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Penn State assistant football coach leaves
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Departing Penn State assistant Ted Roof has roots in the South. He graduated from Georgia Tech and was head coach at Duke from 2003-07.
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Two days after Penn State coach Bill O'Brien declared his intentions to make sure his staff of assistant coaches was taken care of financially, his defensive coordinator, Ted Roof, left for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech announced Wednesday that Roof would become the Yellow Jackets' defensive coordinator. Penn State announced that secondary coach John Butler was promoted to defensive coordinator, taking Roof's spot.
"John did an outstanding job with the secondary this past season and brings tremendous experience, energy and a passion for tenacious defense to the field and in the meeting room," O'Brien said in a statement.
Roof, a 1985 Georgia Tech graduate, previously was the defensive coordinator for Georgia Tech from 1999-2001, working with O'Brien there. After a mediocre start to the season, particularly with defending third downs, the Penn State defense turned into one of the best in the Big Ten Conference. The Nittany Lions allowed 19.1 points per game, second best in the conference.
Before coming to Penn State, Butler coached at South Carolina as the special teams coordinator in 2011. He coached the special teams and linebackers at Minnesota from 2007-10. Penn State's passing defense ranked eighth in the Big Ten, allowing 226.2 yards per game.
Clemson
Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Tajh Boyd will return for his senior season. His return will help keep the Tigers record-setting, fast-paced attack moving forward in 2013. Boyd broke his school records this past season with 3,896 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. He also was second on the team in rushing with 514 yards and led Clemson with 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Michigan
Offensive tackle Taylor Lewan is coming back for his senior season. This All-America first-team player and Big Ten offensive lineman of the year made his announcement Wednesday night. Lewan (6 feet 8, 309 pounds), a Scottsdale, Ariz. native, helped the 24th-ranked Wolverines give up a Big Ten-low 15 sacks this past season.
First Published January 10, 2013 12:00 am
