Townsend, a Mississippi native who starred at Alabama and then played 13 years in the NFL, entered the coaching ranks as an assistant for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals in 2011 before being hired at MSU in 2013.
Townsend is the third assistant to leave Mississippi State this offseason — all on defense. Coordinator Manny Diaz left for the same job at Miami under new coach Mark Richt, and safeties coach/recruiting coordinator Tony Hughes left to become coach at FCS member Jackson State.
Townsend’s departure comes less than two weeks before National Signing Day and how coach Dan Mullen handles his departure will be interesting.