Former Michigan State DC Lands New Coaching Job
It's that time of year when coaching changes are being made all around college football.
Michigan State had its fair share of them last year when its coaching staff had almost a complete turnover with the incoming of the Jonathan Smith regime.
One of the coaches from the previous regime who wasn't kept on staff, former Michigan State defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton, has landed a new gig.
On Friday, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247Sports reported that Wake Forest has hired Hazelton to be its new defensive coordinator.
Wake Forest has finalized the hiring of Scottie Hazelton as its new defensive coordinator, a source tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 27, 2024
Hazelton was a special assistant to the head coach at Texas this year. Was previously a respected DC at places like Michigan State, Kansas State and… https://t.co/OoaOOZZCsh pic.twitter.com/XWbKTRYdky
Hazelton had spent this past season on Texas' coaching staff, serving as a special assistant to the head coach.
The four-year Michigan State defensive coordinator joined the Spartans' coaching staff in 2020.
He coached a Michigan State defense that saw six players receive All-Big Ten honors in 2021 when the Spartans went 11-2 with a victory over Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Hazelton became the team's linebackers coach the following year, a role he held along with his title as defensive coordinator for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He would help develop many of the players who were on the Spartans' roster this past season, including Cal Haladay, Darius Snow and Jordan Hall.
The longtime coach had previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Kansas State (2019) and Wyoming (2017-2018). Before that, he had served as the Jacksonville Jaguars' assistant linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016.
Hazelton played linebacker at Fort Lewis College, where he was a three-year letterwinner. He would become the team's defensive backs coach, a role he held from 1996 to 1999 before moving on to serve as a graduate assistant at North Dakota State from 2000 to 2001.
Hazelton then got his first opportunity as a defensive coordinator at St. Olaf, where he also served as the team's defensive backs coach. He was on staff for two seasons (2002, 2003).
Hazelton also had coaching stints at Missouri Southern State (defensive coordinator/safeties), Michigan Tech (linebackers/special teams), North Dakota State (defensive coordinator/linebackers), USC (linebackers) and Nevada (defensive coordinator/linebackers).
Hazelton will coach under Wake Forest's new head coach, Jake Dickert, who was hired by the program earlier this month.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
