BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are making some staffing changes and in addition to firing special teams coordinator Mike Priefer Tuesday, the team also plans to hire a new coach for the defense—Utah State defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda.
Banda has more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience between Utah State, Miami, Texas and Mississippi State.
Over the years, Banda has coached players including Kenny Vaccaro, Quandre Diggs, Adrian Phillips, Jamal Carter, Adrian Colbert, Rayshawn Jenkins, Jaquan Johnson, Sheldrick Redwine and Bubba Bolden.
The Browns are looking to implement major changes within the defense after replacing defensive coordinator Joe Woods with recent hire Jim Schwartz to run that side of the ball. The team also has seen turnover with position coaches like Drew Petzing, who left for Arizona and Jeff Howard who left for the Chargers.
While the Browns are piecing back some staff, Banda is expected to be used as the team's safeties coach.
He'll take over coaching the position that currently consists of John Johnson III, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Grant Delpit, D'Anthony Bell and Bolden.
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