Report: Pelini adds two to YSU staff

Staff/wire reports

Bo Pelini’s staff at Youngstown State is continuing to take shape.

Ross Watson, who was YSU’s director of football operations last season, will become a defensive backs coach and T.J. Hollowell, a former graduate assistant at Nebraska, will join the team as the linebackers coach, according to FootballScoop.com.

Youngstown State has not yet confirmed those two hires.

Watson, an Austintown Fitch High graduate, was the defensive backs coach at Florida Atlantic in 2012-13. He previously spent four seasons as a defensive graduate assistant under Pelini at Nebraska.

Pelini has already decided to retain four of Eric Wolford’s assistants: offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery, offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, linebackers coach Ron Stoops and safeties coach Mike Zordich.

Durkin to Michigan

Boardman High graduate D.J. Durkin has agreed to become the defensive coordinator at Michigan, according to multiple reports.

Durkin was the defensive ends and special teams coach at Stanford from 2007-09 under Jim Harbaugh, who was hired to coach the Wolverines last week.

Durkin most recently served as Will Muschamp’s defensive coordinator at Florida and was the interim head coach for the Gators in the Birmingham Bowl. Durkin started his tenure at Florida as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach.

Durkin played collegiately at Bowling Green and was a graduate assistant under Urban Meyer in 2001-02.

Stoops makes changes

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, a Cardinal Mooney High graduate, promoted Jerry Montgomery from defensive line coach to co-defensive coordinator.

Stoops’ brother, Mike, is the team’s current defensive coordinator. Bob Stoops said removing Mike is not on the table.

“If I felt it would be best for us, I would,” he said. “But I don’t think that would be best for what we’re doing.”