Arthur Smith’s coaching staff continues to be picked apart by the league. Former Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen took the same role with the Jaguars on Tuesday, and he’s taking Dave Huxtable, a senior defensive assistant, with him to Jacksonville.
I’m told Dave Huxtable will be joining the Jaguars staff. He was a Senior defensive assistant in Atlanta.
— Rick Ballou (@Ballou1010xl) January 23, 2024
Nielsen plucked Huxtable from Nick Saban’s Alabama staff last year, but the pair’s connection goes all the way back to NC State. Hux was the Wolpack’s defensive coordinator, and Nielsen was his defensive line coach and run game coordinator.
The 67-year-old spent his entire coaching career at the collegiate level before coming to the Falcons last offseason He’s been a defensive coordinator at a handful of prominent programs, including Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech.
Despite this being his second stint in the NFL, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more experienced coach than Huxtable. The Jaguars’ defensive production severely underperformed their talent last year, but the early looks at the staff should have Duval excited about 2024.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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