOFF COLLINS (Defensive coordinator, FIU): This is a new name but it’s a very real possibility. He coaches linebackers as well as being the defensive coordinator at FIU. He had some nationally ranked defenses in Division I-AA when he was the DC at Western Carolina. He coached at UCF and Georgia Tech under George O’Leary and was director of player personnel at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2007. He is considered one of the reasons Alabama landed the #1 recruiting class in the country that year.
DEFENSIVE LINE:
BO DAVIS (Alabama, defensive line): When Smart decided to stay at Alabama so did Davis. Apparently they are joined at the hip and Davis won’t go without Smart.
JOHN PAPUCHIS (Nebraska, defensive ends/special teams): With Oscar Giles electing to stay at Texas and Davis electing to stay at Alabama, the odds that Papuchis will be joining the Florida staff probably got a lot better. Papuchis worked with Muschamp at LSU so there is familiarity and he is known as a very good special teams coordinator.
SHANE BURNHAM (Iowa State, defensive tackles): Now that Bo Davis is staying at Alabama with Smart, Burnham’s possibilities seem better. If Muschamp wants to go with a two D-line coaches, he could get the call. He coached linebackers at every coaching stop prior to Iowa State.
OSCAR GILES (Texas, defensive ends): All indications out of Austin are that he will remain with the Longhorns.
CORNERBACKS:
TRAVARIS ROBINSON (Texas Tech): There is no such thing as a mortal lock but people who know Robinson say he’s going to land in Florida. He worked with Muschamp at Auburn and coaches as aggressively as he played when he was an All-SEC corner at Auburn.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
MAJOR APPLEWHITE (Assistant head coach/running backs, Texas): As of 1 a.m. this is up in the air. If Mack Brown picks McElwain or Harsin as his offensive coordinator, there is a good chance Applewhite is a Gator. If Applewhite is co-coordinator with Morris or simply the coordinator, he stays at Texas. We’ll have to wait and see how this one pans out.
CHRIS HATCHER (Head coach, Murray State): This seemed like a stab in the dark when first heard and there has been nothing to support its likelihood all day. But still, don’t count it out completely. Stranger things have happened and there is a likelihood that Florida will be opening the purse strings considerably to give Muschamp the staff he wants.
OFFENSIVE LINE:
MATT MOORE (Texas Tech): He’s got that Valdosta connection (Muschamp coached there; Moore played there) and he’s so well connected with the high school coaches in Georgia that this is one to watch. When coaching under Mike Leach at Texas Tech, his offensive lines gave up an average of one sack per 54 pass attempts. That’s outstanding.
JOE WICKLINE (Oklahoma State): He’s got offers from the NFL and from Texas. Scuttlebutt on Monday afternoon is that he’s on the short list at Florida. He makes $500,000 at Oklahoma State. Texas would pay that kind of money. Would Florida? As far as offensive line coaches go, he’s probably the best in the country, plus he is a Gator. Played here, was a grad assistant here and coached here for three years under Ron Zook. Lights out recruiter.
WIDE RECEIVERS:
GUNTER BREWER, OKLAHOMA STATE: His last two star pupils are Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon. Was Randy Moss’ wide receivers coach at Marshall. He might be the best wide receivers coach in the country. He is also listed as the co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. Could he be a fallback as offensive coordinator in case Major Applewhite stays at Texas? There is a lot of talk that he’s Gainesville bound in some capacity.
FRANK WILSON, LSU: Coaching running backs at LSU but coached wide receivers at Tennessee and before that at Southern Miss under Larry Fedora. Also coached running backs and special teams at Ole Miss. Considered one of the better recruiters out there. Wilson could come to Florida either as a wide receivers or running backs coach.
AUBREY HILL, MIAMI: Don’t know how serious this is since his name just started popping up mid-afternoon. He’s a Florida grad who played under Steve Spurrier and is a Miami native, who played high school ball at Carol City under Red Anderson. If Muschamp is looking to score when it comes to recruiting South Florida, this might make a lot of sense but right now this is nothing more than rumor.
CURRENT FLORIDA STAFF THAT MIGHT REMAIN:
CHUCK HEATER (Safeties): Terrific coach and recruiter, plus he’s like the Godfather for players who will go talk to him to get a feel for how Urban Meyer will react when they go tell him about their predicament.
STAN DRAYTON (Running backs): Terrific recruiter. In spite of Florida losing five games this year he put together an outstanding group of commitments that Muschamp is working to hold.
ZACH AZZANNI (Wide receivers): He’s young and an aggressive recruiter who has done well in South Florida. Had plenty to do with Florida holding the commitment of Chris Dunkley last year and helped Matt Elam flip back to Florida after he flopped to FSU briefly.
BRIAN WHITE (Tight ends): He’s a terrific recruiter who was offensive coordinator and position coach for Ron Dayne at Wisconsin when he won the Heisman Trophy. It never hurts to have a Harvard grad on your staff. That makes for impressive in-home visits.
STEVE ADDAZIO (Offensive line): Tom Lemming says Addazio is on the short list of best recruiters in the country and that Florida would be foolish to let him go. When he was simply the offensive line coach, the Florida offense was running like a machine.
