Football staff changes

[jimsumner]

From Duke press release.

"Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe announced on Friday multiple changes within the Blue Devil staff.

“We are very excited with our recent hires and adjustments to the staff,” Cutcliffe stated. “I have either coached or fostered long term relationships with each of these young people and their families. It is great to surround yourself with people you deeply care for and know are winners on and off the field. We approach the 2011 season with great enthusiasm."

Cutcliffe tabbed Ben Loebner and John Russell as graduate assistant coaches on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, respectfully. Loebner, a 2009 Duke graduate, has spent the last two seasons on the Blue Devil staff as a recruiting assistant while Russell joins the program after lettering four seasons as a defensive lineman at Wake Forest where he helped the Demon Deacons to a ledger of 33-19 along with the 2006 ACC Championship.

Kerry Johnson, who lettered as both a defensive back and wide receiver under Cutcliffe at Ole Miss, shifts from his role as an assistant on the strength and conditioning staff to an operations assistant position with the Duke offensive coaches. Leon Wright, an All-ACC cornerback during his playing days at Duke, serves as the defensive operations assistant.

Marcus Johnson, a former All-SEC offensive lineman at Ole Miss who spent five seasons in the NFL, replaces Kerry Johnson as an assistant in the strength and conditioning department.

Ethan Johnson, a staff member since 2006, becomes Duke’s assistant director of football relations, replacing the departed Terrell Smith. Jomar Wright, who spent last year as a graduate assistant coach, moves into the role of recruiting assistant while former Blue Devil All-American defensive lineman Vince Oghobaase has been added as a staff assistant.

In the equipment room, Tommy Phillips has been promoted to assistant football equipment manager, replacing Todd McMinn, who left the program to become the director of football equipment operations at the University of Cincinnati. Ben Sherrill replaces Phillips as an equipment assistant."

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Thank you for this update, Jim.

What a wonderful surprise to have Vince back on the staff.

[OldPhiKap]

Thanks for the info, and looking forward to the season!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Jim, has VO given up on his aspirations of a pro football (NFL) career?

[JasonEvans]

Jim, has VO given up on his aspirations of a pro football (NFL) career?

My bet would be that this is a good way to stay in shape and work out while the NFL is in lockout. Vince reached the NFL late in the season last year when the Redskins signed him to their practice squad for the final game of the regular season. The team would not have done that unless they wanted to get a look at him with an eye toward bringing him to camp in 2011 and expecting him to may make the team.

-Jason "VO has a pro's body... he can do it" Evans

[CameronBornAndBred]

My bet would be that this is a good way to stay in shape and work out while the NFL is in lockout. Vince reached the NFL late in the season last year when the Redskins signed him to their practice squad for the final game of the regular season. The team would not have done that unless they wanted to get a look at him with an eye toward bringing him to camp in 2011 and expecting him to may make the team.

-Jason "VO has a pro's body... he can do it" Evans

Ahh, thanks for the 'Skins reminder. I knew he had left the Dolphins and played in the whatchacallit league.

[Reilly]

Here's a news account of VO's Redskins practice squad signing late last year:

http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/.../#.Tg8vj81djFA

Interestingly, though the news account says Doug Dutch and VO were both signed to the practice squad that day, the Redskins transaction log on their site only lists Dutch for that day:

http://www.redskins.com/team/transactions.html

Given that other guys (Joe Joseph; Xavier Fulton) who were December signees to the Redskins practice squad are now found on the "roster" list for the Redskins at their site, but other signees such as VO are not, I imagine his Redskins days are done.

Apparently VO did well with the Hartford Colonials of the UFL. Saw Orrin Thompson's name on a UFL roster as well.