Donté Williams officially joined the Nebraska coaching staff Monday, leaving an opening at Arizona that Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez aims to fill as quickly as possible.
Reports first surfaced Friday that Williams, who just completed his first season as Arizona’s cornerbacks coach, was headed to the Midwest. Williams and his new employer tweeted the news Monday.
Williams also expressed his gratitude to the UA in a message posted to his Twitter feed:
“I’m beyond thankful for the opportunity Rich Rodriguez and Greg Byrne gave me to join the University of Arizona and coach the game I love.
“I can’t even put into words how much I appreciated the way my guys went out on a daily bass competing and representing for the ‘A.’
“Hurt, tired, sore, it didn’t matter!! They handled and took on every task that was given to them! A very special group of young men that will continue to develop and prosper no matter who (their) coach is because the best is yet to come for them!!”
As soon as he realized Williams was leaving, Rodriguez began the process of finding a replacement. He has a couple of different options.
Rodriguez could hire a cornerbacks coach to slide into Williams’ spot. Or Rodriguez could hire a linebackers coach. In that case, defensive coordinator Marcel Yates — who currently coaches linebackers — would shift to the secondary.
Regardless of which position he coaches, the new hire needs to be a strong recruiter, preferably with deep ties in Southern California. Rodriguez also might seek a coach with connections in Texas, a relatively untapped area for Arizona.
One recruit has de-committed from the UA since it became apparent that Williams would leave, and it’s a big one. Four-star athlete Greg Johnson from Augustus Hawkins in Los Angeles announced Sunday that he was reopening his recruitment. Johnson was one of three four-star prospects in the Wildcats’ class heading into this past weekend.
Ideally, Rodriguez will be able to hire a new coach in the next few days. A month-long recruiting “dead period” begins next Monday.
