The Nevada Wolf Pack football team has a new defensive coordinator, according to CBS Sports.
USC Trojans linebackers coach Scottie Hazelton has been hired by new head coach Brian Polian to take over a struggling Wolf Pack defense. Polian now has both his offensive coordinator (Nick Rolovich) and defensive coordinator in position as he begins his first season as Pack head coach.
The 39-year-old Hazelton spent just one season at USC under head coach Lane Kiffin after five years at North Dakota State. North Dakota State won the Football Championship Sub-division national title in 2011 when Hazelton was the defensive coordinator.
CBS Sports is also reporting that USC is about to announce the hiring of Clancy Pendergast as its new defensive coordinator, leaving the job security of all the USC defensive assistants up in the air. Pendergast is the former defensive coordinator at California. The Golden Bears hired former Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Andy Buh as its new coordinator last month.
Hazelton, a former linebacker at Fort Lewis College (1992-94) has also coached at St. Olaf College, Missouri Southern State, Michigan Tech before joining North Dakota State in 2007. Hazelton was also the coordinator at Missouri Southern State.
Hazelton's hiring leaves the status of Mike Bradeson up in the air at Nevada. Bradeson served as the Pack's coordinator last season as the Pack allowed 33.8 points and 442.5 yards a game. Bradeson returned to Nevada as a defensive backs coach in 2010 after 14 seasons as an assistant coach at UNLV. Bradeson also coached at Nevada in 1986-91 before leaving for Cal in 1992, where he coached four seasons.
Bradeson also coached the Pack's safeties last year and could return to that role with the Pack this season.
