The University of Kansas introduced Turner Gill as its new football coach Monday.
Gill then introduced his two coordinators. One of them — Carl Torbush — couldn”t be there because he hadn”t arrived.
Torbush, who was a head coach at Louisiana Tech and North Carolina and the defensive coordinator at the University of Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas A&M, spent one season as defensive coordinator for Dan Mullen at Mississippi State.
Under Torbush, the Bulldogs were 11th in the Southeastern Conference and 63rd in the nation in total defense (366 yards per game), eighth in the SEC and 63rd in rushing defense (146 ypg.), 11th in the SEC and 67th in pass defense (220 ypg.), and 11th in the SEC and 72nd in scoring defensive (26.8 points per game).
Gill cited Torbush”s coaching experience as a key reason for his decision to hire him. Torbush spent three seasons as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach at Carson-Newman, his alma mater, before going to MSU.
“He has a passion about being able to teach young people the same things we”re going to do here,” Gill said.
As recently as Sunday afternoon, Torbush denied the rumors, and even though Gill said he was in route to Lawrence, Kan., on Monday, Torbush wasn”t ready to confirm he had been hired by the Jayhawks.
Torbush was the highest paid assistant coach for the Bulldogs at $260,000.
Mullen has given his blessing to Torbush and is moving forward.
“We wish Carl the best in his future endeavors,” Mullen said in a statement. “We”ve already begun a search for his replacement that will be a good fit for our staff in both defensive philosophy and as an aggressive recruiter.”
Internet reports indicate Mullen could be interested in Middle Tennessee State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz replacing Torbush, but there has been no interview set between the two.
Mullen has been out of town recruiting. MSU team spokesman Joe Galbraith said the program “does not comment on rumors or speculation.”
A vacancy at defensive coordinator might not be the only one Mullen has to fill. Reports have surfaced that wide receivers coach Mark Hudspeth has interviewed for the head coach position at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Since those initial reports about Hudspeth, Southern Miss defensive coordinator Todd Bradford, Florida State assistant Jody Allen, and LSU special teams coach Joe Robinson have emerged in the ULM search. The school would like to make an announcement by Thursday.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.