Former Clemson defensive lineman announces transfer destination
A week after entering the transfer portal, former Clemson defensive lineman Darnell Jefferies has a new home.
Jefferies took to Twitter on Monday to announce his commitment to PJ Fleck and Minnesota. He spent the last three years with the Tigers and played in six games this season.
Jefferies was a three-star recruit out of high school and the a top-60 recruit from the state of Georgia, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
In 29 games with Clemson, Jefferies had 15 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks. Now, he’s leaving the ACC for the Big Ten.
Clemson went 10-3 overall this year and 6-2 in ACC action. The Tigers played Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl and defeated the Cyclones 20-13 Dec. 29.
Minnesota, meanwhile, went 9-4 overall and 6-3 in Big Ten play. The Golden Gophers defeated West Virginia 18-6 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl Dec. 28.
Report: Indiana hires Minnesota defensive line coach as new defensive coordinator
The Indiana Hoosiers are sticking within the Big Ten to fill their open defensive coordinator position. According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Indiana is hiring Minnesota defensive line coach Chad Wilt as the Hoosiers’ new defensive coordinator.
Wilt has extensive experience as a defensive line coach. He has spent most of the last two decades in that role at a number of stops, including at Virginia, Maryland, Army, and Cincinnati in addition to Minnesota.
Wilt replaces Charlton Warren as Indiana’s defensive coordinator. Warren was with the Hoosiers for just one season, and he is now the co-defensive coordinator at North Carolina.
Indiana is coming off of a disappointing 2-10 season that saw a winless 0-9 record against Big Ten opponents. Wilt will be looking to help improve an Indiana defense that ranked in the bottom third of the Big Ten and allowed the most points in the conference at 33.3 points per game.
As Wilt coached Minnesota’s defensive line this season, the Gophers saw a lot of success. Minnesota allowed just 18.3 points per game this year, which is tied with Notre Dame for the ninth best total in the country. The Gophers also allowed 100.2 rushing yards (ninth in the country), 184.7 passing yards (11th), and 284.8 total yards per game (fourth).
In becoming Indiana’s defensive coordinator, Wilt becomes the second Minnesota defensive assistant to receive a promotion to a coordinator position. Joe Harasymiak previously served as Minnesota’s co-defensive coordinator, and is also staying in the Big Ten and heading to Rutgers.