Miami confirms DL Coach Craig Kuligowski is leaving the ‘Canes

Bruce Feldman reported yesterday, and several beat writers confirmed, that there is a high probability that long-time Missouri DL Coach Craig Kulikowski is headed to Alabama.

Then, word came out of Coral Gables that Coach Kool, as he is known, is in fact leaving the Miami Hurricanes program “to pursue other options” after spending time helping Mark Richt rebuild the latter’s alma mater.

Per the Miami Sun Sentinel, despite overtures from the Tampa Bay Bucs, Kool is leaving “most likely for another collegiate job.”

Kuligowski had spent two years at Miami, arriving not long after Miami hired Mark Richt as head coach in December 2015. In fact, Kuligowski — who before coming to Miami spent 15 years at Missouri — was hired by Richt even before Miami hired a defensive coordinator, a position that was eventually filled by Manny Diaz.

“I think he’s one of the best in the business, if not the best,” Richt said of Kuligowski in August 2016. “If I had a D-coordinator that didn’t want him, I figured I probably don’t have the right D-coordinator.”

Kuligowski is absolutely one of the best in the business. He has been known for maximizing defensive line talent, taking superstars and turn them into draft picks and making warm bodies productive SEC players. His body of work at Missouri alone speaks for itself: Kony Ealy, Shane Ray, Charles Harris, Sheldon Richardson and Michael Sam, among others.

In an offseason that has seen the Tide hire some excellent assistants, reaching into South Florida to get the best in the business would still qualify as a coup by Nick Saban.

Fingers crossed.