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While Doug Pederson has yet to be formally introduced as Eagles head coach, his staff is beginning to take shape. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports that former Eagles safety Tim Hauck is joining Pederson's staff as assistant defensive backs coach. The team is also retaining Cory Undlin as the primary defensive backs coach.
Source tells @NFLonFOX that former #NFL safety & coach Tim Hauck is being hired as @Eagles DBs coach. Last with @UNLVfootball I bellieve
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 17, 2016
Clariifying: Cory Undlin remaining as @Eagles secondary coach. Tim Hauck being hired as asst DBs coach. Sorry for confusion. @NFLonFOX
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 17, 2016
An undrafted free agent in 1990, Hauck carved out a 13 year career as a hard-hitting journeyman safety, and played for the Eagles from 1999-2001. In 1999, his only full season as a starter, came his most memorable moment when he delivered the hit that ended Cowboys WR Michael Irvin's career with a spine injury. A popular player among teammates, he retired following the 2002 season. In 2004 he began his coaching career at Montana, his alma mater, as the safeties coach, moving up to secondary coach in 2007. In 2008 he moved to UCLA as the safeties coach. From 2009-2010 he was an assistant secondary coach for the Titans, then moved to the Browns in 2012 as the secondary coach for then head coach and current Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. In 2013 he moved to UNLV to be the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for his brother Bobby Hauck. Bobby resigned after the 2014 season, and Tim Hauck was not retained by his successor, Tony Sanchez.
The hiring of Hauck also gives us further clues on what Pederson's staff could look like. Hauck is the second assistant coach to be hired, the first being Ken Flajoie, both of whom worked with Pat Shurmur.
As for Undlin, he seemed to do a good job with some of Philadelphia's defensive backs in 2015. Byron Maxwell was up and down but rookie Eric Rowe showed promise. Veteran E.J. Biggers was more serviceable than expected. Walter Thurmond made a successful transition from cornerback to safety. Malcolm Jenkins was snubbed from the Pro Bowl but had a very good season. Undlin is one of four of Chip Kelly's former assistants the Eagles wanted to keep.