NOCO5 – News, Weather, and Sports for Northern ColoradoSimmons and English co-defensive coordinators for CSU

Simmons and English co-defensive coordinators for CSU

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State Head Coach Jim McElwain on Thursday named Al Simmons and Marty English as co-defensive coordinators.

 The moves, along with naming Jeff Hammerschmidt special teams coordinator and running backs coach, and Tim Duffie defensive secondary coach and recruiting coordinator, complete McElwain's inaugural coaching staff at Colorado State. Hammerschmidt, Duffie, and English, who will coach defensive line in addition to co-coordinator duties, had previously joined the staff.

 While the Rams have had co-offensive coordinators, this season will mark the first time in program history CSU has had two individuals sharing the leadership of the defense.

 Al Simmons at a glance

·For all or parts of six seasons, has coached at the NFL level, including two years (2003-04) as a full-time assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers. Also has assisted NFL staffs during training camp on four occasions, with the Los Angeles Raiders (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1996), San Diego Chargers (1999) and Dallas Cowboys (2000).

·Coached three future Denver Broncos draft selections, Deltha O'Neal, Nick Harris and Syd'Quan Thompson, all at Cal. O'Neal was the first overall cornerback selected in the 2000 NFL Draft.

·Enters his 27th season in coaching, with all 26 years of prior experience tutoring defensive backs in some capacity.

·First met Sonny Lubick during a spring visit to Fort Collins in 1996, as a Montana State assistant. Wound up coaching Lubick's son, Marc, with the Bobcats, and later coached with his other son, Matt Lubick, splitting the defensive-backs duties at Arizona State in 2007.

·Owns 10 years of experience coaching in the former Pac-10, and eight years as a defensive coordinator.

·Has spent 18 years of his career coaching in the Bay Area, near his hometown, Oakland. In fact, the Mountain and Pacific time zones have encompassed all of his college resume.

 

Career background

Seasons               Team/School                                     Title/Position Coached

1986-87                Cal State Hayward                            Defensive Backs

1988-93                Cal State Hayward                            Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs

Summer 1993        Los Angeles Raiders                          Defensive secondary assistant

1994                      San Francisco State                          Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs

1995-96                Montana State                                   Defensive Backs

Summer 1996       Arizona Cardinals                                Defensive secondary assistant

1997                      Idaho State                                       Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs

1998-00                California                                            Cornerbacks

Summer 1999        San Diego Chargers                            Linebackers assistant

Summer 2000        Dallas Cowboys                                  Defensive secondary assistant

2001-02                Oregon State                                      Defensive Backs

2003                      San Francisco 49ers                           Cornerbacks

2004                      San Francisco 49ers                           Defensive Backs

2005                      San Jose State                                   Cornerbacks

2006                      Arizona State                                     Cornerbacks

2007                      Arizona State                                      Co-Special Teams

2008-10                 California                                            Defensive Backs/Special Teams

2011                       UTEP                                                   Safeties

 

Postseason experience

Season                 Appearance                                                                                       Opponent

2002                       Insight Bowl                                                                                       Pittsburgh

                                (assistant coach at Oregon State)

2006                       Hawaii Bowl                                                                                        Hawaii

                                (assistant coach at Arizona State)

2007                       Holiday Bowl                                                                                      Texas

                                (assistant coach at Arizona State)

2008                       Emerald Bowl                                                                                     Miami

                                (assistant coach at California)

2009                       Poinsettia Bowl                                                                                  Utah

                                (assistant coach at California)

 

Personnel file

·Age on Sept. 2, 2012: 49

·Hometown: Oakland, Calif.

·High School: Oakland (Calif.) High School.

·College:  Cal State Hayward (bachelor's in business, 1987; master's in athletic administration/sensory motor skills, 1991).

·Family: Single.

 

Prominent players coached

·The top CB selected in the 2000 NFL Draft, Deltha O'Neal (15th overall, Denver).

·Two-time All-American Syd'Quan Thompson, the Broncos' seventh-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.

·CB Justin Tryon, the Redskins' fourth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, who played most recently for the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants in 2011.

·S Chris Conte, the Bears' third-round choice in the 2011 NFL Draft.

·K Thomas Weber, 2007 Lou Groza Award winner.

·P Nick Harris, Denver's fourth-round choice in the 2001 draft, and an 11-year NFL vet.

·All-American CB Dennis Weathersby, selected by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

· All-American Terrell Roberts, who played two years with the Cincinnati Bengals.

·CB Omar Bolden, a Freshman All-American at Arizona State and a 2012 NFL Draft prospect.

· Seven-year NFL veteran Chidi Iwuoma.

·Darian Hagan Jr., son of the former CU cornerback; the younger Hagan signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2011.

·A pair of all-conference players, Omar Turner and Jared Lucero, at Montana State.

 

Playing career: Laney College, 1981-82; Cal State Hayward, 1983-84