Miami coaching staff officially complete (for now) as UM names former Dolphin the DE coach
He’s been out there coaching the defensive ends at spring practice, but Rod Wright was officially announced on Tuesday as the University of Miami’s new defensive ends coach.
Wright, 37, a former star defensive end for Texas from 2002 to 2005, is a Houston native who spent the past three seasons on the University of Texas-San Antonio staff — first as defensive line coach, then as run game coordinator/defensive line coach and finally last season as co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach.
Wright was selected by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2006 draft and played for Miami for three seasons, from 2006-08, before beginning his coaching career.
“I’m extremely excited to be here,’’ Wright said in a UM release. “To be able to join a program with the tradition of being a national champion and a big-time powerhouse football place like this, I was honored to even be considered as somebody that was deserving to be here.
“Coach Cristobal being interested at all was humbling. Knowing who he is as a head coach and the staff that he has put together, it has been an honor to join this place.”
The Canes’ defensive line is coached by Joe Salave’a, who was with head coach Mario Cristobal at Oregon. Also recently joining the staff as an off-field pass-rushing analyst is fellow former Miami Dolphins defensive end and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jason Taylor.
“I’m fired up to add Rod Wright to our defensive staff,” Cristobal said. “The Hurricanes are committed to dominating in the trenches, and Coach Wright will be a game-changer for our defense. His career in the NFL and his college coaching experience have helped mold him into one of the nation’s top developers of talent and best recruiters. He will make an impact on our program’s identity when it comes to mental and physical toughness, and I’m excited to watch him elevate our culture.”
The Hurricanes’ coaching staff of 10 assistants, the amount allowed by the NCAA, now appears to be complete. Tight ends coach Stephen Field is the only coach that has been retained from the former staff, though UM has not announced as such.
The offensive assistants: offensive coordinator/receivers coach Josh Gattis; offensive line coach Alex Mirabal; quarterback coach/passing game coordinator Frank Ponce; running backs coach Kevin Smith; tight ends coach Field.
The defensive assistants: defensive coordinator Kevin Steele; linebackers/co-defensive coordinator Charlie Strong; defensive line coach Salave’a; defensive ends coach Wright; secondary coach Jahmile Addae;
On Monday, March 7, the opening day of spring football, Cristobal was asked if his staff was complete.
“I don’t think staffs or recruiting is ever done,’’ the coach said. “It just keeps going and going and going because you just never know. The NFL makes moves, you make moves, guys pop up, there are opportunities here, you can expand, your flow chart. I don’t think it’s ever done and that’s a good thing.’’
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 11:35 AM.
