Kansas City, Mo. ? If the hallmark of a successful football program means assistant coaches move on to bigger things, Kansas State fans might shudder to think what might happen when the Wildcats finally have a breakthrough year.
After going 7-6 last season under new coach Ron Prince, four members of the coaching staff already have resigned to take positions in the NFL and at other schools.
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was the first to go, not long after the Wildcats were routed, 37-10, by national darling Rutgers in the Texas Bowl. The 30-year-old former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant will be returning to Jon Gruden’s staff as the defensive backs coach.
Longtime strength and conditioning coach Rod Cole, who helped former coach Bill Snyder turn the Wildcats from a perennial doormat into a national contender, was announced Monday as the new strength coach at Texas A&M.
Then on Wednesday, Prince announced that running backs coach Tim Horton was leaving the program to become offensive coordinator at Air Force, and wide receivers coach Pat Washington was taking the same position at Mississippi State.
“I guess my perception on what’s happening is much different than other people’s. I think it’s a natural progression,” Prince said. “When you look at the economics of a career, people have the opportunity to advance themselves.”
Prince has moved quickly to fill the first two openings, promoting special teams coach Tim Tibesar to defensive coordinator and hiring former Pittsburgh strength coach Mike Kent.
He also hired Baylor assistant Wesley McGriff, the Bears’ recruiting coordinator the past four seasons, to coach the defensive backs.
“When you have very talented people you know there’s a point in time when people are going to come to them with career opportunities,” said Prince, who refused to say whether any of the coaches informed him of their intentions before the Texas Bowl.
