This is a very - VERY - preliminary hot board for possible assistant hires as we move into December and January. This early, small group of names is mostly based off Coach Gibbs' coaching history. We'll update this as we hear solid info on actual candidates.
Early Candidates
Ricky Logo - Logo was Gibbs' defensive line coach at Houston and is currently at Colorado State. He has an impressive resume for finding and developing talent, as he coached DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyora, both of whom are perennial pro-bowlers. This is is a no-brainer first name to come up on the list.
Vernon Hargreaves - Hargreaves was Gibbs' linebackers coach at Houston and is currently the LBs coach at Arkansas. Hargreaves was most notably the LBs coach at Miami when they won the the 2001 BCS National Championship, coaching future NFLers Jonothan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Dan Morgan, and Rocky Mackintosh. He also coached DEs at East Carolina from 2007-2009, where he helped CJ Wilson become the CUSA DPOY in 2008 and 2009. Again, another no-brainer name for Gibbs. If Tech were to hire him, I would guess that would mean that Spavital would likely move to corners coach, which is what he did at Houston.
Bill Kollar - Kollar was on the staff as the DL coach with the Texans when Gibbs was the DBs coach. He's currently the DL coach for the Denver Broncos. Lots and lots of pro bowlers on his resume. This one is a bit more out there as far as a candidate goes, because Kollar has mostly been an NFL guy and isn't an obvious fit.
Johnny Holland - Holland was also on the Texans staff as the LBs coach when Gibbs was there. He's currently the LBs coach for the BC Lions in the CFL. Holland would be a hire that might make some sense, as he's a native of Texas and played at Texas A&M, is in their athletic hall of fame.
Early Candidates
Ricky Logo - Logo was Gibbs' defensive line coach at Houston and is currently at Colorado State. He has an impressive resume for finding and developing talent, as he coached DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyora, both of whom are perennial pro-bowlers. This is is a no-brainer first name to come up on the list.
Vernon Hargreaves - Hargreaves was Gibbs' linebackers coach at Houston and is currently the LBs coach at Arkansas. Hargreaves was most notably the LBs coach at Miami when they won the the 2001 BCS National Championship, coaching future NFLers Jonothan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Dan Morgan, and Rocky Mackintosh. He also coached DEs at East Carolina from 2007-2009, where he helped CJ Wilson become the CUSA DPOY in 2008 and 2009. Again, another no-brainer name for Gibbs. If Tech were to hire him, I would guess that would mean that Spavital would likely move to corners coach, which is what he did at Houston.
Bill Kollar - Kollar was on the staff as the DL coach with the Texans when Gibbs was the DBs coach. He's currently the DL coach for the Denver Broncos. Lots and lots of pro bowlers on his resume. This one is a bit more out there as far as a candidate goes, because Kollar has mostly been an NFL guy and isn't an obvious fit.
Johnny Holland - Holland was also on the Texans staff as the LBs coach when Gibbs was there. He's currently the LBs coach for the BC Lions in the CFL. Holland would be a hire that might make some sense, as he's a native of Texas and played at Texas A&M, is in their athletic hall of fame.
