Gerad Parker is just days into his time as new head coach at Troy University, and he's already moving quickly to assemble his inaugural staff.
Parker, hired away from his post as Notre Dame's offensive coordinator to replace the departed Jon Sumrall, is working to bring Dontae Wright from West Virginia into a senior defensive staff position at Troy, multiple sources confirmed to FootballScoop.
Parker and Wright have multiple connections, but most notably they're from the same small, Eastern Kentucky hometown, Louisa, and they worked together previously for two seasons at West Virginia.
Wright has been on the Mountaineers' staff for the past four seasons, coaching the program's safeties.
Parker left West Virginia after the 2021 season when he accepted the tight ends coaching position on Marcus Freeman's first Notre Dame staff. Parker was elevated to the role of Fighting Irish offensive coordinator last February, and he helped to an 9 -3 season before departing this week to take over at Troy.
Parker and Wright spent a season on staff together at Kentucky; they were both graduate assistants for the Wildcats in 2007.
Wright also has coached along the defensive line and special teams during his career climb, which has featured stops at McNeese State, Centre College (Kentucky) and Tennessee Tech, as well as Western Michigan.