Feb. 9, 2015
Long-time NFL assistant coach Jon Hoke has joined the University of South Carolina football coaching staff, head coach Steve Spurrier announced today. Hoke has been given the title of co-defensive coordinator, along with Lorenzo Ward.
“I’m really happy and excited to return to college football and especially at the University of South Carolina with Coach Spurrier again,” said Hoke. “I’m looking forward to working with Coach Ward and the defensive staff, and our plan is to return our defense to one of the best in the SEC.”
A 32-year coaching veteran, Hoke has spent the past 13 seasons as an NFL defensive backs coach, first with the Houston Texans (2002-08), then with the Chicago Bears (2009-14). He previously worked for Coach Spurrier for three seasons (1999-2001) at the University of Florida as the Gators’ defensive coordinator/secondary coach. He added the title of assistant head coach in his final two campaigns (2000-01) at Florida. In his final season with the Gators, the Florida defense ranked first in the SEC in total defense, scoring defense, and pass efficiency defense and was second in rushing defense.
While in Chicago, cornerbacks Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman were named to a total of four Pro Bowls under Hoke’s tutelage. From 2009-13, Chicago ranked third in the NFL in interceptions (97), second in interception return yards (1,569) and led the league with 19 interception return touchdowns. During his time with the Texans, Houston defensive backs accounted for 82.8 percent (72 of 87) of the teams’ interceptions, seventh-highest percentage in the NFL during that span and third-highest in the AFC. In 2002, he coached cornerback Aaron Glenn to the Pro Bowl.
Hoke has extensive experience in the collegiate ranks as well. He began his coaching career at Bowling Green in 1983 as the Falcons’ secondary/special teams coach. He spent four seasons in Bowling Green before taking a position as the defensive backs/special teams coach at San Diego State from 1987-88. He spent the next five years as the defensive backs coach at Kent State (1989-93), adding the title of defensive coordinator in his final season with the Golden Flashes. He mentored the defensive backs at Missouri for five seasons from 1994-98 before joining Coach Spurrier’s staff in Gainesville in 1999.
A four-year letterman at Ball State (1976-79), Hoke garnered all-MAC honors as a defensive back while earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He logged a brief stint in the NFL as a player, seeing action in 11 games for the Chicago Bears in 1980, recording seven tackles.
A native of Kettering, Ohio, Hoke and his wife, Jody, have four children: Mallory, Kyle and twins Kendall and Carly.
QUOTES FROM TODAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach Steve Spurrier
Opening Statement
I think there’s no secret I’ve mentioned we were going to add a coach, probably after recruiting was over and we did. The timing was such that Jon was able to come and we were together 13 years ago at the University of Florida, for three seasons Jon was defensive coordinator. We actually won two divisions and one SEC (championship) and our best team, the 2001 team, didn’t win much of anything. We finished third in the nation and won the Orange Bowl but did not win the division and did not win the SEC. It was one of those years, we had the number one team in offense and defense and didn’t win much that year. Just lost some close ones that knocked us out. He (Hoke) has been in the NFL the last 13 years and coaching secondary with the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears, so the timing worked out. He and Lorenzo (Ward) will share the coordinator title and Jon will have the back guys, the defensive backs and linebackers, the pass game, and Coach Ward will have the front seven and our spur guys, the nickel back, mostly in the run game but they’ll work together. It all goes together as we all know.
Reflecting on the past year defensively
As everyone knows we had a difficult year on defense and we needed to do something a little different and that’s my job as head coach, let’s do something different. I think we’ve added hopefully something that will really help us. We didn’t do very well on special teams at times either, we’re going to do things different there also that hopefully will help us become a lot better special team football group also. Our defensive staff is in excellent shape, I can spend most all my time with the quarterback, wide receivers and offense like I’ve done in my whole coaching career and away we’ll go.
On how the game-day coaching duties will now function
I talked to Bobby Stoops about how he did that, he was actually a co-coordinator at Kansas State when I hired him and he mentioned that Coach (Bill) Snyder had the secondary guy as the primary play-caller. I’m the primary play-caller for our offense although at times I’ve delegated out a little bit at times Coach Steve Jr. and Coach Elliott have called plays. He’ll be on the phone with Coach Ward but the primary play-caller will be our secondary coach.
On the new status of existing coaches
I was able to keep all of our guys and Coach Grady Brown, his title will be quality control of the defense and he’ll be like an assistant defensive coach but he’ll be over there working with our defensive staff. The NCAA has allowed for those type of players and we may add another quality control guy in the near future.
Co-Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Ward
Opening Statement
I’d like to thank Coach (Spurrier) for the opportunity again. We went through a tough season but he saw fit to keep Coach Ward on the staff and I’m looking forward to working with Coach Hoke and learning some new things.
Handling the change to his role/title on the staff
With anything in life you have to go through changes and its how you handle it that makes you the person that you are. There’s a lot of coordinators that have been coordinators that are position coaches now, there are a lot of head coaches that are position coaches now, those things are happening.
Co-Defensive Coordinator Jon Hoke
Opening Statement
Very excited to be here, excited to work with these players and these coaches. Just a wonderful opportunity for me personally to get back with Coach (Spurrier), we’ve known each other for 16 years now and I’m very excited to be down here and work with this football team.
On his system philosophy
I think we’re going to work together, I think as much as you can keep the continuity the same with the players from a terminology standpoint is good, but there will obviously be some differences.
Reason for returning to college game
Really it was just the opportunity that was presented to me as much as anything else. This is a wonderful opportunity, you could probably talk to a lot of coaches in the NFL that’d have an opportunity to come here and coach with Coach Spurrier and this program would be very interested in this.
On his relationship with coach Ward
We’ve known each other for a while, I can remember when I was in Houston you were in Oakland at that time (Ward: Correct). And then we have a common thing in Virginia Tech and knowing those defenses and those coaches so it’s been an easy transition. I’m just thrilled with the opportunity to be able to coach with him, he’s a heck of a football coach and it’s going to be a wonderful situation.
