Reports: New UM assistant Williams now UCF-bound
The Miami Hurricanes, who were out of the market for a linebackers coach, apparently are now back in it all within the same month.
Travis Williams, who was hired by coach Manny Diaz on Feb. 1 to be Miami’s linebackers coach, is now expected to take on UCF’s defensive coordinator duties, according to multiple reports on Tuesday — the first from ESPN.
The move would reunite Williams with coach Gus Malzahn, who was named the Knights’ new head coach Monday after he was fired from Auburn in December. Williams was Malzahn’s linebackers coach with the Tigers the last five seasons after previously holding other support staff roles at Auburn, his alma mater.
UM athletic director Blake James was on a web conference with reporters as the news broke but would not confirm the reports.
“I don’t know of anything being official yet,” James said. “I’ve heard the speculation that Travis will have an opportunity to become defensive coordinator and work with Coach Malzahn at Central Florida. When you look at it from that perspective, it’s an oppor
tunity for him to better improve his situation. That’s not his role here with us.
“I think anytime someone leaves, you’re disappointed. The timing, though, it’s honestly part of the industry that we live in. I think it’d be hypocritical to question it in one case but be happy and fine with it when it benefits you in others.
“Hate to lose people that are great coaches or great parts to our staff. Unfortunately, I haven’t even had the opportunity to meet Travis yet in person, given the COVID situation and our lack of ability to really interact within the department.”
It wouldn’t be the first time UM has hired and lost an assistant coach in the same offseason. Mario Cristobal, a Miami alum, took a job as Hurricanes tight ends coach and associate head coach in January 2013 under then-coach Al Golden only to leave six weeks later to take a job at Alabama under Nick Saban. Cristobal is now Oregon’s coach.
Williams’ apparent departure would mark the second time this offseason that the Hurricanes will have to make another coaching hire after believing they had finalized the coaching staff.
Before former defensive coordinator Blake Baker left for the linebackers coach role at LSU, Miami’s announcement of the return of Jess Simpson as defensive line coach and the promotion of DeMarcus Van Dyke as cornerbacks coach was said to finalize the staff after earlier adding Travaris Robinson as defensive backs coach.
Baker’s departure Jan. 28 opened up the opportunity for UM to first hire Williams.
With no one on the staff given the defensive coordinator label, Diaz stated he will handle those duties along with his head coaching role.
Should Williams join UCF as defensive coordinator, he would fill the role former Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon held under previous Knights coach, Josh Heupel, who has since taken the reins at Tennessee.
Shannon was interim head coach before UCF hired Malzahn.