Auburn names Roof defensive coordinator

Published 9:26 pm Tuesday, January 6, 2009

AUBURN — Auburn has named veteran coach Ted Roof as defensive coordinator.

The 22-year coaching veteran and former Duke head coach spent last season running the defense for Minnesota before joining Gene Chizik’s staff on Tuesday. Under his leadership, Minnesota improved from last nationally in total defense to 79th in one year.

Roof also spent four seasons coaching the defense at Georgia Tech, his alma mater, among several stops.

Chizik said he and Roof share the same philosophy. Chizik is a former defensive coordinator at Auburn and Texas.

Roof was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick at Georgia Tech in 1985. He still ranks seventh on the Yellow Jackets’ all-time tackling list and was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.