Note: From Friday’s issue.

Two months after finishing another dismal defensive season, in which the Wildcats gave up an average of 34.4 points per game, the Northwestern football team announced the hiring of a new defensive coordinator Thursday.

Greg Colby, the defensive coordinator at Kent State for the past four years, will replace Jerry Brown in a move that many hope will shake up one of the Big Ten’s weakest defenses.

The change came just three days after Brown was named an assistant head coach.

Head coach Randy Walker made an announcement Monday heralding Brown’s new title, coupling the news with halfbacks and special teams coach Mike Dunbar’s promotion to offensive coordinator. But until Thursday, there was no mention of whether or not Brown would retain his position as defensive coordinator.

Walker also announced shifting duties for three assistants. Pat Fitzgerald will now coach the linebackers, Jay Peterson the defensive line and Jack Glowick the tight ends and halfbacks.

Walker said the flurry of moves has been in the works since the mid-December departure of offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson to Oklahoma. Wilson also held the title of assistant head coach at NU, creating the void that Brown will now fill.

But Walker said he had planned to shake up the defense even before Wilson left.

“I was going to make some changes on defense, just in terms of the direction I thought we need to go,” the head coach said. “Obviously I was not as pleased as I would like to be.”

Colby inherits a defense that ranked last in the Big Ten in scoring and total yards allowed last season.

Before accepting the position last weekend, Colby came to Evanston to interview with Walker. The pair talked as much about defensive schemes as they did about establishing a new attitude.

“We talked extensively about that – I think that might have been one of the reasons why he was interested in me in the first place,” said Colby, who helped lead Kent State to its first winning season in 14 years this past fall. “When I got to Kent State, kids didn’t know how to win, didn’t want to do what it took to win. We’ve been through the same kinds of things here.”

The 49-year-old Colby has previous experience in the Big Ten as a three-year starter at Illinois in the 1970s and as an assistant coach with both the Fighting Illini and Michigan State. He and Walker crossed paths for the first time only two weeks ago, thanks to a mutual coaching acquaintance.

After completing what he called “a whirlwind deal,” Colby will move into his new office and begin introducing himself to players on Monday.

Meanwhile, Brown will begin adjusting to a new position. The only coach on the staff to predate Walker’s arrival three years ago, Brown will now take on more responsibilities off the field while continuing to coach the secondary.

“It’s a great fit for Jerry,” Walker said. “He’s going to be a guy who I lean on heavily for decisions and choosing directions as we go through the program. A lot of administrative-type happenings will be based on Jerry’s thoughts and guidance.”

Brown was unavailable for comment.

Confusion over his new role this past week as the series of announcements was made even extended to the players. Walker held a five-minute team meeting on Monday to announce Brown’s new title and Dunbar’s promotion. But players were left assuming that Brown would continue in his capacity as defensive coordinator – until another brief meeting was held Thursday afternoon.

“It was definitely left up in the air,” said sophomore defensive tackle Matt Anderson. “It was almost like he was getting a promotion. They made no comments and reactions (Monday) that he wasn’t going to be our defensive coordinator. So at that point, we assumed he was still it.”

The timing of the moves allows Walker to solidify his staff before Signing Day for new recruits on Feb. 6.

Despite all the changes, the head coach doesn’t expect that his players will have a hard time adjusting. Assistants come and go all the time, and he has told every member of his staff that he hopes they will all have moved on to bigger and better things within a few years.

“You don’t stay with somebody forever and they give you a gold watch at the end of the rainbow and that’s it,” Walker said. “I told Kevin (Wilson) this isn’t supposed to be me and you together forever, ’til death do us part. This is a profession.”