Former Arizona Wildcats assistants: Where are they now?
The college season is beginning in force this week, so I decided to check in on where all the former Arizona Wildcats assistants have scattered.
And this is a list that dates back 45 years -- all the way to Mike Hankwitz, whose first full-time coaching job came in 1973 at Arizona under Jim Young. Hankwitz, who later served as interim head coach for the Wildcats in 2003 after John Mackovic's dismissal, is still going strong as the defensive coordinator for Big Ten West champ Northwestern.
There are nine former UA assistants who are current head coaches, including Mark Stoops (the 2018 SEC Coach of the Year with Kentucky), Dino Babers (leading a revival at Syracuse) and Josh Heupel, who led UCF to a 13-1 record in his first season.
Here are the ex-Arizona assistants who are current head coaches
--Dino Babers, Syracuse (4th year with Orange; 8th year as head coach)
--Bob Davie, New Mexico (8th year with Lobos; 13th year as head coach)
--Dana Dimel, UTEP (2nd year with Miners; 8th year as head coach
--Sonny Dykes, SMU (2nd year with Mustangs; 9th year as head coach)
--Josh Heupel, UCF (2nd year as head coach)
--Seth Littrell, North Texas (4th year as head coach)
--Clarence McKinney, Texas Southern (1st year as head coach)
--Frank Scelfo, Southeastern Louisiana (2nd year as head coach)
--Mark Stoops, Kentucky (7th year as head coach)
Six of those coaches worked as assistants for Mike Stoops, who, say what you will about him, put together some top-shelf coaching staffs.
Speaking of Mike Stoops ...
One of the most intriguing storylines this year involves the former Arizona head coach, who was fired halfway through last season as Oklahoma's defensive coordinator. He is one of 12 analysts for Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who has become known for his head coach rehabilitation program, which includes Lane Kiffin, Butch Jones, Steve Sarkisian and Mike Locksley. Maybe Mike is the next to get a Bama boost to the next good job.
Here is the list of 57 former Arizona assistants -- plus former head coach Rich Rodriguez -- who are working as on-field coaches in college or the pro ranks (10 of whom are in the Pac-12):
Jahmile Addae, 2015-17
West Virginia, defensive backs
Back at alma mater after working at Minnesota last season
Duane Akina, 1987-2000
Stanford, defensive backs
Has coached three Jim Thorpe Award winners as nation's top defensive back, including Darryll Lewis (1990) at Arizona
Pete Alamar, 1995-1999
Stanford, specials teams coordinator
Vince Amey, 2016-17
Los Angeles Wildcats (XFL), defensive line
Robert Anae, 2011-12
Virginia, offensive coordinator/inside receivers
Dino Babers, 1995-2000
Syracuse, head coach
Went 10-3 last season in his third year with the Orange
John Baxter, 1990-1991
USC, special teams coordinator/tight ends
Innovative coach entering fourth season in second stint at USC
Bill Bedenbaugh, 2007-10
Oklahoma, co-offensive coordinator/offensive line
Regarded as one of nation's best OL coaches; Sooners won 2018 Joe Moore Award for having country's best offensive line
Scott Boone, 2017
North Carolina, special teams coordinator/outside linebackers
Jay Boulware, 2001-2003
Oklahoma, specials teams coordinator/running backs
Greg Brown, 2010
Purdue, cornerbacks
Mike Canales, 2004-2006
UTEP, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Charlie Camp, 2002
Texas-San Antonio, linebackers
Ex-UA linebacker entering second season at UTSA
Matt Caponi, 2013-2015
Iowa State, cornerbacks
Spent the past three seasons at West Virginia
Jeff Casteel, 2012-2015
Nevada, defensive coordinator/linebackers
Scooby Wright's position coach at Arizona has been running his 3-3-5 at Nevada for past two seasons
Garret Chachere, 2009-2011
Western Kentucky, running backs
Bob Davie, 1979
New Mexico, head coach
Former Notre Dame head coach is 33-54 in seven years with Lobos
Tony Dews, 2012-2016
Tennessee Titans, running backs
Charlie Dickey, 1992-2003
Oklahoma State, offensive line
Ex-UA offensive lineman had spent the past 10 seasons at Kansas State under Bill Snyder
Dana Dimel, 2005-2009
UTEP, head coach
Went 1-11 in rebuilding season in UTEP debut in 2018
Kasey Dunn, 2004-2006
Oklahoma State, associate head coach/receivers
Sonny Dykes, 2007-2009
SMU, head coach
Was Cal head coach from 2013-16; went 5-7 this season in first year at SMU
Tony Gibson, 2012
North Carolina State, co-defensive coordinator/safeties
First year with Pack; previously was DC at West Virginia
Joe Gilbert, 2018
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, offensive line
Jeff Hammerschmidt, 1993-95; 2008-11
New York Jets, assistant special teams coach
In fourth season with Jets, working under former Arizona LB Brant Boyer, the special teams coordinator
Mike Hankwitz, 1973-1976; 2003
Northwestern, defensive coordinator
Arizona's interim head coach in 2003 after John Mackovic was hired; beginning his 51st season in coaching
Jeff Hecklinski, 2003
Kansas, tight ends
Josh Heupel, 2005
UCF, head coach
Mike Stoops gave Heupel first full-time coaching job, coaching TEs; took over UCF last season after departure of Scott Frost
Rob Ianello, 1993-2002
Buffalo, associate head coach/recruiting coordinator/wide receivers
Bobby Kennedy, 2001
Stanford, wide receivers
Brian Knorr, 2017
Air Force, outside linebackers
Seth Littrell, 2009-2011
North Texas, head coach
Has 18 wins with Air Raid offense in past two seasons
Lawrence Livingston, 2000
Lane College, quarterbacks coach
David Lockwood, 2012-2015
Nevada, secondary
Marty Long, 1996-2003
Northwestern, defensive line
Calvin Magee, 2012-2017
Ole Miss, tight ends
Longtime assistant to Rich Rodriguez followed RichRod to Ole Miss after spending a year at New Mexico
John Matsko, 1986
Carolina Panthers, running game coordinator
Clarence McKinney, 2018
Texas Southern, head coach
Longtime Kevin Sumlin assistant returned to Houston after last season to take over 2-9 program
Jim Michalczik, 2013-2017
Oregon State, associate head coach/run game coordinator/offensive line
Dave Nichol, 2008-2011
Washington State, inside receivers
Charlie Ragle, 2013-2015
Cal, special teams coordinator
Joe Robinson, 2004-2007
UTEP, special teams coordinator
Rich Rodriguez, 2012-2017
Ole Miss, offensive coordinator
Former UA head coach brings his zone-read attack to SEC after sitting out a year from coaching
Joe Salave'a, 2011
Oregon, associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line
Former Arizona standout DT seems to be working his way up to a head coaching assignment
Frank Scelfo, 2010-2011
Southeastern Louisiana, head coach
Nick Foles' QB coach for two seasons at Arizona went 4-7 in first season with Lions of FCS
Rip Scherer, 1989-1990
Los Angeles Chargers, tight ends
Michael Smith, 2007-2009
Kentucky, receivers
Richard Smith, 1987
Los Angeles Chargers, linebackers
Rod Smith, 2012-2017
Illinois, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Steve Spurrier Jr., 2004
Washington State, outside receivers
Mark Stoops, 2004-2009
Kentucky, head coach
The Wildcats went 10-3 season in his sixth season at Kentucky
Mike Tuiasosopo, 2004-2010
Kansas State, defensive line
Also had stops at Colorado, UCLA, USC and UTEP after Arizona
Ryan Walters, 2011
Missouri, defensive coordinator/safeties
Young, rising assistant received first full-time job from Mike Stoops in 2011
Charlie Williams, 2004-2006
South Florida, receivers
Donte' Williams, 2015-16
Oregon, cornerbacks
Eric Wolford, 2004-2006
South Carolina, offensive line coach
Kevin Wolthausen, 1985-1986
Purdue, special teams/defensive line
Darrell Wyatt, 2007
UCF, wide receivers