Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:56:08 +0000

As recruiting rumors continue to swirl, Jackson Jeffcoat's father is trying to calm things down a bit.

Jim Jeffcoat says he will remain the University of Houston's defensive line coach in 2010, FOX 26 in Houston reports, quashing any speculation he was headed to Oklahoma and might bring his five-star recruit son along with him.

There was talk the elder Jeffcoat was linked to an opening on Oklahoma's defensive coaching staff after Chris Wilson, the Sooners' former defensive end coach, recently took a co-defensive coordinator job at Mississippi State.

Jackson Jeffcoat, a standout defensive end at Plano West and arguably the top uncommitted recruit in the nation, has to decide on a school by Feb. 3, which is national signing day for college football.

LU football assistant leaves for Texas Tech job

By CHRISTOPHER DABE

January 15, 2010
Posted: January 15, 2010, 4:14 PM CST   Last updated: January 15, 2010, 6:42 PM CST

The ripple of college football coaches changing jobs touched Lamar University on Friday, when offensive coordinator Tommy Mainord left LU for an undetermined assistant coaching position at Texas Tech.

The move came just before the Cardinals were set to welcome recruits to campus for weekend visits, but LU coach Ray Woodard said the loss of a key assistant should not heavily impact recruiting.

"I'm happy for him," Woodard said. "I want coaches that other people want. That's the way it happens sometimes. Coaches are going to move for a different opportunity. I was fortunate to have him for a year and a half."

Woodard hired Mainord soon after LU named Woodard as the head coach that would lead LU's first football team since 1989. LU hired Woodard in May 2008, and its first game will be Sept. 4 against McNeese State in Lake Charles, La.

At Tech, Mainord will work for head coach Tommy Tuberville. Tech hired Tuberville last weekend as a replacement for Mike Leach, fired Dec. 30 amid allegations he mistreated a player who suffered a concussion.

With Lamar, Mainord installed a spread-style offense similar to the kind run for several seasons at Tech under Leach. The team practiced Mainord's offense during 10 weeks of fall practices. Mainord coached running backs and wide receivers for three seasons at Sam Houston State before Lamar hired him.

Mainord also coached six seasons at Tarleton State, his alma mater. Mainord's father, Carlos, coached safeties at Tech for the last six seasons and has coached with four NFL teams. He recently retired.

Woodard said he hoped to hire a replacement for Mainord by mid-February. Mainord's replacement may come from within the staff or from the outside. Woodard said he wanted an offensive coordinator to run an offense similar to Mainord's.

"We decided we want to run this type of offense, and we won't change our offense this fall," said Woodard, who added that the new coordinator "doesn't have to be a clone" of Mainord.

"We won't change the offense or the philosophy at this point," Woodard added. "We'll get a very good coach in here in a short period of time, and at the same time we'll take enough time to make sure we get the right person."

LU still has four offensive coaches on its staff. Associate head coach Brian Mayper has an offensive coaching background that includes time as a co-offensive coordinator and special team's coordinator at Howard Payne University in Brownswood, where he worked for nine seasons.

Other offensive coaches include offensive line coach Will Richard and quarterbacks coach James Brown. Both played at West Brook. Brown played quarterback at Texas.

Another offensive coach is running backs coach Nathan Reeves, an Orange native.

Woodard said he knew he might lose his offensive coordinator when he learned Mainord had an interview with Tuberville scheduled. Tech hired Tuberville on Jan. 9. Tuberville signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the school.

"It happened pretty fast," Woodard said of losing Mainord.

Mainord did not return a phone message left Friday by The Enterprise.

This is the first of three straight weekends LU will host high school seniors for recruiting visits. The first day a high school senior can sign a binding agreement to play for a college is Feb. 3. For now, LU will move forward and seek an offensive coordinator.