This past winter, Jim Haslett was a candidate for the defensive coordinator position at UCLA that ultimately went to former Penn State DC Tom Bradley in February. A few months later, Haslett has assumed a position at Bradley’s former school.
Penn State announced via a press release late Wednesday morning that Haslett, a native of Pittsburgh, has been hired by James Franklin to serve as a consultant to the Nittany Lions football program. The only job description is that Haslett will “work with the Penn State football coaches, staff and program,” and “be a fantastic sounding board for our staff.”
“We are very excited to have Jim with our program,” the head coach said in a statement. “Jim has an outstanding football mind and invaluable experience that will be a tremendous resource. He has great knowledge of the game at the next level and we plan to put that to good use. He will work with our offensive, special teams and defensive coaches and will be a fantastic sounding board for our staff.”
Haslett served as a the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2000-05, and as interim head coach of the St. Louis Rams in 2008. The past five seasons (2010-14), he was the defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins; the coach and the NFL club announced a “mutual parting of ways” in late December.
The last, and only, time the 59-year-old held a job at the collegiate level was at Buffalo from 1988-90 as a defensive assistant.
“I am thrilled to join the Penn State football family,” Haslett stated. “James is one of the great, young head coaches in the collegiate game today and he is leading this Penn State program in the right direction. The future is very bright for Penn State football and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Haslett’s son is a quarterback at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), which just so happens to be where his father played his college football.
