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Notre Dame found its replacement for departed defensive coordinator -- and new UConn head coach -- Bob Diaco, as the Irish will hire New York Jets linebacker coach Brian VanGorder, according to Ian Rapoport and others.
#Jets LB coach Brian VanGorder (and longtime college assistant) is heading to Notre Dame to be its defensive coordinator, per source.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 29, 2013
NYJ asst Brian VanGorder's "interview" with ND Monday will likely merely be a formality. He's expected to be named the new D coordinator.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 29, 2013
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After getting his start in the high school ranks, VanGorder returned to his alma mater in 1992 as the head coach of Wayne State University. He posted a 16-17 record over three years before moving to Central Florida. After three seasons as a positional coach, VanGorder was promoted to defensive coordinator and held the same role with Central Michigan and Western Illinois.
In 2001, VanGorder was hired as the defensive coordinator at Georgia, where he won the Frank Broyles Award for the nation's top assistant coach in 2003 following his second straight season leading a top-five national scoring unit. In 2005, VanGorder left for the NFL, serving just one year as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator before being hired as the head coach at Georgia Southern.
After a 3-8 season in 2006, VanGorder moved again -- this time to the Atlanta Falcons, where he was a linebackers coach for one season before four as the defensive coordinator. In 2012, he served as Auburn's defensive coordinator, before being hired as the Jets' linebackers coach prior to this season. This will be the eighth time VanGorder has changed positions after just one season.
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