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Holtz turns defense over to
comrade-in-arms
From staff and ECU
reports
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Greg Hudson
(Photo: ECU SID) |
Skip Holtz and Greg Hudson
crossed paths as teammates at Notre Dame and as coaches for the Irish
and at Connecticut. Now, their journeys will intersect at East Carolina
as Holtz has lured his old friend to Greenville to fill a key position
on his steadily emerging football staff.
Holtz, who took over the
reigns of the ECU football program on Dec. 3, announced Thursday that
Hudson, Minnesota's defensive coordinator, would assume that same
position on the Pirates' staff.
It's an assignment that
will carry an unusual degree of decision-making reponsibility in light
of the stated intention by the offensive-minded Holtz to hire a
coordinator to whom he would delegate control of the defense.
It is apparent that Hudson
fits the bill to assume that scale of authority in a manner satisfactory
to Holtz. In fact, Hudson may have been the defensive boss Holtz had in
mind when he made the remark.
"Greg is someone I have
known and respected for a long time as a person, close friend and
coach," said Holtz in a statement. "His reputation speaks for itself,
especially his understanding, development and execution of the defensive
scheme I want to incorporate at East Carolina.
"I expect a smooth
transition for him in our program and for his family in the community."
In addition to overseeing
the big picture on defense, Hudson will coach the Pirate safeties.
Hudson's appointment at
ECU ends his four-year tenure at Big 10 Conference member Minnesota. He
was the Gophers' defensive coordinator the last two seasons after
serving as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator in 2001 and
2002.
After taking over the UM
defense prior to the team's appearance against Arkansas in the 2002
Music City Bowl, Hudson began putting his own stamp on the unit. The
Gophers prevailed in that game 29-14, holding the Razorbacks'
11th-ranked rushing offense to 80 yards.
In 2003, the Minnesota
defense allowed just 21.9 points per game (second-lowest average allowed
by the team since 1985), 340.4 total yards per game (second-lowest
average allowed since since 1980) and 122.7 rushing yards per game
(second-lowest average allowed since 1962.)
Last season, Hudson's
defense was 16th nationally in turnover margin (+.73), 44th in scoring
defense (23.4 ppg) and 49th in rushing defense (140.4 ypg).
Prior to his stint at Minnesota, Hudson spent four years (1997-2000) at
Cincinnati, where he helped lead the Bearcats to a pair of bowl
appearances in three seasons under then-UC head coach Rick Minter.
Before his move to
Cincinnati, Hudson served as offensive line coach under Holtz for three
years (1994-96) at Connecticut, where the Huskies averaged over 4,000
yards output per season during that span.
Hudson began his coaching
career in 1990 at the University of Redlands (Calif.), serving as
linebackers coach for the Bulldogs before returning to his alma mater,
Notre Dame, as a graduate assistant in 1993 under then-Irish coach Lou
Holtz. Skip Holts was the offensive coordinator of that Notre Dame team.
Hudson was a two-year
participant as a linebacker at Notre Dame (1986-87), a period which
included Skip Holtz's 1986 season as a flanker for the Irish.
Hudson earned his
bachelor's degree in sociology from Notre Dame in 1990 and added a
master's from Redlands in 2000.
He was a prep All-America
selection as a linebacker at Moeller High School in Cincinnati.
Hudson is the sixth staff member announced by Holtz, whose previous
hires have included three aides with ECU ties — assistant head coach and
defensive line coach
Donnie Thompson, offensive line
coach
Steve Shankweiler and running
backs coach
Junior Smith.
Thompson and Shankweiler
both have coaching experience spanning three decades, including
stretches as assistants at ECU, while Smith, a former star player for
the Pirates, has logged seven years of coaching experience.
Hudson is the third assistant brought on board the Pirate ship with
previous ties to Holtz.
Phil Petty, a former quarterback
and graduate assistant at South Carolina, has joined the Pirates as an
offensive coach and
Clifford Snow has been named
director of football operations.
Hudson and wife Kelly are the parents of four children — sons Garrett
and Jack, and daughters Kacey and Kayla.
02/23/07 11:30 AM
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Bonesville.net. All
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Bonesville.net contributed to this report. An
ECU Athletics press release was used in
compiling this report.
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