The names of two assistant coaches at Power 5 schools interviewed for the head coaching vacancy at Montana State, per three unattached sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing search.
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Chris Ball, the co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State, and Andy Hill, the quarterbacks coach and interim head coach at Missouri, each have applied and will be granted interviews for the position left vacant with Rob Ash’s firing on November 23.
MSU athletic director Peter Fields and a search committee are expected to interview between five and seven potential candidates this week with a decision expected next week. Rob Ash was fired on November 23. Current MSU offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, Washington defensive line coach Jeff Choate and Southern Cal running backs coach/special teams coordinator Johnny Nansen have interviewed for the position. It is unknown when Hill or Ball will interview for the opening.
Ash posted a 70-38 record in nine seasons, including three that ended with Big Sky Conference championships. Montana State finished the 2015 season 5-6.
Hill has spent the last 19 seasons as the wide receivers coach at Missouri, including the last 14 on Gary Pinkel’s staff. Pinkel, a Don James (Washington) disciple, announced his retirement effective at the end of the season. Hill was named the interim head coach on Sunday. Missouri is expected to hire a coach by next week. When Missouri fired Larry Smith in 2000, Hill also served as the interim head coach. His annual salary at Missouri is $357,500.
Fields served in athletic administration at Missouri from 1996 until 2002, including as the schools associate AD from 1999 until coming to Montana State 14 years ago.
Ball is in his fourth season as the co-defensive coordinator at Todd Graham’s staff at Arizona State. His primary duties are coaching safeties and coordinating the Sun Devil pass defense. Under his supervision, Arizona State leads the Pac 12 and ranks second nationally with 1.4 interceptions per game over the last three seasons. Ball has a reported salary of $269,185.
Hill is a Missouri alum who played wide receiver for the Tigers from 1980 until 1984. He spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Calgary Stampeders before moving into his coaching career at Southern Methodist in 1992 as a graduate assistant. He served as the offensive coordinator in 1993 and 1994 at Hutchinson (Kansas) Junior College before serving as the school’s head coach in 1995 and 1996.
Hill returned to his alma mater in 1996. He served as Mizzou’s co-offensive coordinator in 1999 and 2000 before returning to wide receivers when Pinkel was hired. He has been the associate head coach and quarterbacks coach in Columbus since 2013. During his time with the Tigers, he has coached consensus first-team All-America players like tight end Michael Egnew (New Orleans Saints), wide receiver Danario Alexander (played four years in NFL) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (Kansas City Chiefs).
Hill helped the Tigers win the Big XII North in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Missouri transitioned to the SEC in 2012 and won the SEC East in 2013 and 2014. During Hill’s tenure, the Tigers advanced to 12 bowl games, posting a 7-5 record. In 2013, Missouri won the Cotton Bowl to finish No. 5 in the country.
Ball also has strong Missouri ties. The St. Louis native was an All-America defensive back at Missouri Western State in 1985. In 1986, he began his coaching career with two seasons at Northeast Missouri State before moving to Akron in 1987-88. He joined former Weber State head coach Mike Price’s staff at Washington State in 1989 for a season. He coached at Coffeyville Community College (1990-94), Western Oregon State College (1995-96) and Missouri Western State (1997-98).
In 1999, Ball served as the defensive coordinator at Larry Lewis’ staff at Idaho State. In 2000, he returned to Pullman to work for Price. Between 2000 and 2002, Ball mentored future No. 11 overall NFL Draft pick Marcus Trufant, a 10-year NFL veteran who retired in 2013. WSU ranked second nationally in 2001 with 26 interceptions.
From 2003 until 2006, Ball coached the secondary at Alabama on Mike Shula’s staff. In 2004, Ball’s secondary led the nation in pass defense, allowing just 113.1 passing yards per game and finishing second nationally in pass efficiency defense. In 2006, Ball instructed free safety Roman Harper (Carolina Panthers), who earned All-SEC honors and was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Ball coached the 2007 season at Pitt before returning to Washington State to serve as Paul Wulff’s defensive coordinator, a position he would hold for four seasons.
During his time at Arizona State, Ball has mentored NFL players like Damarious Randall, Alden Darby (New Orleans State) and Robert Nelson (Arizona Cardinals). Randall was the No. 30 overall pick in last season’s NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
[/restrict]Photos courtesy of Missouri and Arizona State Athletics. All Rights Reserved.
