Alabama grad assistant Dan Lanning joining Memphis coach Norvell's staff

Alabama defensive graduate assistant Dan Lanning is joining the staff of new Memphis coach Mike Norvell.

Alabama defensive graduate assistant Dan Lanning is joining the staff of new Memphis coach Mike Norvell, according to a source.

It’s a reuniting of Lanning and Norvell, who worked together previously at Arizona State and Pittsburgh. This season was Lanning’s first at Alabama, and he’s considered an up-and-coming assistant.

Before that, he served as Sam Houston State’s secondary coach for a season. He was at Arizona State from 2012-13, first as a graduate assistant and later as on-campus recruiting coordinator.

Lanning was a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh in 2011. Before that, he worked with the secondary and wide receivers while serving as special teams coordinator at Park Hill High in Riverside, Mo.

A highly regarded offensive mind, the 34-year-old Norvell became Memphis’ coach last week after spending the last four seasons as Arizona State’s offensive coordinator, deputy head coach and quarterbacks coach.

Norvell replaces Justin Fuente, who left last month to become Virginia Tech’s coach. Fuente transformed the Tigers from one of college football’s worst programs into a Top 25 team with a 26-23 record in four seasons, which includes a 9-3 mark this season.

Memphis plays Auburn (6-6, 2-6 SEC) in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 30.