Lobos name Carrel new outside linebackers coach
Former Houston assistant replaces McDaniel
Dan Carrel, who has spent the past four seasons on the staff at the University of Houston, was named as the new outside linebackers coach at New Mexico on Thursday. He replaces Archie McDaniel, who was named codefensive coordinator at Texas State.
Carrel had been with Houston since 2015 when he joined the program as a defensive graduate assistant with the outside linebackers, a position he held for two seasons before earning a promotion to full-time outside linebackers coach.
While with the Cougars, Carrel coached in four bowl games in four seasons, including a New Year’s Six Bowl Game as Houston won the 2015 Peach Bowl, 38-24 over Florida State to cap a 13-1 season. That season Houston led the nation in takeaways with 35, and ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense.
But his time at Houston didn’t finish well. Last year, Houston rose to as high as No. 17 in The Associated Press poll in 2018 following a 7-1 start, but the Cougars dropped four of their final five games, including a 70-14 loss to Army in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl — a game for which Carrel was assigned to call the defenses after Houston fired defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio. That loss tied the record for the largest margin of defeat in an FBS bowl game and led to the firing of head coach Major Applewhite.
Prior to his time with Houston, Carrel spent single seasons at Kentucky (defensive graduate assistant, 2014) and Ohio State (offensive graduate assistant, 2013). In his lone season with the Buckeyes, he was a part of the staff that coached OSU to the Big Ten title game and the 2014 Orange Bowl.
Carrel played collegiately at West Liberty from 2008-11 as a linebacker. After graduation he began his coaching career with West Liberty before working in strength and conditioning at South Carolina.
MARYLAND: Josh Jackson, who as a redshirt freshman quarterback at Virginia Tech two seasons ago threw for 20 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards, announced on Twitter this week that he plans on transferring to Maryland.
The announcement followed Jackson’s official visit to the Maryland campus last weekend and three weeks of speculation after Jackson, along with several other Hokies, put his name into the NCAA transfer portal.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Jackson is expected to graduate from Virginia Tech this spring and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Given his success before breaking his leg early last season, he is likely the favorite to start for the Terps in 2019.
Jackson becomes the third Football Bowl Subdivision player, and second Hokie, to transfer to Maryland since former UNM head coach and recent Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley was hired as the team’s head coach, joining former Virginia Tech teammate and wide receiver Sean Savoy, as well as former Ohio State outside linebacker Keandre Jones.
ARMY: Despite an academyrecord 11 wins last season for Army and a final ranking of No. 19 in the AP Top 25, recruiting is much the same, says coach Jeff Monken.
“I don’t know if it’s been a boon. It’s still the same challenges,” coach Jeff Monken said after crisscrossing the country in search of talent. “You’ve got to go and win the recruiting battle. Winning certainly helps you get their interest, but I don’t know if winning a lot of football games helps anybody understand any more what West Point is. Some people don’t realize that our guys are in college. ‘Do they just get the soldiers to play? How does that work?’ You’d be surprised how many times you’ve got to explain it.”
In his five seasons, Monken has convinced enough teenagers to join the brotherhood and make some history at West Point. Two years ago the Black Knights matched the school record with 10 wins and last season, the first year that every player on the roster was recruited by Monken and his staff, Army broke that record, finishing 11-2, won its third straight bowl game , and captured the Lambert Trophy, given annually to the top FBS team in the East.
“It means our players did a great job. I didn’t have to play a single play the whole year,” said Monken, whose fiery demeanor in practice and on the sideline is mirrored by his players on the field. “That’s a recognition of our team and our team’s success. I’m proud that the folks that picked those things recognized that our team did a really good job this year.”
Monken was recognized, too.
He won the George Munger and Vince Lombardi coach of the year awards and was one of seven finalists for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year award that went to Dabo Swinney of national champion Clemson.