Pat Fitzgerald has introduced another new piece to his defensive staff at Northwestern as the program prepares for the 2023 season.

On Wednesday, the Wildcats officially introduced LaMarcus Hicks as the new cornerbacks coach. Hicks joins the program after holding the same role at Utah State (2022) and Eastern Michigan (2020-21). He was also the defensive recruiting coordinator at Eastern Michigan for the 2021 season.

Hicks played at Iowa State in college and for the Detroit Lions from 2006-08. His coaching experience dates back to 2010 at Rhodes College with other stops at Bowling Green, Jackson State and North Texas among others.

Hicks joins a revamped and new-look defensive staff for Northwestern this season. David Braun has been hired from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State to serve as DC while Christian Smith was hired as DL coach out of South Dakota State.

Northwestern is coming out of its worst two-year span under Fitzgerald and a disastrous 1-11 campaign in 2022. We’ll see if the changes to the defensive staff can help turn things around after allowing 28.3 points per game a year ago.