The Redskins continue to build their defensive coaching staff under new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky with the hiring of assistant defensive backs coach James Rowe.
The Washington Redskins on Thursday hired James Rowe as assistant defensive backs coach, the team announced.
Rowe was most recently the defensive coordinator for Valdosta State, a position he held for one season prior to joining the Redskins. During his season with the Blazers, the defensive unit finished with a Division II-best 27 interceptions and ranked fifth in opposing passing efficiency, limiting opposing quarterbacks to a 96.2 passer rating.
Valdosta State safety Kenny Moore also earned first-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant cornerbacks coach for Jacksonville University. He was promoted to the role of assistant coach for the wide receivers in 2014 before being named Jacksonville's defensive coordinator for the 2014 season.
During the 2015 season, Rowe became a member of the coaching staff at the University of Florida, working with the secondary.
In his lone season with the Gators, the Florida defense ranked in the top 11 nationally in scoring defense, total defense and pass defense.
Rowe worked closely with three All-American defensive backs: Vernon Hargreaves, Marcus Maye and Jalen Tabor.
Rowe joins the Redskins one day after Torrian Gray was named defensive backs coach.
Gray told "Redskins Nation" this week that he has an intense coaching style that he hopes rubs off on the players.
"I'll try and be intense; coach with a certain kind of demeanor and hope that your players take that from you," Gray said. "I want guys to be able to understand the game, have techniques fundamentally sound, and understand the game mentally. To know formations, down and distance, splits, and things of that nature. We got to be able to communicate well as a whole unit from the safeties to the corners and just to be big on all those kind of details."
Gray and Rowe will work with a secondary that includes 2015 All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman along with Bashaud Breeland, Kendall Fuller, Quinton Dunbar, Su'a Cravens and DeAngelo Hall among others.
