Who Will Be New Linebackers Coach?

The task to fill the linebackers coaching position left by the departure of Kevin Steele is in the hands of Mickey Andrews and Bobby Bowden. So who are the candidates to fill the position? First, the person has to be someone that Bobby Bowden has some connection with or is comfortable with. Here are three prospects:

1.Chuck Amato: Amato spent 18 years at FSU where he was involved in various defensive football coaching capacities, including that of assistant head coach for 14 years. At Florida State, he was defensive line coach for 14 years and spent four seasons as linebacker coach.He left FSU in 2000 to take the head coaching job at NC State. He and Bobby Bowden are close and he knows the recruiting area and the ACC.

2. Joe Kines: Kines is currently the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator and linebacker coach. He has been there for four years. His position is being taken by Kevin Steele. Kines joined the Tide staff after three seasons as linebacker coach at Florida State. He knows FSU and the recruiting area also.

3. Wally Burnham: Burnham has been on the USF staff since March 2000.He was the linebackers coach at FSU for nine years leaving in 1993 for South Carolina.

My guess is that Amato is the likely pick with Kines a maybe and Burnham a "dark" horse prospect.