The exodus of college coaches to the NFL has continued Tuesday, with a former high-profile FBS head coach the latest to (reportedly) pull an assistant from his old level in an effort to complete his new coaching staff.
According to Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor is leaving Virginia for an unspecified position with the Philadelphia Eagles. Chip Kelly, of course, left Oregon earlier this month to take over the Eagles after reportedly rebuffing overtures from multiple NFL clubs.
The 40-year-old Lazor has spent the past three seasons with the Cavaliers as coordinator/quarterbacks coach. It was just his second coaching job at the FBS level (Buffalo, 2001-02).
Prior to joining Mike London in Charlottesville, Lazor spent seven seasons in the NFL -- Atlanta Falcons (offensive assistant, 2003), Washington Redskins (quarterbacks coach/offensive assistant, 2004-07) and Seattle Seahawks (quarterbacks coach, 2008-09).
Last February, Lazor flirted with joining former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano‘s Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff before returning to the Cavaliers.
If Lazor were to depart for the Eagles -- neither the school nor the NFL club have confirmed the move -- it would be yet another shakeup on London’s UVa. staff. Defensive coordinator Jim Reid was one of four coaches fired in early December, replaced by veteran coordinator Jon Tenuta.
Former North Carolina State head coach Tom O’Brien was also added to London’s staff as associate head coach for offense/ tight ends coach. O’Brien could take over Lazor’s coordinator role, which he held for the final six years of a 15-year run with the Cavaliers that began in the early eighties and extended into the mid-nineties.
Jeff Banks, one of the four hired to replace the canned coaches, lasted just one week at the school before leaving for Texas A&M. He was replaced as special teams coordinator by Larry Lewis.