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Poindexter, Brown bolt for Connecticut

The Virginia football team announced Jan. 6 that safeties coach Anthony Poindexter and defensive line coach Vincent Brown would be leaving the team. Both will be taking positions at Connecticut under newly hired coach Bob Diaco — himself a former Virginia assistant coach between 2006 and 2008.

Poindexter had served on the Virginia staff for 10 seasons after a legendary playing career for the Cavaliers. The 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Poindexter was a first-team All-ACC selection three times. He served as the running backs coach for five seasons before moving on to coach the defensive backs, special teams and finally the safeties, the position he has held for the last four seasons. He will serve as Diaco’s defensive coordinator.

The secondary under Poindexter was a bright spot for the Cavaliers in 2013, as the team ranked in the top 50 nationally in passing efficiency defense. Junior safety Anthony Harris led the nation with eight interceptions on the year, picking up first-team All-ACC honors and first-team All-American honors from SB Nation and SI.com.

Brown leaves Virginia after four seasons on staff. After three seasons as the team’s linebackers coach, he moved to the defensive line in 2013. Brown also served under Virginia coach Mike London in 2008 and 2009 at Richmond where he helped lead the Spiders to an FCS National Championship. He will coach the linebackers and be the co-defensive coordinator at UConn.

The Virginia defensive line suffered a huge blow in 2013 with the loss of senior defensive tackle Brent Urban for four games in the latter half of the season. The Cavalier defense still managed 28 sacks on the season, tying for 39th in the nation at 2.33 sacks per game. Under Brown’s tutelage, sophomore defensive end Eli Harold had a massive season, racking up 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss — the latter of which is the seventh highest single-season total in school history.

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