In short order, Gerad Parker quickly is fashioning quite the first-year staff in Parker's new role as head coach at Troy.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Parker, the former Notre Dame offensive coordinator, now is finalizing a deal for a top defensive assistant with nearly 20 years' experience, including a season of professional football coaching.
Nathan Burton, most recently defensive coordinator at Kennesaw State, is set to join Parker's inaugural Troy staff, sources with direct knowledge share with FootballScoop.
Burton is set to team with Dontae Wright to spearhead the defensive side of the ball at Troy under Parker, who was hired by the school on Monday as replacement for the departed Jon Sumrall.
It is expected that the duo will have defensive co-coordinator responsibilities, sources said.
Sumrall was hired away by Tulane to replace Willie Fritz, who in turn had been hired away by the University of Houston.
A former standout player at Georgia Tech, Burton coached at his alma mater as well as Temple. Burton's 2020 season as the Yellow Jackets' defensive coordinator was one of his finest as a coach; the unit was No. 2 nationally with 12 fumble recoveries and 25th nationally with 18 total takeaways.
Burton and Parker also have a shared history. The two were colleagues during the earliest stages of their careers for noted UT-Martin head coach Jason Simpson, whose coaching tree from the tiny, West Tennessee FCS program has spawned coaches at all levels.
Prior to his work this past season at Kennesaw State, Burton spent the 2022 campaign with the Orlando Breakers of the USFL.
He also served as defensive coordinator at the NCAA Diivsion II level, both with West Alabama and Shorter University.
Burton also logged a season on staff as an defensive analyst at North Carolina State in 2017, before he exited to work for Geoff Collins at Temple.