Oregon demotes defensive coordinator Don Pellum
Two days after blowing a 31-0 lead in an Alamo Bowl loss to TCU, Oregon announced changes to its defensive staff.
Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich said in a release that Don Pellum has been demoted to linebackers coach. Pellum, a former linebacker for the Ducks, served as Oregon’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons and has been with the program as a full-time assistant for the past 23 years.
"Don is a great man who has helped shape the culture and growth of Oregon Football in several different capacities for nearly 30 years," Helfrich said. "He's committed, as we all are, to being part of the solution to improve the end results on the field."
As a result of Pellum’s demotion, the school will begin a search for a new defensive coordinator.
Additionally, the school announced that outside linebackers coach Erik Chinander has “accepted a position to become defensive coordinator at another FBS institution.” According to FootballScoop, Chinander is headed to UCF, where he will join the staff of new head coach Scott Frost, Oregon’s former offensive coordinator.
“I want to thank Coach Chinander for his hard work these past two seasons,” Helfrich said. “This is a natural progression for him as he’s an outstanding young coach.”
The Ducks allowed 37.5 points and 485.3 yards per game this season, both in the bottom 15 nationally.
For more Oregon news, visit DuckSportsAuthority.com.
- - - - - - -
Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
