The Baltimore Ravens hired Lions running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery a week ago, creating an opening on the once finalized coaching staff. Rather than shake things up too much and have to go through the process of searching for candidates, the Lions decided to just keep the new running backs coach an in-house hire.
According to a source close to the situation, the Lions have hired Sam Gash to coach the running backs. Gash, who was hired last season as an assistant special teams coach, was a logical choice for the position. Not only does he have 12 years of NFL playing experience, but he spent three of those years (2000-02) with the Baltimore Ravens where Jim Colletto was the offensive line coach.
Gash was once a running backs coach with the Jets before coming to Detroit as an assistant special teams coach, so he has experience with his new job.
I'm not exactly sure what the Lions will do with the assistant special teams coach job now that Gash is coaching running backs, but my guess is that he just does both. I guess we'll just have to wait for the Lions to make this hiring official, but in the meantime, here is what the staff looks like now:
| Head Coach | Rod Marinelli |
| Offensive Coordinator | Jim Colletto |
| Assistant Head Coach/Passing Game Coordinator | Kippy Brown |
| Defensive Coordinator | Joe Barry |
| Quarterbacks Coach | Scot Loeffler |
| Running Backs Coach | Sam Gash |
| Wide Receivers Coach | Shawn Jefferson |
| Tight Ends Coach | Pat Carter |
| Assistant Offensive Line Coach | Mike Barry |
| Offensive Assistant Coach | Adam Gase |
| Defensive Line Coach | Joe Cullen |
| Linebackers Coach | Phil Snow |
| Secondary Coach | Jimmy Lake |
| Assistant Secondary Coach | Clayton Lopez |
| Defensive Quality Control Coach | Don Clemons |
| Special Teams Coach | Stan Kwan |
| Assistant Special Teams Coach | Sam Gash? |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Malcom Blacken |
| Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach | Kevin Tolbert |
| Director of Physical Development | Jason Arapoff |