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Mark Stoops, D.J. Eliot will help Seminoles in Orange Bowl

Defensive coaches will return to Tallahassee to help the 'Noles prepare for tilt against Northern Illinois.

By Matt Trogdon
Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

Mark Stoops and D.J. Eliot are leaving Florida State for Kentucky, but they've decided to help the Seminoles prepare for the Orange Bowl, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Stoops, FSU's defensive coordinator this season, was hired as Kentucky's new head coach last month. It was announced Wednesday that Eliot would join him as Kentucky's new defensive coordinator. Eliot was the defensive line coach for Florida State this season.

While it's unclear how the two coaches will balance their work for Kentucky with helping the Seminoles, it appears that they'll spend the bulk of their time in Lexington. According to the Sentinel, they will "return to Tallahassee at points" over the next month.

Florida State will take on Northern Illinois in an Orange Bowl matchup that has sparked considerable discussion since it was announced Sunday. Northern Illinois won the MAC championship in overtime against Kent State last Friday, but many in the media have questioned the Huskies' credentials.

Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.