Got A New Job

Former Ole Miss, Auburn and North Carolina State offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone is set to join the football coaching staff at Middle Tennessee State, sources close to Mazzone confirmed yesterday.Mazzone, 48, who will serve as offensive coordinator, was in Murfreesboro yesterday. An official announcement of his hiring is expected on Monday pending approval of the Tennessee Board of Regents.New MTSU Coach Rick Stockstill was unavailable for comment yesterday.Stockstill already has hired former Tennessee offensive line coach Jimmy Ray Stephens to coach the Blue Raiders' offensive line.Stockstill also has retained Art Kaufman, linebackers coach on former MTSU head coach Andy McCollum's staff. McCollum was fired with two games left in the regular season.Mazzone became available when he was released on Nov. 28 after just one year at Ole Miss, where at the beginning of this season he had joined new Rebel Coach Ed Orgeron's staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Mazzone reportedly had two years and $500,000 remaining on a guaranteed contract. nthat season, where he was running backs coach and special teams coordinator.After just one season at Oregon State, Mazzone moved to North Carolina State in 2003 and 2004, where he was offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.Mazzone, a native of Raton, N.M., also had coaching stints at Minnesota, Texas Christian, Colorado State and at his alma mater New Mexico.In his playing days, Mazzone was a quarterback who set several school records. He finished fifth nationally in total offensive yards in 1976, when he earned All-Western Athletic Conference Second-Team honors.(TN Paper)