UM hires D-line coach, promotes Van Dyke
Jess Simpson is back at the University of Miami, DeMarcus Van Dyke never left and coach Manny Diaz is calling the defense again on game days.
Simpson, the defensive line/defensive tackles coach for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and the 2018 Hurricanes defensive line coach, has been hired as the new UM defensive line coach, the school announced Thursday.
Van Dyke, a former UM and Oakland Raiders cornerback who has been Miami’s assistant director of recruiting, was promoted to cornerbacks coach.
UM’s 2019 and 2020 defensive line coach Todd Stroud, 57, who has serious health concerns and, according to the Tallahassee
Democrat, was hospitalized in December after testing positive for COVID-19 in November, will now be UM’s senior football advisor.
“We are excited to announce these staff hires as we work to improve all facets of our program on and off the field,” Diaz said in a statement. “Jess is a proven defensive line coach at all levels who had great success with our defensive line in 2018 and we are thrilled to have him back.
“DeMarcus is eager to take the next step in his coaching career and work in tandem with Travaris [Robinson] with our defensive backs.’’
Miami announced last Saturday the hiring of new defensive backs coach Robinson, who spent the last five years as the South
Carolina Gamecocks’ defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator. Former UM safeties coach Ephraim Banda just left the Canes to become the defensive coordinator at Utah State.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker will maintain that title, as well as coaching inside linebackers. However, Diaz, UM’s defensive coordinator before he became head coach in 2019, said he will begin calling the defensive plays on game days, “which we feel is our best path to maximize our strengths on that side of the ball,” Diaz said.
Jonathan Patke will coach special teams and outside linebackers.
UM’s defense got considerably worse overall in 2020, finishing 67th in total defense, 76th in rushing
defense and 65th in passing yards allowed. The Canes, however, ranked No. 4 nationally in tackles for loss.
Mike Rumph, a former Hurricanes star cornerback for the 2001 national championship team and 2002 first-round draft choice by the San Francisco 49ers, had been the UM cornerbacks coach beginning in 2016. Now he will have a role in UM’s recruiting department.
Van Dyke, who will turn 32 on Sunday, played six seasons in the NFL after being selected in the third round by Oakland. A Miami Gardens native and graduate of Monsignor Pace High, he spent 2017 as the cornerbacks coach at junior college ASA College in Miami.
Van Dyke was initially set to joint Banda at Utah State, a source told the Miami Herald, but chose to remain for the current situation.
Simpson, whose hire is pending completion of a UM background check, is a highly respected coach who won seven state titles and compiled a record of 164-12 (.932) in 12 years as the Buford (Georgia) High School head coach. He was part of a Falcons organization about to hire a new head coach.
This past season, the Falcons (4-12) allowed 414 points (25.9 per game), ranked 19th of 32 teams.
In his first season with Atlanta as a defensive assistant in 2017, according to his Falcons bio, Simpson helped the Falcons rank ninth in the NFL in both total defense and rushing defense as the team advanced to the NFC playoffs.
In 2019, his Falcons totaled 246 tackles, including 33 for losses, 18 sacks, 49 quarterback hits and five forced fumbles.
Simpson played at Auburn and began his coaching career as a student assistant there.