Robb Smith who is currently Arkansas' defensive coordinator is rumored to be Fleck's DC. Former Iowa GA and worked with Fleck at Rutgers. He didn't have a very good year at Arkansas and there was a lot of speculation that he would not return.
I believe both Smith and Bielema mutually have decided to try and find Smith a new job so that he doesn't have to be fired, but a new voice in charge of the defense is necessary. This is actually quite common and much classier than firing a guy IMO. It was rumored that Smith was going to be taking the Wake Forest DC job; however, the Minnesota DC appears to be more likely now.
Fleck is rumored to have targeted Ed Warinner as his OC. These are just rumors right now, but I would not be surprised if Warinner and Meyer have decided to find Warinner a new job in a similar fashion that Smith and Bielema are doing. I have an inclination that this will happen as well.
I thought Fleck would bring most of his staff from Western Michigan with him, but it looks like at least the coordinators will not be the same. I do expect Vinson Reynolds (DL - Syracuse) to join his staff as DL coach and Matt Simon to join as well (he played for Fleck at NIU and is from Minnesota), but Fleck appears to be taking a more aggressive approach on coaches than just bringing his staff from Western Michigan. I have seen this work out...and I have seen this fail.
I believe both Smith and Bielema mutually have decided to try and find Smith a new job so that he doesn't have to be fired, but a new voice in charge of the defense is necessary. This is actually quite common and much classier than firing a guy IMO. It was rumored that Smith was going to be taking the Wake Forest DC job; however, the Minnesota DC appears to be more likely now.
Fleck is rumored to have targeted Ed Warinner as his OC. These are just rumors right now, but I would not be surprised if Warinner and Meyer have decided to find Warinner a new job in a similar fashion that Smith and Bielema are doing. I have an inclination that this will happen as well.
I thought Fleck would bring most of his staff from Western Michigan with him, but it looks like at least the coordinators will not be the same. I do expect Vinson Reynolds (DL - Syracuse) to join his staff as DL coach and Matt Simon to join as well (he played for Fleck at NIU and is from Minnesota), but Fleck appears to be taking a more aggressive approach on coaches than just bringing his staff from Western Michigan. I have seen this work out...and I have seen this fail.
