Michael Hodges/ Image from New Orleans Saints website

Who will be the Saints new linebackers coach? This is the question that Saints fans have been asking themselves since Mike Nolan vacated the position to join the Dallas Cowboys as Defensive Coordinator. This is a question that the New Orleans Saints were seeming to leave unanswered for a bit to long for fans to feel comfortable.

Meet the 2017 Saints Coaching Staff/ neworleanssaints.com

Finally, the Black & Gold have made their coaching hire. The team has promoted Michael Hodges to linebackers coach to replace Mike Nolan. The news was first reported by Dan Hatman of The Scouting Academy and later confirmed by Nick Underhill, Mike Triplett, and the Saints website.

Saints elevate Michael Hodges to LBs coach https://t.co/0Vjy36pIEL via @NOdotFootball — Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) February 24, 2020

Michael Hodges was hired in 2017 as a defensive assistant and was the linebackers assistant coach in 2019. He played the position at Texas A&M where he attended from 2008-2011. During his collegiate career, he earned second team All-Big 12 as a senior as well as a master’s degree in 2011. His coaching career began as a defensive graduate assistant at Fresno State. He would then go on to Eastern Illinois, Coach Payton’s alma mater, as a linebacker tutor which lead to becoming co-defensive coordinator in 2016.


Can confirm Saints are promoting asst. LB coach Michael Hodges to LB coach after losing Mike Nolan to Cowboys. Hodges first joined the Saints as a defensive assistant in 2017. Played at Dennis Allen's alma mater, Texas A&M. Coached at Sean Payton's alma mater, Eastern Illinois. https://t.co/HsxFutj981 — Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) February 24, 2020

Nolan is a very admirable coach in the NFL. Michael Hodges will definitely have some big shoes to fill. Be that as it may, the Who Dat Nation can hope he can use all the knowledge that Nolan taught him. He has already helped Demario Davis reach first-team All-Pro honors last season. Let us hope he can keep improving the position group.