Update on DC from Gaby:
“ There is still little clarity on who Mario Cristobal will tap to run Miami's defense nearly four weeks since the Hurricanes hired the head coach.
Some of the names floated around have been Georgia co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and Auburn defensive coordinator Derek Mason.
Sources told InsideTheU that a couple of other names to monitor as potential defensive play-callers include Seattle Seahawks associate head coach and defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk.
Hurtt is a Miami alum with direct ties to Cristobal. While playing at UM, Cristobal was a graduate assistant. Hurtt was then a graduate assistant at Miami during Mario Cristobal's first year at Miami in 2004 when he was coaching tight ends. In 2006, Hurtt was named Miami's defensive line coach, which was Cristobal's last year as Miami's offensive line coach before taking the head coaching job at FIU.
Hurtt also had a stint at Louisville between 2010-13 where he served as a defensive line coach, associate head coach, and recruiting coordinator. In his final year with the Cardinals, the team led the nation in sacks, total defense, rushing defense, third down defense, and second in scoring defense.
Hurtt then went on to spend three years with the Chicago Bears where he coached the defensive line and then outside linebackers before making the move over to Seattle, where he has been since March 2017.
With the Seahawks, Hurtt has coached up talent such as Jarran Reed, who had a career-high 10.5 sacks in 2018, All-Pro defensive end Frank Clark, Michael Bennett, and Jadeveon Clowney.
A defensive line coach being hired as a defensive coordinator isn't such a rarity. Oregon recently hired Jacksonville Jaguars defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi. Rod Marinellis is another defensive line coach who has been a defensive coordinator. Buddy Ryan, Rex Ryan, Wade Phillips, Dan Quinn, Patrick Graham, and Joe Cullen are more examples of defensive line coaches making the jump.
Belk is another intriguing option and someone else off the Nick Saban coaching tree. From 2014-16, Belk was a graduate assistant coaching cornerbacks under Saban, who personally handles the position for the Crimson Tide.
After spending a couple of years at West Virginia, Belk was poached by Houston to become the associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and safties coach. In 2021, he was named the full-time defensive coordinator and led a Cougars unit that led the nation in third down defense, allowing conversions juts 25.7 percent of the time.
Houston's defense was also top ten nationally in total defense, sacks, turnovers gained, first down defense and rushing defense. Belk's unit was also top 15 in redzone defense and top 20 in passing yards allowed and scoring defense.
Cristobal and Belk worked together in Tuscaloosa for three years.”
He also went on to add that the source says that Schumann is unlikely.