Patton hired as recruiting coordinator

Former Oklahoma assistant coach James Patton will join the IU football coaching staff as recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator and assistant defensive line coach, IU Coach Kevin Wilson announced Monday.

Patton has coached at Oklahoma since 2006 as the team's offensive line coach. Prior to his time at OU, Patton held the same position at Northwestern from 2001-05, and has coached at other positions at NU, Miami (Ohio) and Rhode Island since 1996.

He also coached with Wilson while at Miami in 1998, at Northwestern from 1999-2001 and at Oklahoma from 2006-2010.

"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to come to Indiana and coach with Kevin Wilson once again," Patton said in a release. "We had a great run at Oklahoma, but it is great to get back in the Big Ten."

With the hire, IU defensive ends coach and punt return and blocks coordinator Jon Fabris will give up his special teams responsibilities. He will now coach the entire defensive line on a full-time basis.

"We are excited about Jon Fabris coaching the front four," Wlson said in the release. "It gives us the consistency of one voice in the meeting room and on the field. Our players won't have to shuffle back and forth between coaches, and James will be a great complement to Jon."

The 2013 season will serve as Patton's first coaching on the defensive side of the ball.

Despite that, he has coached in 10 bowl games and on six conference championship teams. Four of his players have alsio gone on to earn All-America honors and play in the NFL.

"He has been in the big time arena, is a Midwest guy and brings some balance to our staff," Wilson said in the release. "We welcome James, his wife, Nichole and their children to the Hoosier family.”

—Joe Popely and Jordan Littman