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New Orleans Saints Officially Announce Coaching Staff for 2015

By Andrew Schuster

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Since the New Orleans Saints‘ season came to an early end, the club has been keeping busy.  Benson Family drama aside, player signings and staff adjustments have highlighted this ripe offseason for the Black and Gold.

Most of the personnel changes we’ve heard about in reports were never recognized publicly by the team.  That is, until today.  The Saints have officially announced their coaching additions for 2015.

To be precise, seven new coaches have been acquired for the upcoming season.  Of course, Dennis Allen, who spent time with New Orleans as a secondary coach and defensive line coach, has returned to the Big Easy after heading the Oakland Raiders.  He’ll be used in what the team is calling a senior defensive assistant role.

The hiring of Arkansas running back coach Joel Thomas was reported Saturday and confirmed by Razorbacks’ head coach Bret Bielema on Monday.  Thomas has produced some stout backfields while coaching in the SEC, Big 10 and Pac-12.

The New Orleans Saints have also announced the addition of some other new faces.  John Morton was here for Sean Payton‘s first season in 2006 as an offensive assistant when the Black and Gold appeared in their first ever NFC Championship game — he’ll be assuming Henry Ellard‘s (fired) role as wide receivers coach.

James Willis will be taking over as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach after spending the last two seasons coaching the Ragin’ Cajuns at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.  The hiring of Willis gives the Saints three linebackers coaches now.

New Orleans has appointed Kyle DeVan and Greg Lewis as offensive assistants and Brendan Nugent as a coaching assistant.  DeVan played as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL for five years before taking his talents to USC as a graduate assistant in 2014.

Lewis was the wide receivers coach at the University of Pittsburgh in 2014, San Jose State (2013) and University of San Diego (2012).  The name may sound familiar — Greg Lewis played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (2003-09) and the Minnesota Vikings (2009-10).

Brendan Nugent is taking his talents to the Crescent City after spending the last two years in the Windy City as the Chicago Bears‘ offensive quality control coach.

Here is a look at the complete coaching staff for 2015, released by the Saints on Wednesday (from NewOrleansSaints.com):

Sean Payton – Head Coach

Joe Vitt – Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers

Denis Allen – Senior Defensive Assistant

Pete Carmichael – Offensive Coordinator

Rob Ryan – Defensive Coordinator

Greg McMahon – Special Teams Coordinator

Charles Byrd – Assistant Strength and Conditioning

Dan Dalrymple – Head Strength and Conditioning

Kyle DeVan – Offensive Assistant

Bret Ingalls – Offensive Line

Bill Johnson – Defensive Line

Stan Kwan – Assistant Special Teams

Greg Lewis – Offensive Assistant

Wesley McGriff – Secondary

Jason Mitchell – Director of Coaching Administration

John Morton – Wide Receivers

Mike Neu – Quarterbacks

Brendan Nugent – Coaching Assistant

Dan Roushar – Tight Ends

Joel Thomas – Running Backs

Marcus Ungaro – Defensive Assistant

Rob Wenning – Assistant Strength and Conditioning

James Willis – Defensive Assistant/Linebackers

Brian Young – Defensive Assistant Linebackers

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