With the departure of defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Ron West to Arizona State, New Mexico coach Bob Davie was in need of someone to head the Lobos defense.
Turns out, he didn’t have to look very far. The school announced yesterday that defensive backs coach Jeff Mills would be promoted to the spot left open by West. Mills will continue to coach the secondary.
“Over the past month, it became clear to me that Jeff Mills has all the qualities I am looking for” Davie said in a statement.
Mills has defensive coordinator experience on his resume, having previously held that spot at Youngstown State, Idaho and Nevada. His most recent stop, Washington, didn’t end well as Mills was one of three defensive assistants, including DC Nick Holt, canned after the 2011 season.
UNM also added an inside linebackers coach to replace West, Kevin Cosgrove. Cosgrove just finished up one season at Akron as the Zips DC and has been a defensive coordinator at several stops, including Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.