STARKVILLE — The college football coaching carousel found new life Wednesday when Arizona fired Rich Rodriguez, but Mississippi State’s coaching staff appears to be rounding into form.
New MSU coach Joe Moorhead said at the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, he hoped to have a staff completed by the end of the first week of January. Sources told The Dispatch Moorhead has hired Eddy Morrissey as a quality control coach. Like Moorhead, Morrissey has spent a lot of time in small college football, most recently as the offensive line coach at Bryant, but he spent three years as Chip Kelly’s offensive line coach at Oregon.
Morrissey also coached one year at Fordham, Moorhead’s alma mater, but he didn’t coach with Moorhead at the school. Moorhead spent four years as head coach at Fordham.
The Dispatch also has learned MSU is expected to name San Francisco 49ers defensive quality control coach Tem Lukabu its linebackers coach. Lukabu just coached his fourth season in the NFL, and second with the 49ers. He also spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His most recent college coaching experience was as linebackers coach at Florida International in 2015. Lukabu also spent two years at Rutgers, two years at Rhode Island, and a year at his alma mater, Colgate.
In addition to Moorhead’s moves to fill his coaching staff, former MSU assistant coaches have found new homes. On Wednesday, Florida announced the hiring of former MSU running backs coach, special teams coordinator, and interim head coach Greg Knox. Knox, who was a member of Dan Mullen’s staff at MSU since 2009, doesn’t have a specific title, but FootballScoop reported he will be the tight ends coach.
Knox was asked about his future throughout MSU’s preparation for the TaxSlayer Bowl and again after the game. Each time he said he didn’t know what was in store for him and that his focus was on MSU’s game against Louisville.
“I would like to thank President Dr. Mark Keenum, Director of Athletics John Cohen, and especially the players for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this team and represent Mississippi State,” Knox said in a statement he tweeted Tuesday morning. “My Family and I have enjoyed our 9 years with the Bulldog Family and there will always be Maroon & White in us.”
Knox’s tenure at MSU saw the Bulldogs finish in the top half of the Southeastern Conference in rushing six times and produce five 1,000-yard rushing seasons for running backs.
Moorhead hired Charles Huff from Penn State to be MSU’s running backs coach and run game coordinator.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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