When Mark Hutson left the Eastern football coaching staff Jan. 11 to take the offensive line coach position at Tulane, it wasn’t that surprising.

Hutson (above) led the Panthers to an 8-5 record while filling in for head coach Bob Spoo this past football season and it was just a matter of time before Hutson left for a better coaching opportunity.

Spoo encourages his coaches to take the new job if opportunities arise, like the one Hutson had.

It has worked out well for some of his former assistants, also.

Here are three former assistant coaches under Spoo who have been successful assistants after leaving Charleston:

1. Randy Melvin – The former Panther great came back to his alma mater and coached here from 1988-94. He’s now about to enter his third season as defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. The Aurora native coached for the New England Patriots for two seasons and also had stops coaching at Wyoming, Illinois and Rutgers.

2. Darrell Hazell – Hazell only coached one season, 1988, but is now a coach at one of the nation’s best college football programs: Ohio State. Hazell, a New Jersey native, coached the running backs and receivers here. Since his one-year stay in Charleston, Hazell has made stops at Army, West Virginia and Rutgers, and just finished his third year at Ohio State.

3. Mike DeBord – DeBord spent two seasons at Eastern, 1987-88, and is now in his second stint as Michigan’s offensive coordinator. DeBord was the man behind the Wolverines’ offense that averaged almost 30 points per game and made it to the Rose Bowl this past season.