Huskies hire Donatell

Ed Donatell was named Washington's new defensive coordinator this morning, completing a six-week search.

Donatell, 50, signed a two-year contract worth $334,000 a year to replace the fired Kent Baer and attempt to revive a Huskies defense that ranked last in the Pac-10 last season, allowing a school-record 446 yards per game.

"I couldn't have been more excited about the hire, and on top of that, he does have what I would call a Husky background and a love and an affection for the place you will see in the way he carries himself and communicates with our young men,'' said UW coach Tyrone Willingham, referring to Donatell's two years as a graduate assistant under Don James in 1981-82.

Donatell said that stint under James left him with a long-standing desire to return to UW someday and he called his hiring "a dream come true.''

Donatell has worked in the NFL since 1990, most recently as defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons under Jim Mora. He spent last season with the New York Jets as a special assistant to coach Eric Mangini, studying the 3-4 defense.

Many have speculated a switch to the 3-4 could make sense for UW, given the team's depth at linebacker and youth up front, but Donatell said it was too early to say yet what schemes the Huskies will run.

Donatell said his defense is "based on speed and explosion, high-energy enthusiasm, attacking style. We are ball-hawkers -- that is one the things we are going to do, we are going to create takeaways. It will be multiple but simple.''

Willingham agreed it is too early to tell what the team's defensive scheme will be next season, saying that one of the things that attracted him to Donatell was his flexibility and knowledge of many different defenses.

"I think you will see some things [different],'' Willingham said. "But the biggest thing is we are going to work right now to take a really exhaustive look at who we are and what we are and make sure [we are] giving the kids the opportunity to express the quality of players they are.''

Willingham said Donatell has already begun the task of looking at the Huskies "with an unbiased eye.'' He said he wants Donatell to initially look at the team and the personnel on his own, without any input from other coaches, to form some of his own opinions on where the team needs to go.

"He will build that unbiased opinion and then put that together with the rest of the staff,'' Willingham said. Willingham confirmed that he did first offer the job to UCLA's DeWayne Walker, and also said he talked to "a lot'' of candidates before settling on Donatell.

Donatell said the rest of the defensive staff will remain intact, with Randy Hart staying at defensive line coach, Chris Tormey as linebackers coach and J.D. Williams as secondary coach.

Washington still has two open positions, for a running backs coach and a special teams/tight ends coach. Willingham said it was possible the staff could still be adjusted, he indicated it's more likely he will simply hire new coaches for those two positions.

Willingham said Donatell will be able "to make that adjustment [from the NFL to the college game], I think, very quickly. And on top of that, he is very recognized as an outstanding coach around the country and he will be able to call on those friends of his for their knowledge.''

Donatell said he will be able to make a smooth transition.

"The most important thing is that people are people. It's a people business. It's not like I've been away from the college game. I've been evaluating the players for the NFL for a lot of years, so you do see things changing and adjusting.''

Willingham hadn't met with the media since before the firing of Baer, but said he wouldn't discuss that move, saying it was time to move forward "at warp speed.''

He also didn't want to discuss the resignation of athletic director Todd Turner other than to say that he has "the ultimate respect'' for Turner, and still does. He said his relationship with acting AD Scott Woodward "is not a topic to be discussed right now'' while adding that "Scott and I are doing very well'' and that he is "very pleased'' that Woodward is in place.

Donatell, a native of Akron, Ohio, has worked primarily as defensive backs coach or defensive coordinator.

Donatell's college experience includes three years as secondary coach at Idaho from 1986-88 under Keith Gilbertson, a former Huskies coach.

Donatell was also a secondary coach at Pacific (1983-85) and Cal State-Fullerton (1989) before entering the NFL, where he has worked for the Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Packers and Falcons. He was the secondary coach when the Broncos won Super Bowl in 1998 and 1999.

He played defensive back at Glenville (W. Va.) State College.

He joins a staff that will be under immediate pressure to produce next season with UW coming off three straight losing seasons. But Donatell said "as coaches, we live on the hot seat. I'm not saying that's true [that Willingham is on the hot seat]. All I'm saying is I'm used to any kind of pressure or anything that exists.''

Donatell said the two-year contract wasn't critical to coming to UW but that such multi-year deals are becoming the norm in the industry.The school is in talks to also give a two-year contract to offensive coordinator Tim Lappano, who has worked on year-to-year deals since coming to UW in 2005.