Rich Rodriguez is working quickly to finalize his coaching staff at the University of Arizona and he made a significant hire on Friday afternoon as he hired Chris Allen to be the Strength Coach for the program. Allen, 35, worked alongside coach Rodriguez at West Virginia and Michigan from 2003 to 2010.
"Chris will be a terrific asset to our program," said Rodriguez. "We've collaborated in the past and have the same goals. He knows how to get the players working together, and we'll have some strong, quick guys," he said.
A native of Jamaica, Chris Allen holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the National Association of Speed and Explosion, USA Weightlifting Level I Sports and the American Red Cross. He graduated from WVU in 2000 and received numerous honors for his efforts on the Track and Field Team.
Corey Edmund, who has spent the last eight years at Arizona serving as the Strength Coach, will not be retained by coach Rodriguez and will look for work elsewhere.
As for what other coaching staff positions that need to be filled, Wildcat fans can expect Rich-Rod to fill out his staff within the next few weeks. He is still without a defensive coordinator.