FOOTBALL
FAU Defensive Coordinator Kirk Hoza was fired from the coaching staff on Wednesday, Dec. 16, marking the first time a coach has been relieved of his duties under Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger.
Hoza, whose unit finished 112th in the nation in total defense in 2009, had been with the FAU coaching staff since its inception but will now be replaced by Assistant Coach Kurt Van Valkenburgh.
“It was a very difficult move that I had to make in looking out for what’s best for the football team,” Schnellenberger told The Palm Beach Post.
Van Valkenburgh, 60, has been FAU’s linebackers coach since the team began its football program earlier this decade. He was also Schnellenberger’s defensive coordinator when the two coached at Oklahoma in 1995.
“He was to be my defensive coordinator here, but when we started the program he became more valuable as an assistant,” Schnellenberger said.
Also leaving FAU is first-year Quarterbacks Coach Jeff Brohm, who is heading over to Illinois for the same job..
Offensive Coordinator Darryl Jackson will assume Brohm’s duties, while first-year Graduate Assistant and former Owls quarterback Jared Allen will take over for Jackson at receivers coach. Allen started 47 games as FAU’s quarterback during its first three seasons, from 2001 to 2004.
"I didn't know it would happen in the first year, but I felt it would happen pretty quickly," Schnellenberger said about Allen moving up.
"Having a guy who played quarterback coaching at his alma mater, he will be focused and will be a very big asset to the program.”
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