Coaching changes happen all the time, Badger fans don’t need to be told that given what has taken place in the last half-decade or so. However, losing a coach after national signing day has been a rarity.
Such is the case in 2016 though, as a report by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan suggests that Wisconsin secondary coach Daronte Jones is off to the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.
#Dolphins are adding Wisconsin DBs coach Daronte Jones as asst DBs coach, source said.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) February 9, 2016
It would be Jones’ first NFL job, as he was a grad assistant with UCLA in 2010 and took a job with the Montreal Allouettes of the CFL before heading to Hawaii to coach from 2012 to 2014.
Perhaps this bit of news was known in the hiring process for new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, as a position group to coach was not named when he took over the position just before national signing day. It would be a natural fit for Wilcox, who was a defensive back in his playing days at Oregon.
Should Wilcox not add those coaching duties to his coordinator position, a name sure to come up will be former Badgers player and assistant Ben Strickland. He was passed over last year for the defensive backs job and chose to coach over being put in to the recruiting arena only for the Badgers.
Strickland coached defensive backs at UW from 2012 to 2014, but moved to Florida Atlantic where former Badgers defensive coordinator Charlie Partridge is currently the coach. However, it remains to be seen if being passed over the first time is too much for Strickland to come back to UW.
Given this development, it could be an interesting offseason and spring practice season for the Badgers’ defense.
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