Bruce Feldman of The Athletic is reporting that Florida State special teams coordinator Alonzo Hampton will not return for the 2019 season.
Hampton was one of Willie Taggart’s familiar coaches, who was with him at Western Kentucky, South Florida, Oregon, and eventually Florida State. He was named the Special Teams Coordinator for the Seminoles in 2018.
Things quickly unravelled for both Hampton and the special teams unit. After a poor showing against Virginia Tech in the opener–where a busted punt blocking scheme allowed the Hokies to score a touchdown–the unit never recovered. They were routinely one of the most penalized parts of the team and considered one of the more error-prone in general. S&P+ ratings had the Seminoles at No. 95 in the nation.
A poor showing on the recruiting trail made Hampton a prime target to be let go in the offseason. His dismissal opens up another spot on the Florida State coaching staff, which already replaced its previous offensive coordinator Walt Bell with new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. All signs point to Houston offensive line coach Randy Clements as the next staff hire. Clements and Briles have worked together at multiple stops, and supposedly Briles wanted to bring Clements wherever he went after his Houston tenure expired.
Other rumors suggest that offensive line coach Greg Frey could be the next to leave. It is also possible that wide receivers coach David Kelly is moved to an off-field role, opening a spot for either Ron Dugans or Grant Heard at the position.
After a 5-7 season, it should not be surprising that many jobs on the staff are not guaranteed. Expect at least one more major change before the next signing day in February.
Clint Eiland is the Lead Writer for The Daily Nole. You can follow him on Twitter @ClintEiland.
Jeremy Esbrandt
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