Brian VanGorder

Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder stepped down as the team’s defensive coordinator to take the same position at Auburn University. VanGorder has been the Falcons defensive coordinator since 2008, after initially accepting the defensive coordinator job at South Carolina after the departure of Bobby Petrino. But Smith was able to convince VanGorder to return to the Falcons.

Prior to joining the Falcons in 2007, VanGorder spent one year was the head coach at Georgia Southern. He spent a year as an assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2005) after four years as the defensive coordinator at Georgia.