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Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 10, 2001
Chudzinski to coordinate 'Canes offense
CORAL GABLES -- Miami coach Larry Coker began rebuilding the Hurricanes depleted coaching staff Friday by tabbing tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski as offensive coordinator.
"I feel fortunate," Chudzinski said. "It's not too often that you get a chance to go from being a graduate assistant and stay at the same school and progress like I have had the opportunity to do. I feel real lucky."
Coker, Miami's offensive coordinator before becoming coach, said Chudzinski will bring great understanding of passing and running games and intelligence to the position.
"No doubt, he was the No. 1 choice," Coker said. "It was his job to turn down."
Chudzinski, 32, who spent the past five years as tight ends coach, becomes one of the youngest offensive coordinators in the country.
After playing for the Hurricanes from 1986-90, Chudzinski joined the staff as a graduate assistant in 1994 after three years as a health care consultant for Anderson Consulting.
He is expected to retain tight end coaching duties.
Former defensive coordinator Greg Schiano previously offered Chudzinski the offensive coordinator position at Rutgers.
"I really felt like this program had gone through some tough times in the last five to six years," Chudzinski said. "And we were just starting to come back to where this program was at one point. I just wanted to stay here to the see the fruits of our labors."
Chudzinski has helped develop NFL tight ends such as Green Bay's Bubba Franks and former Dolphins and Panthers tight end Syii Tucker.
Now he takes over an offense that finished No. 2 in the nation during the Hurricanes' 11-1 season.
"There always going to be high expectation at the University of Miami for the offense," he said. "As long as we got guys that we have and the abilities we have, just let (the players) play."
Miami returns six starters on offense, including quarterback Ken Dorsey and four offensivelinemen as well as a stable of talented running backs.
Coker has given Chudzinski play-calling responsibilities so he can focus on other responsibilities.
Former Miami player Mike Sullivan also was announced as a graduate assistant. He will help with the offensive line.
Coker is still in the midst of searching for a quarterbacks coach, a defensive coordinator and a defensive backs coach.
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State hired Jon Jost as its director of strength and conditioning. He succeeds Dave Van Halanger, who left after 18 years to follow Mark Richt to Georgia.
"It is a dream-come-true job for me to get the opportunity to work with so many people who pursue excellence," said Jost, 33, who spent the last five years in the same job at Southern Methodist.
ALABAMA: Memphis high school coach Lynn Lang, accused of soliciting $200,000 to steer a player to the Crimson Tide, has resigned from the Memphis school system.
GEORGIA: Vince Dooley's insistence that he be allowed to keep a promise to new coach Mark Richt will cost the athletic director almost $500,000. Dooley told the new coach he'd stay on through at least the 2003 season but had to negotiate a new contract to extend his term six months. The new deal lopped off two years as a special assistant to president Michael Adams.
OKLAHOMA: The Sooners will open defense of their national championship earlier than expected -- against North Carolina on Aug. 25 in the Hispanic Fund Football Classic in Norman
-- Staff writer Brian Landman contributed to this report.