9 non-Power 5 coordinators you need to know

In part one of our project on up-and-coming coaches, we looked at 12 non-Power 5 head coaches worth having on your radar heading into the 2021 season. Now it’s time for part two, a look at some non-Power 5 coordinators you need to know. 

Here are nine who sources around the college football coaching world expect to garner interest for bigger jobs during this next coaching cycle; they’re listed alphabetically.

A note: We didn’t include anyone who already has been a Power 5 coordinator. That is why you won’t see someone such as Old Dominion defensive coordinator Blake Seiler even though he was brought up multiple times during the information-gathering process.

Doug Belk, Houston defensive coordinator 

The buzz: During an event with the Minority Coaches Advancement Association in May, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was among the college administrators to take part in a mock coach interview session with Belk, 33. “I did not know Doug Belk,” Smith told The Athletic. “I’d heard of him, but I didn’t know him, never interacted with him. Now, if someone calls me, I’m giving them his name as somebody they need to talk to.” A former Alabama graduate assistant, Belk has worked for Dana Holgorsen since joining his West Virginia staff as cornerbacks coach in 2017. Before his three seasons at Alabama (2014-16), Belk had been secondary coach at Division II Valdosta State for two seasons. After initially heading to Houston as Holgorsen’s co-coordinator and safeties coach, Belk was promoted to associate head coach last year, then to defensive coordinator in January. Alabama and Georgia pursued him for their secondary coach openings, but he opted to remain at Houston. “He could be the next Marcus Freeman,” said one source, referencing the former Cincinnati DC who was hired by Notre Dame in January.

Maurice Crum, Western Kentucky defensive coordinator

The buzz: Fans probably remember Crum from his time as a linebacker at Notre Dame from 2005-08. But the two-time Fighting Irish team captain now is someone you should have on the radar as a coach. Crum, 35, has been at Western Kentucky since 2017 and was promoted to DC in January. Crum replaces Clayton White, who left to become defensive coordinator at South Carolina. Led by White and Crum, Western Kentucky ranked 21st nationally last season in yards per play allowed (5.05). That ranked just behind national champion Alabama (5.04) and ACC champ Clemson (5.02). Crum, who turned down an SEC position-coach job during the offseason, is the son of former Miami All-American linebacker Maurice Crum Sr.

Joseph Gillespie, Tulsa defensive coordinator

The buzz: Jarrett Stidham’s former high school coach is on the rise at the college level. Gillespie, 50, joined the Tulsa staff in 2015 after winning 72 games in seven seasons as coach at Stephenville (Texas) High. This will be season three for him as the Golden Hurricane’s defensive coordinator. Under Gillespie, Tulsa has gone from second-worst in the AAC in total defense the year before he took over (528.9 yards per game) to second-best in the conference last season (333.0 yards per game). Gillespie also is the Golden Hurricane’s linebackers coach and helped transform Zaven Collins from a lower-tier three-star recruit into the No. 16 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.

Brad Glenn, Georgia State offensive coordinator

The buzz: Each of Glenn’s first two seasons at Georgia State has ended the same way — with his group breaking the school single-season record for scoring offense. Despite having a first-year starter at quarterback, Glenn’s 2020 unit averaged 33.3 points per game and displayed impressive balance (per-game averages of 230.3 passing yards and 194.0 rushing yards). In total, Glenn’s offenses have produced 14 All-Sun Belt selections in the past two seasons. Glenn, 49, previously spent seven seasons as offensive coordinator at Western Carolina. That came after seven years at Appalachian State, where he was part of the staff (along with current Georgia State coach Shawn Elliott) for App State’s historic upset of Michigan in 2007.

Keith Heckendorf, Arkansas State offensive coordinator

The buzz: Heckendorf, 40, is back for year three as Arkansas State’s OC after leading a highly ranked unit in 2020. Butch Jones initially explored other options for the coordinator spot on his new Red Wolves staff but ultimately ended up retaining Heckendorf, who originally was hired as OC by Blake Anderson in 2019. Heckendorf’s 2020 offense ranked second nationally in passing (364.4 yards per game) and posted the second-best total offense average in school history (488.9 ypg). Before Arkansas State, Heckendorf worked at North Carolina for eight seasons, including five as the Tar Heels’ quarterbacks coach. Under his guidance, Mitchell Trubisky developed into an All-ACC quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Garrett Riley, SMU offensive coordinator

The buzz: Lincoln isn’t the only respected coach in the Riley family. Garrett, the younger brother of the Oklahoma coach, is another rising star in the coaching world. He oversees an SMU offense that ranked 12th-best nationally last season; the unit could be even better this fall with an Oklahoma transfer as the likely starter at quarterback (Tanner Mordecai), a former Sooners star at tight end (Grant Calcaterra) and at least two potential NFL draft picks at wide receiver (Reggie Roberson and Danny Gray). Riley, 31, who interviewed for the South Carolina coordinator job this offseason, arrived at SMU after a season as running backs coach at Appalachian State and three as a member of the staff at Kansas.

Chad Staggs, Coastal Carolina defensive coordinator

The buzz: One of the constants for Jamey Chadwell throughout his head-coaching career has been the guy leading his defense. Every year that Chadwell has been a head coach, Staggs has been his defensive coordinator. It started in 2009 at Division II North Greenville (S.C.), then continued at Delta State (2012), Charleston Southern (2013-16) and now Coastal Carolina. Staggs, 44, has been a big part of the Chanticleers emerging as one of the top Group of 5 programs in the nation. Coastal’s remarkable 2020 run (going from 5-7 in 2019 to 11-1 last season) was aided by a Staggs-led defense that ranked 17th nationally in takeaways per game and tied for 19th in total defense. During the Chanticleers’ 22-17 win over previously undefeated BYU, Staggs’ defense held eventual No. 2 overall draft pick Zach Wilson and the Cougars to 29 points below their scoring average. Staggs was the DC at Furman for two seasons before joining the Chanticleers’ staff when Chadwell was hired as coach in 2019.

Scott Symons, Liberty defensive coordinator

The buzz: Malik Willis and the offense garnered most of the attention during Liberty’s 10-1 season in 2020. Well, Liberty’s defense actually ranked higher than its offense last season (Liberty was 15th in total offense). In Symons’ second year as coordinator, the Flames were No. 10 nationally in total defense (317.7 yards per game). It represented a big step forward: Liberty was 80th in total defense in 2019 (409.2 yards per game) and 123rd under the old Flames staff in 2018 (484.4 yards per game). Symons, 36, received interest for multiple Big Ten coordinator jobs but is back for a third season at Liberty with a defense that returns nine starters. Before Liberty, Symons was inside linebackers coach at Memphis in 2018 and a coordinator at West Georgia (2014-17) and Arkansas Tech (2013).

Patrick Toney, Louisiana defensive coordinator

The buzz: Toney, 31, is the latest star to emerge from the Ron Roberts coaching tree; that group also includes Baylor coach Dave Aranda, Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding and Minnesota Vikings secondary coach Karl Scott. Toney got his start as a college coach under Roberts at Southeastern Louisiana in 2012, and became Louisiana’s defensive coordinator last season after Roberts left to become DC for Aranda at Baylor. Previously, Toney had been the Ragin’ Cajuns’ safeties coach. In Toney’s first season as DC, Louisiana finished 10-1 and ranked 33rd nationally in scoring defense.

Some others who came up: Ola Adams, Villanova defensive coordinator; Kevin Cahill, Yale offensive coordinator; Chris Hampton, Tulane defensive coordinator; Charlie Weis Jr., USF offensive coordinator; and Travis Williams, UCF defensive coordinator.

(Top photo of Toney: Courtesy of Louisiana Athletics)