Northwestern has identified a candidate to fill its cornerbacks coach vacancy.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that Northwestern is expected to hire Utah State’s LaMarcus Hicks for the open cornerbacks job. Hicks has been at Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Jackson State and North Texas prior to Utah State. He would replace Ryan Smith who left for a job with the Arizona Cardinals.

Hicks was hired at Utah about 13 months ago with 10 years of coaching experience in the college ranks following a two-year stint as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions, as he appeared in 12 games from 2007-08.

Hicks is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and played in college at Iowa State as a safety. In his senior season, he recorded a conference-leading 5 interceptions and was named First Team All-Big 12 Conference and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice.