UM adds to strength staff with another former Oregon coach; Zion Nelson returning in 2022
Another day, another coach following Mario Cristobal from the Oregon Ducks to the Miami Hurricanes.
Jeff Eaton, who spent the last three seasons working in Oregon’s strength and conditioning program, is headed to Miami as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, the school announced in a press release. Eaton worked for the Ducks from 2019-2021 alongside Aaron Feld, who was officially named the Hurricanes’ new strength and conditioning coach last Monday.
“Jeff Eaton is my right hand. Before he’s a great strength coach, he is a phenomenal human being. He is one of the top-level, highest moral fiber, highest DNA quality of a human being I’ve ever been around,” Feld said in a statement. “That’s before you even consider the fact that he’s one of the best strength coaches I’ve ever worked with. He looks the part, he walks the walk, he talks the talk, and he’s everything you’d want in one of your assistants.”
With Eaton in the fold, Oregon went to three straight Pac-12 Championship Games, winning back to back conference titles in 2019 and 2020.
Eaton previously worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Purdue Boilermakers from 2017-2018 and for the UNLV Rebels from 2015-2016. He made previous stops in other roles with the Baylor Bears, Missouri Tigers, San Diego State Aztecs and FCS Morgan State Bears.
“Excitement is an understatement. I get goosebumps when I think about it. I know the caliber of man that Coach Cristobal is and I know the caliber of man Coach Feld is, and I’m just so happy to be a part of it,” Eaton said in a statement. “To be considered in that regard, to be alongside these guys, it’s a tremendous feeling and I’m super humbled and super grateful that they would bring me along so we can continue to build this up.
“The U brand is all about excellence. It has been about excellence for the past 40 years. For me, being a part of this brand, it’s being a part of excellence, it’s being a part of tradition, it’s being a part of family. Why would you not want to be a part of something like that?”
Eaton is now the fifth coach to follow Cristobal from Eugene to Coral Gables. Miami also hired Brian McClendon as its wide receivers coach, Alex Mirabal as its offensive line coach, Joe Salve’a as its defensive line coach, and Feld as its strength and conditioning coach.
Zion Nelson returning to Miami
The Hurricanes will have their left tackle back in 2022 after Zion Nelson decided to return to school for at least one more year.
Miami announced Nelson’s decision on Twitter.
The star tackle has started for the Hurricanes since the first game of his freshman and is viewed as an interesting prospect at the next level given his 6-foot-5, 316-pound frame and his rapid development from 240-pound three-star recruit, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings, to blind-side protector in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 4:56 PM.
