Defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil, defensive line coach Marty Long and wide receivers coach Dennis Springer will not return at Northwestern, the program announced Tuesday. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg first broke the news.
O'Neil was in his second season leading the Wildcats defense, taking over for Mike Hankwitz, who retired in 2020 after 13 seasons manning the position. Most of O'Neil's experience came at the NFL level -- including coordinator stints in Cleveland and San Francisco -- but he was a Northwestern GA alongside Pat Fitzgerald in the early 2000s.
Long has been with the program since 2008, and Springer since 2011.
This morning @coachfitz51 informed the team that DC Jim O'Neil, DL coach Marty Long and WR coach Dennis Springer will not be retained. #GoCats
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) November 29, 2022
🏈 https://t.co/F6hIRwxLT1 pic.twitter.com/xMEc0vJuvN
Northwestern won their opening game over Nebraska in Ireland, then dropped their final 11 games. After winning the Big Ten West in 2020, Northwestern will enter 2023 having won two of its last 18 Big Ten games.
The Wildcats tied for 70th in yards per play allowed and tied for 84th in scoring defense, surrendering 28.3 points per game.
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