And there you have it. Bill O’Brien has officially filled the lone hole (giggle) in his Penn State coaching staff.
Following up on the speculation of a week ago, Penn State announced Thursday that Anthony Midget (after recess, you can giggle at the surname as well) has been hired to serve as O’Brien’s safeties coach. Midget will partly replace John Butler, who was promoted to defensive coordinator upon Ted Roof’s departure for Georgia Tech. Butler will also coach cornerbacks, the release stated.
Midget had been hired by Marshall as a defensive assistant late last month before abruptly leaving Huntington for Happy Valley.
“Anthony will be a great addition to our staff,” O’Brien said in a statement. “He is an experienced and passionate defensive coach and recruiter. We welcome Anthony to our team and look forward to his contributions to the program.”
Midget, an All-American defensive back at Virginia Tech in the late nineties, had been at Georgia State since 2008 before leaving for Marshall earlier this year. He first served as secondary coach and special teams coordinator before being promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2012 season.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the Penn State family and this great University,” Midget said. “I am thankful to Coach O’Brien for the opportunity to come to Penn State and am excited to get to know the players and get ready for spring practice.”