Report: Ole Miss Rebels to hire former Notre Dame star

The Ole Miss Rebels have found themselves a new linebackers coach, and according to On3’s Matt Zenitz, he’s a young and upcoming star in the coaching ranks. The Rebels will hire Maurice Crum, who is the defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky. Crum will not only be the linebackers coach, but also the co-defensive coordinator for Ole Miss.

“Ole Miss is expected to hire Western Kentucky DC Maurice Crum as co-DC and linebackers coach, sources tell @on3sports,” wrote Zenitz, via Twitter.

“Crum, a former star linebacker and team captain at Notre Dame, is viewed as one of the nation’s top up-and-coming defensive coaches.”

In the 2020 season, Crum helped Western Kentucky defense rank eighth in pass yards allowed at 177.3 yards per game. They also finished the season 28 in total yards allowed at 348.7 yards per game; and ranked 41 in points allowed, giving up 25.3 per game.

More on Crum

Crum, 35, had been at Western Kentucky since 2017, starting off as linebackers coach before being promoted to co-DC in 2020 and then to defensive coordinator last year. Aided by Crum, the Hilltoppers finished 9-5. They held seven of their final eight regular season opponents to 21 points or fewer.

Crum is the son of former Miami All-American linebacker Maurice Crum Sr. He made 42 straight starts as a linebacker at Notre Dame. Not only that, he was a captain for the Fighting Irish in both 2007 and 2008.

Before he arrived in Bowling Green, Ky., Crum spent three seasons on Charlie Weis’ staff with the Kansas Jayhawks as a defensive graduate assistant (2012). Afterward, he’d become the Assistant Director of Operations (2013), and Director of High School Relations (2014). After he returned to Notre Dame as a defensive graduate assistant in 2015. Crum also spent one season at Indiana State as a cornerbacks coach.