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It has been just over a month since Mike Norvell left Arizona State to become the head coach of the Memphis Tigers and now we know who his offensive and defensive coordinators will be. ASU fans should be familiar with the names.
According to multiple reports, Norvell has hired former ASU tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Chip Long to be his offensive coordinator and former ASU safeties coach Chris Ball to be his defensive coordinator. It is unclear if Long will call plays or if Norvell will handle playcalling duties.
Arizona St. TEs coach, off. specials & recruiting coord. Chip Long is new OC for Memphis HC Mike Norvell per source.
— Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) January 3, 2016
Tough 24 hours for the ASU coaching staff losing both Chip Long and Chris Ball who will join the staff at Memphis.
— Devils Digest (@DevilsDigest) January 4, 2016
On top of those two hires, Norvell has also hired former ASU linebackers coach Paul Randolph (worked in an administrative roll with ASU in 2015) to be his defensive line coach and Arizona State's Josh Storms to be the Tigers' strength and conditioning coach.
Former ASU assistant (most recently with Utah State) Joe Lorig will also be on Norvell's staff as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
Long is the biggest lost for the Sun Devils as he has established himself as ASU's top recruiter and one of the best recruiters in the nation. With Norvell and Long gone, ASU has lost its top two recruiters with less than a month until National Signing Day.
After watching ASU get torched time after time through the air this season, most will welcome the departure of Ball, ASU's safeties coach. However, he did help Kareem Orr blossom at safety as a freshman.
As of Monday morning, ASU has two vacancies to fill on its coaching staff and according to Doug Haller, more changes may be coming.
I'm guessing there will be at least one more ASU assistant leaving.
— Doug Haller (@DougHaller) January 4, 2016
To put the rumors to bed, House of Sparky is not leaving to be on Norvell's staff.