UConn Football Hires Billy Crocker as Defensive Coordinator

On Friday night, NBC’s Kevin Nathan reported UConn Football will be hiring Billy Crocker to be defensive coordinator. He has been working in the same role for Villanova since 2012. Saturday morning, UConn made the news official.

Crocker is from Waterford, Connecticut, attending Waterford High before playing defensive back at the Coast Guard Academy. He ended up graduating from Villanova in 2002, where he would eventually end up coaching after a short stint at Albany. He coached the defensive line for five years before moving to special teams coordinator/linebackers in 2011 before the promotion to defensive coordinator.

In 2016, Crocker’s Wildcat defense finished the season as the best in FCS in points and yards allowed per game. It has been one of the top defenses in the country during his tenure. He recruited Central and Southern New Jersey for Villanova but will also obviously help the Huskies win in-state talent.

Earlier on Friday, UConn officially announced the addition of Curome Cox as defensive backs coach. Cox played in college at Maryland before a five-year career in the NFL. He had been coaching defensive backs and special teams at Coastal Carolina.

Randy Edsall’s staff now has its offensive coordinator, potentially defensive coordinator, and position coaches at tight end, running back, linebacker, and defensive back taken care of. That leaves wide receiver, offensive line, and quarterback offensively if Rhett Lashlee is not going to assume that role. Defensively, UConn is still looking for a D-line coach. Edsall also still needs a special teams coordinator.

Elsewhere in the world of college football, Nebraska has hired former UConn head coach Bob Diaco to be its defensive coordinator. His time in Storrs may not have been a success, but he’ll probably see success as a coordinator just as he did at Notre Dame.