He broke into the big time when he became the linebackers coach at LSU in 2001. A year later, Nick S

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp reaches out to congratulate a defensive back after an interception during the third quarter of their 38-24 win in an NCAA college football game against Colorado in Austin, Texas. Of his No. 2 defense in the country, Muschamp says, "We tell the guys we're the firemen and we have to go put out the fire." (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
At his ill mother's bedside in South Carolina on Saturday evening, former Oak Hall and P.K. Yonge football coach John Clifford's cell phone rang. It was a good friend calling from Texas Will Muschamp.
home based business travel agent "I saw it was a Texas area code and I said, 'Who can this be?' " Clifford said Sunday. "I was so pleased that he called. He said he was thinking home based business travel agent about me and wanted to call about my mom. And then he said, 'By the way, I'm the new head coach at the University of Florida.'
Clifford, a former standout safety for the Gators, said the call from Muschamp came before the news broke Saturday night that Muschamp, 39, had been named UF's new football coach to replace Urban Meyer, who resigned Wednesday. So, Clifford was privy to quite a Gator scoop.
home based business travel agent "He'll be a great match, a great match for the University of Florida," said Clifford, who remains at P.K. Yonge as the school's athletic director. "I read where Jeremy Foley said he was looking for someone young and energetic, and that's what Will is. You watch him on the sideline and he's all about that.
"He's going to do great at Florida. He's got to be a great recruiter. He's one of those guys that as soon as he got into coaching, he impressed people. He's worked for everything he's gotten. He's proved himself in every job he's had. He's been impressive. He's always impressed me."
"He was a big, strong 180 pounds as an eighth-grader," Clifford said. "In his first game, he was The Gainesville Sun player of the week. We were playing Bronson and he had 121 yards rushing, intercepted three passes and threw a pass to set up the winning field goal with no time left on the clock."
Clifford said his only regret is he had a chance to coach Muschamp only one year. Muschamp's father, Larry Muschamp, the Headmaster at Oak Hall and a former coach, took a job in Rome, Ga., after Will's eighth-grade season and the family moved after living in Gainesville for 10 years.
home based business travel agent Clifford also coached Muschamp's home based business travel agent two older brothers Pat and Mike. Clifford said he's not surprised Muschamp went on to become a successful football coach. It's something he said he could see coming years ago.
"I knew he was going to be a coach from the beginning," Clifford said. "I'd send game tape home with his older brothers, and they'd break it down. Will started doing that when he was in eighth grade. It was like having a coach on the field with him.
After leaving Gainesville, Will became a star player at Darlington High School home based business travel agent in Rome, Ga., and went on to be a standout safety as a walk-on at the University of Georgia. A broken leg cost Muschamp his senior year in high school and serious scholarship consideration. He did make an unofficial visit to Florida, where Steve Spurrier was starting his career as the Gator coach, but decided to walk on at Georgia.
Muschamp's coaching career began at Auburn in 1995 as a graduate assistant. He's been on a steady climb since, coaching outside linebackers at Jacksonville State (1997), the secondary at West Georgia (1998) and Eastern Kentucky (1999) and serving as the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State (2000).
He broke into the big time when he became the linebackers coach at LSU in 2001. A year later, Nick Saban named him the Tigers' defensive coordinator. When Saban left LSU for the Miami Dolphins, he took Muschamp with him to be the assistant head coach for defense.
"I'm really excited about what Will is going to be able to do here," Clifford said. "He's a great fit for Florida. I've told people before, home based business travel agent 'Wouldn't it be great if Will got a chance to coach at Florida? He'd be perfect for the job.' Now, he's here."