By Tim Graham
We don't yet know what Doug Marrone's plans would be for his first NFL staff, but coaches coming from the college ranks usually will bring along some of their assistants from campus.
Chan Gailey hired too many college assistants with little NFL experience. Marrone seems to have worked with a higher pedigree of coach.
Some general observations while perusing Marrone's staff at Syracuse University:
• Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is the son of former NFL head coach Paul Hackett and was the Bills' offensive quality control assistant in 2008 and 2009 under Dick Jauron.
• Marrone had former NFL players on staff: Tyrone Wheatley (1,000-yard rusher) coached running backs; Rob Moore (two-time Pro Bowler) coached wide receivers; Steve Morrison coached linebackers.
• Defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson was an NFL assistant for 10 years and a former New York Jets defensive coordinator under Herm Edwards. Marrone also was on that staff. Henderson won a Super Bowl ring as Baltimore Ravens defensive backs assistant and coached the Arizona Cardinals' secondary in 2010.
• Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is a Baldwin-Wallace College alum (represent) who has been coordinator at Michigan and Stanford, where he also was assistant head coach in 2007.
• Video coordinator Steve Scarnecchia is the son of venerable New England Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.
