Former Florida State Linebacker hired by Miami as Assistant Coach

The Miami Hurricanes are in the process of replacing multiple members of their coaching staff, including both coordinators.

Last week, the Hurricanes saw co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Charlie Strong depart from the program after being passed up for the defensive coordinator position in favor of Tulane's Lance Guidry.

It didn't take long for head coach Mario Cristobal to focus on Strong's replacement, who just so happens to be a former Florida State linebacker.

According to a report from On3's Matt Zenitz, the Hurricanes are expected to hire Cincinnati's inside linebackers coach, Derek Nicholson, in a similar position.

Miami is expected to hire Cincinnati’s Derek Nicholson as a linebackers coach, sources tell @on3sports.

Nicholson is a former standout linebacker at Florida State. He led the Seminoles in tackles in 2007 and ‘08.https://t.co/DlIXY67ten pic.twitter.com/sXPmlY9bgq
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 14, 2023

Nicholson spent the last three years of his coaching career working under Scott Satterfield at Louisville. He followed Satterfield to Cincinnati in December as the program prepares to transition to the Big 12 this upcoming season. In the end, a return to the state where he starred in college was too much to pass up.

The North Carolina native has also earned his stripes as the linebackers coach at Akron (2013), defensive line coach at Alcorn State (2015), and a four-year stint at Southern Miss where he began as defensive line coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2016-19). He had a previous run with Louisville in 2014 as outside linebackers/defensive ends coach.

Prior to his time as a coach, Nicholson spent four years as a linebacker at Florida State under former head coach Bobby Bowden from 2006-09. He developed into a standout during his final two seasons with the program, leading the team in tackles for consecutive years. Nicholson recorded a career-high 99 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 2007.

As a senior, Nicholson scored two defensive touchdowns in his final three games of his college career, including a 75-yard fumble return in Florida State's 42-13 victory against Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. In total, he finished his career with 207 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, four pass breakups, and two defensive touchdowns.

Nicholson went undrafted in 2009 and spent time with both the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks.

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