Turns out, Tony Elliott is snagging a pair of Air Force coaches for his inaugural University of Virginia staff.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Elliott is adding Curome Cox as the Cavaliers’ defensive backs coach, hiring Cox away from the Air Force Academy, in addition to tabbing defensive coordinator John Rudzinski from the same program.
For Cox, it’s not only a leap to a Power 5 position but also a return closer to home. Cox starred at the University of Maryland before he embarked on a pro career that saw Cox spend time with the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans.
Cox’s previous coaching stops include time as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, as well as work in the secondary at UConn and Coastal Carolina. He was on staff at the University of Albany prior to joining Troy Calhoun’s Air Force staff.
Cox and Rudzinksi helped coach the Falcons to an 10-win season in which the defense yielded less than 20 points per game.
Rudzinski was hired earlier this week as the first-time head coach Elliott’s first defensive coordinator.
Additionally, sources tell FootballScoop that coinciding with the arrivals of Rudzinski and Cox to the Virginia defense is the expected move of Keith Gaither to an offensive coaching position, likely working with the Cavaliers' running backs.
Gaither, hired away from Jeff Monken's Army staff, had initially been announced as a defensive assistant coach for the Cavaliers.