Thursday August 11, 2016
Harding (D-II - AR): Head coach Ronnie Huckeba has announced that he will retire following this season. This will be coach Huckeba's tenth season as head coach and 31st on staff at Harding. Defensive coordinator Paul Simmons will take over on a full time basis following this season.
Jim Harbaugh: ESPN asked 14 college head coaches how they would describe Jim Harbaugh. The results are, well, you want to see this.
Ithaca (D-III - NY): Head coach Mike Welch has announced that he will retire following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Welch has served as the head coach of the program since 1994 and has a career record of 164-73 with the team while collecting 8 conference titles.
Christopher Newport (D-III - VA): Head coach Matt Kelchner, who has been with the program since its inception in 2001, has announced that this will be his final season leading the program. Kelchner has put together an overall record of 102-57 as the head coach at CNU, including ten playoff appearances in 15 seasons and seven Coach of the Year awards in the league. After stepping away from the sidelines, Kelchner will continue as an associate director of athletics with the school.
Mixing Coverages Behind Zone Pressures: Most three deep, three under pressures, like the NCAA blitz, require five rushers and six cover defenders. But within each pressure, like a multitude of adjustments based off how the offense presents itself. Washburn University Co-Defensive Coordinator Zach Watkins has the ability to bring 4-7 defenders and still play zone coverage behind it and he does so by adjusting his pressures off offensive formation and ball location. In this exclusive X&O Labs clinic report, Coach Watkins details the three coverage structures, 6 drop, 6 rush and Trap 2, he uses in each of his three blitz patterns: Florida, Kansas and Texas. Keeping these patterns consistent allows for the same pressure out of both 4-3 and 3-3 and 3-4 looks. Read this clinic report here.
Dakota College at Bottineau (JC - ND): The following coaches have joined the staff: Roger Mitchell (OC / OL), James Hudgins (QBs / RBs), Jay Chatman (WRs / video coordinator), and Henry Adelman (LBs). Mitchell was the co-offensive coordinator at ASA-Miami (JC) last season, Hudgins coached the quarterbacks at Alderdice HS (PA) in 2015, Chatman was assistant AD/ OC / WRs coach at Garinger HS (Charlotte, NC) last fall, and Adelman just finished a successful career at Willamette University (D-III - OR) this past season.
American International (D-II - MA): Kyle Cavanaugh and Stanley Dunbar have joined the staff as graduate assistants. Cavanaugh will work with the corners and Dunbar the running backs. Dunbar most recently coached at Dean (JC - MA).
Eastern Kentucky (FCS): Eastern Kentucky University is seeking a Football Equipment Coordinator immediately. This position is will be responsible for all aspects of the management of the equipment room operations for football. This position will manage/supervise all staff of equipment managers. This is an entry level full-time position with benefits. Those interested please contact Kevin Cristello Director of Football Operations by email only at kevin.cristello@eku.edu. No phone calls please.