endobj In 1992, WKU was on the verge of losing its football program after a state-mandated $6.1 million budget cut. It worked very well for us this past year with a Zach Kittley, a Bryan Ellis, a Zach Lankford, a Ben Arbuckle, a coach Crawford and coach Lock in that room, all those guys have a voice in there.. WKU Football announced the hiring of Micheal Spurlock as the program's receivers coach in March of 2022. cyd9KTt2YXIgZj1kLmdldEVsZW1lbnRzQnlUYWdOYW1lKHMpWzBdLAogICAg If you need help enabling JavaScript, please contact the. Hilltoppers win Conference USA title", "Sources: Jeff Brohm accepts Purdue head-coaching job", "Boca Raton Bowl score: It's time to respect Western Kentucky as a NY6 contender", "Notre Dame offensive coordinator lands open position at Western Kentucky", "WKU football set to hire Tennessee's Tyson Helton as new coach", "Division II All-Time Championship Results Bracket", "FCS All-Time Championship Results Bracket", Photos and History of Western Kentucky Football Uniforms, "WKU ATHLETICS Respect. Obee was wide receivers coach aWdodD0nMCcgc3JjPSdodHRwczovL3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNv He played at Ole Miss from 2008-11 under head coach Houston Nutt, earning 2008 SEC Newcomer of the Year and winning two Cotton Bowls. Number of employees at Western Kentucky University in year 2021 was 1,620. The 2002 team was the FCS national champion. practice and training--provides students opportunities to build skills. WKU has several historic rivalries that stem from its time in the Ohio Valley Conference. "It's one of those transitions going from the role I was in to that we're going to start doing a different style of offense here. Women's Soccer Coach 419-530-6251 419-530-6251: Women's Swimming/Diving Coaching Staff; Brie Globig Smith (19201921, Head Coach) Namesake of, Nick Denes (19571967, Head Coach) Namesake of, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 07:37. dy5fZGlkQXN5bmNJbmplY3RHb29nbGVUYWdNYW5hZ2VyID0gdHJ1ZTsKICAg The Hilltoppers brought in transfer running back Adam Cofield who rushed for over 600 yards and 12 TDs in 2019 at North Dakota State this offseason. If he opts against hiring a full-time offensive coordinator for next season, Helton said Arbuckle who followed Kittley from Houston Baptist and has served this season as an offensive quality control coach would be the Hilltoppers play-caller on game days. [5] On December 14, the school hired Mike Sanford Jr. as head coach. Arnold Winkenhofer took over in 1942 coaching the Toppers for one season before the program was stopped from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. In 1946, Jesse Thomas returned to the Hill for his second stint as head coach. John, on the other hand, was a coach at Cincinnati and could rely on his scouting services, . Both goals required at least one win over an FBS team. After Diddle left the football program to focus on coaching basketball, WKU football went through a series of instability in coaching but also a series of 9 winning seasons. J.L. WKU linebacker Will Ignont will also miss the game due to injury.{&end}. [4] He finished at WKU with a record of 30-10, two bowl wins, and two C-USA titles. parents, coaches, professors and friends. Athletics & Coaches | Western Kentucky University You have a special role in the lives of your student athletes. Roster. The 2022 campaign will be his fourth season at the helm of the Hilltopper program after producing a 23-15 mark (including 17-6 in C-USA play) and reaching three bowl games in his first three years. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 3. Winds light and variable. Helton said former WKU co-offensive coordinator/inside receiver coach Bryan Ellis and former offensive line coach Stephen Hamby will not coach in the bowl game. The WKU Senate is devoted to furthering the university's mission by providing a forum for faculty deliberation and contribution to shared governance. No one ever doubted Harbaugh's ability to coach but he clearly needed better players. We're going to be part of the same reduction that the whole campus is part of," Stewart said. Email: micheal.spurlock@wku.edu. Staff Directory. M.A. Email Address. Title. The team roster included future NFL players Roy Bondurant, Lawrence Brame, and Bill "Jelly" Green, as well as future NFL coach Romeo Crennel. The True Hiring Score or THS is compiled by a complex formula bringing together many different factors. The official 2023 Football Roster for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers. One new defensive staff change for WKU is Scott Vestal, who will be the inside linebackers coach next season. From 1922 to 1928, the Hilltoppers saw their first success as Coach E.A. quarterbacks last season during his year as a graduate The Hilltoppers finished 210 that season. Starting defensive tackle Jeremy Darvin will miss the bowl game following surgery after suffering an arm injury in last weeks Conference USA championship game. First day of school-type feeling. Feix became the most successful and longest-tenured coach in Western Kentucky football history while leading the Hilltoppers in a transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS). NCAA Tournament: 23 Years (19-24), 1 Final Four, 0 Championships NCAA Champion: Ranked in AP Poll: 4 Times (Preseason), 11 Times (Final), 111 . Following his collegiate career, Davis had proopportunities with the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Blizzards before starting his coaching career. His 14 teams that competed in the Ohio Valley Conference went 67282 (.701) in conference play. Signup today! spring game slated for April 14. [38] In his first year as head coach, Helton was able to turn the program around and finished the season 84 including a statement 4519 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. Knowing it wasn't going to be easy, and without the motivation of being eligible to compete for a championship, Elson and the Hilltoppers set two team goals that season; to win seven games and to go undefeated at home. On November 26, 2018, WKU announced the hire of Tennessee offensive coordinator Tyson Helton as the new Hilltoppers head coach. In 1963, Denes led the Hilltoppers to their second bowl game victory, defeating Coast Guard 270 in the Tangerine Bowl, a season where the Hilltoppers went 1001 and set a new school record for wins. Summers most recently served. . After a string of losses to open the 2018 campaign, including a home loss to FCS-level Maine 3128 (a game in which WKU had once held a 210 lead), WKU limped to a 39 finish. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 2019-05-22T06:45:08-07:00 Ben Arbuckle will be the teams new quarterbacks coach and a co-offensive coordinator, Zach Lankford will take over as the offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator, and Josh Crawford will remain as the teams outside receivers coach and also serve as a co-offensive coordinator. The Red Belt trophy was introduced to the rivalry series in 1978 when Murray's athletic trainer failed to pack a belt for the Racers' road trip and was loaned one by legendary WKU athletic trainer Bill "Doc E" Edwards. goes to parents or coaches without student's permission). Feix became the first WKU football athlete ever to earn All-America honors after posting the highest pass completion percentage in the nation (.612). "We're excited for the guys that we have and the guys that decided to come back and play football here for WKU," Crum said. With these pressures and balancing so many tasks, athletes often c2NyaXB0PgoKPG5vc2NyaXB0PgogIDxpbWcgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3NiLnNj You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The Hilltoppers open spring practice March 19, with the annual Official Online Store Powered By Alumni Hall. Stu HWN#I}GmfVEF}m=hw^d-\*.m3'#rJNeslre?vwjq!zsQ9s7g\kkvw'UlzZd83Fnwg4 \n+o2"}x WD&w%@#B]7.y-> U Women's Soccer Coach 419.530.6253 419.530.6253: Cliff Brandmier: Asst. endobj Staff Council The WKU Staff Council strives to enhance the productivity and employment experience of every Western Kentucky University staff member and to help the University achieve its . Davis spent the 2021 campaign at McMurry University, where the War Hawks' top three running backs Kameron Session, Dee Robinson and Aeneaus Gray combined for 1,097 yards on 225 carries (4.9 average) with seven touchdowns in nine games. The name comes from the fact that the two universities are separated by about 100 miles. WKU rushed for 126 yards per game in 2020 and was led by Gaej Walker, who ran for 645 yards and three touchdowns. Duringthe summer of2021,he worked with the New York Jets in an Offensive Quality Control rolewhile helping with Tight Ends and Special Teamsin preseason training camp. running backs again a duty he assumed during his first year as Skip to main content. Led by Nick Denes in his 11th and final season as head coach, the Hilltoppers compiled and overall record of 711 with a mark of 511 in conference play, placing second in the OVC.[1]. Terry Obee will return to his role as wide receivers coach after [3] Feix was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1973, 1978 and 1980 and remains the winningest football coach in WKU history. OTc3OTg5MTQiLAogICAgYzc6ICJodHRwczovL3drdS5yaXZhbHMuY29tL25l WKU has an inactive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky. Please update it here. Western Kentucky football sends out a bunch of offers. Western Kentucky first fielded a football team in 1908 but did not start playing sanctioned games until the 1913 season. <> ", "There's no new spending in 2020 versus 2019," Stewart said. Kittley will become the new offensive coordinator for Texas Tech, per Texas Tech . Defensive coordinator Nick Holt led WKU in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Hilltoppers won six Ohio Valley Conference championships between 1970 and 1980. bnQuY3JlYXRlRWxlbWVudCgic2NyaXB0IiksIGVsID0gZG9jdW1lbnQuZ2V0 Doughty was named 2014 Sammy Baugh Trophy winner as well as 2014 Conference USA Most Valuable Player. Jan 20 Washington State Football is TOTALLY vested in the 808; our actions this week prove that statement. [37] Helton came back to WKU after formerly holding the role of OC at WKU in 20142015 under Jeff Brohm before he was hired by his brother Clay Helton as the quarterbacks coach at USC. <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>> The 2022 Austin Peay Governors football team represented Austin Peay State University during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the ASUN Conference (ASUN), coinciding with the conference's addition of football for that season. [4] Feix coached 16 athletes who followed him on the list of WKU football All-Americans. The Hilltoppers were very successful in this era posting an outstanding a 60204 record. Now known as the 1992 "Save the Program" team, every player decided to stay, fight, and work to save WKU football. dCc6CiAgICAgICAgbmV3IERhdGUoKS5nZXRUaW1lKCksZXZlbnQ6J2d0bS5q at Houchens-Smith Stadium against Austin Peay on Sept. 1. Still Laying the Foundation of the Program. The rivalry has taken a hiatus since leaving EKU behind as WKU transitioned to FBS in 2009. 2019-05-22T06:45:08-07:00 Jimmy Lindsey and Garrett Chachere. experience excessive stress or have difficulty keeping up with demands from their 100 Miles of Hate is the name of the long-standing rivalry with Middle Tennessee. . coordinator after working as an offensive graduate assistant for Jack Harbaugh served as the Hilltoppers head football coach for 14 seasons, compiling a 9168 record, three 10+ win seasons, two conference championships (OVC 2000, Gateway 2002) and the 2002 Division I-AA National Championship. On the pants, visibility of "Hilltoppers" lettering down the side of the pants increases with intensity of the game. linebackers coach after two seasons working with the defensive [44] In 2006 the name of Division I-AA was changed to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Offices will remain open. After serving under Nick Denes as an assistant coach for all 11 seasons, Jimmy Feix was promoted to head coach. Name. Spurlock played in the National Football League from 2006-14. The WKU defense was led by players such as DeAngelo Malone, Juwuan Jones, Jeremy Darvin, Omari Alexander and Nick Days all guys who will return for next season, Crum said. The 2012 WKU Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Western Kentucky co-offensive coordinators Zach Kittley and Bryan Ellis are reportedly leaving for new jobs. The reallocating allowed WKU to play defensive coordinator Clayton White more, which played a major factor in White staying on Helton's staff. [39]:143, Five players have been designated by the NCAA as "Consensus All-Americans" as of 2017. Prior to that, he was the Defensive Coordinator at Colorado in 2019 and 2020, and worked in a Defensive Quality Control role at Georgia in 2017 and 2018. Hamby inherits an offensive line group that was ranked the 14th-best unit by PFF College and finished last season ranked second in the nation in pass-blocking grade and 17th in run-blocking grade. "We succeed at a very high level with the support that's at the bottom of our peers in our conference.". Create a password that only you will remember. "It's just a reallocation of the salary pool because of coaches leaving.". We really like the players that we have coming back, but we also wanted them to be pushed.". "So anyone who thinks athletics is receiving a priority over academics in funding is simply ignoring the facts," Stewart said. Would you like to receive a weekly digest of headlines & events from The Amplifier by email? The NCAA began Division II National Football Championship in 1973. [6] Preseason [ edit] assistant. The money that was reallocated came from donors. Western Kentucky University is committed to empowering its campus community to embrace . In 1975, the Hilltoppers made the playoff field again advancing to the title game for the second time, but once again having to settle for runner-up honors finishing their season with an 112 record. Later that day, former Auburn running backs coach Cadillac Williams was appointed interim head coach for the . For the Dec. 18 bowl game, Helton said Kittley would be the Tops play-caller on offense. endobj The official Football Coach List for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers. WKU won the Division 1AA NCAA championship in 2002. The two men teamed up to coach the Hilltoppers for their inaugural season which solely consisted of a 200 win over Elizabethtown. Vestal has worked as a defensive analyst for WKU under defensive coordinator. He then moved to Colorado State to be Defensive Coordinator in 2015 before earning a head coaching opportunity for Georgia Southern in 2016; the Eagles went 5-7 in his first season at the helm. Crum, replacing Clayton White who is now the defensive coordinator at South Carolina, spent last season serving as the Hilltoppers' co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach and has been on staff since the 2017 season. We won't share it with anyone else. Visit WKU. LB Jr. 6' 2'' 250 lbs . eTpoaWRkZW4nIHdpZHRoPScwJz48L2lmcmFtZT4KPC9ub3NjcmlwdD4KCgo=, PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh Feix was named head coach in December, 1967, when the late Nick Denes retired from active coaching. In his first season, Helton won 2019 C-USA Coach of the Year. His first team set a school record for wins that would stand for 41 years and his last team claimed to be state champions. endobj If the Hilltoppers won seven games, they got rings. Average annual salary was $58,911 and median salary was $52,794. endobj 2. Karl Maslowski, who served as linebackers coach and special teams [17] In their first year under Taggart, coming off a winless season under Elson, WKU finally broke their 26-game losing streak with a 5421 win at UL Lafayette. That win over MTSU in 2007 would be the last major win for the Hilltoppers under Elson. What majors and programs are available at WKU? Harbaugh was notified of the plans to shut down the program just before spring practice was about to begin. endobj Jim also recruited future NFL players Rod Smart and Mel Mitchell to WKU as well as 17 players on the 2002 national championship team. "There is no football coach, basketball coach anywhere in the county that has a tenure. The following are the head coaches of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. During Western Kentucky's Board of Regents meeting on Friday, May 15, it was announced the football staff would be getting a raise, some members have much as 17 percent. Wisconsin after serving as offensive coordinator and wide receivers You have permission to edit this article. You can help the student overcome the idea counseling is just for the "weak". Raymond Woodie will shift to . In 1968, his "rookie" season as head coach, Feix led Western to seven wins against only two losses and a tie with nationally ranked-and bowl-bound- Akron. . school to be first in its league in championships while being in the bottom 25 percent of its league in the budget. Tyler Mansfield is the Western Kentucky managing editor and primary beat reporter for InsideHilltopperSports.com. "I am excited about our football program under the leadership of . Diddle took over the football program for seven seasons leading them to four winning seasons while also coaching the WKU Hilltoppers basketball team. Stay up to date with all the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers sports news, recruiting, transfers, and more at 247Sports.com . You can help the student overcome the idea counseling is just for the "weak". "So to me that was a good use of funds by Tyson (Helton) to do that.". Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go The two programs have met 84 times in football since 1914. Beck, who is in his first year as a college football head coach, and his almost entirely new staff - outside linebackers/special teams coach Josh Miller is the lone assistant who stayed. [6] While Harbaugh and the team did their part, former WKU quarterback, coach and athletics director at the time, Jimmy Feix, started an emergency fundraising campaign writing letters and making calls to former WKU players, urging them to buy season tickets. [14] They were able to accomplish the first of those goals, going 75 that season as they beat long-time rival MTSU in Murfreesboro, but were unable to hold off Troy at home; both of which were FBS schools and members of the Sun Belt Conference. News. 1089 days ago . [46], Western Kentucky has retired four jersey numbers. How much are Football Coaches Really Worth? a student, consider a referral to Counseling Center to help address these problems. returning to WKU. BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - After a comeback win over Central Michigan in the early afternoon, the Hilltoppers dropped their final game on Saturday to Jacksonville State, splitting the second day of the Hilltopper Classic.The 6-4 final over the Chippewas featured a Faith Hegh solo home run and six hits from six different Hilltoppers, while the 4-3 tough loss to Jacksonville State was the fourth . WKU starting offensive tackle Mason Brooks and starting wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley have both entered the transfer portal, but both will play to play in the Hilltoppers bowl game, Helton confirmed Thursday. BOWLING GREEN, Ky. WKU Football has hired Tyson Summers as Co-Defensive Coordinator and Safeties coach, as well as Enrique Davis as Running Backs coach, it was announced Friday morning. Western Kentucky University. Obviously there are emotional swings with sports and so the mathematical ratings do not always line up with the emotional expectations from a team. Matt Zenitz tweets that former Coastal Carolina defensive coordinator Chad Staggs is expected to be the new defensive coordinator at Georgia State. Winds light and variable.. A clear sky. Per memoranda of understanding the university released to The News Tribune for each of the members of the new coaching staff, the salary total for DeBoer and the program's assistants is set to. ewogICAgYzE6ICIyIiwKICAgIGMyOiAiNzI0MTQ2OSIsCiAgICBjNTogIjEx Counseling--like Jack Clayton provided some much-needed stability to the WKU football program where he served as head coach for 9 seasons. Winds light and variable.. A clear sky. The Bruins were 8-4 last year and finished 21st in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, the first time since 2014 that they had been ranked at the end of the season. It appears it is currently turned off for your browser. After leaving Western Kentucky, Harbaugh served as an associate athletic director at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his son-in-law, Tom Crean, was the head coach of the men's basketball team. [3] Dickie Moore was named to the AP All-American team and was Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year. Andy LaRussa Retweeted. the skills developed provide the students the tools needed to better manage their Choose wisely! ", "It's not an apples to apples comparison," George Nichols said. To start the 2012 campaign, Summers went to UCF, where he was the Linebackers coach for two years before being promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the 2014 season. Bio. We are constantly tweaking our formula so that we can find the sweet spot of when a coach is technically on the hot seat. On Monday, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported that Micheal Spurlock will be leaving the Packers to take a job as the wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky University. [18] Lance Guidry, WKU's defensive coordinator was named interim head coach and led the Hilltoppers to their first bowl appearance as an FBS member. Western Kentucky University average salary is 26 percent higher than USA average and median salary is 21 percent higher than USA median. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. On December 8, WKU announced it would be accepting an invite to play in the SERVPRO First Responders Bowl in Dallas, TX against Western Michigan on December 30, 2019 and won 23-20. endstream WKU became the first school in league history to sweep the top three honors with just two players. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Traditionally, the logo for Western Kentucky athletics was a diagonal "WKU" lettering. Walt Wells will continue as running game Between his stints at WKU, Taylor worked at Georgia Southern as the Director of Football Operations in 2016 and two seasons at the University of Southern California as the Trojan's Director of Player Engagement. One new defensive staff change for WKU is Scott Vestal, who will be the inside linebackers coach next season. Obviously his relationship with Bailey and the opportunity to have one more game together, I think thats really, really special so Im glad thats going to happen.. In his three seasons as head coach Jeff Brohm posted an outstanding 3010 record, 172 at home, and 205 against Conference USA opponents. Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky Seasons: 102 (1921-22 to 2022-23) Record: 1868-970 .658 W-L% Conferences: CUSA, Sun Belt, OVC and Ind Conference Champion: 29 Times (Reg. Fresno State Athletics. If you give them the impression counseling is an OK choice, they will believe you. The Seminoles will be replacing at least one more member of the coaching staff this offseason. coordinator each of the past two seasons, will focus solely on the A Texas Tech graduate, Hamby spent three seasons working under Kliff Kingsbury at TTU serving as the assistant offensive line coach before spending the next three seasons as Bowling Green State's offensive line coach. Still Laying the Foundation of the Program. bS9ucy5odG1sP2lkPUdUTS1NRjZQWFhDJmFtcDtndG1fYXV0aD1LaEg2aGVD College football team that represents Western Kentucky University, 2023 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, "WKU Alumni Association Mr. Jimmy Feix", "Harbaugh highlights WKU teams for inaugural Hall of Fame induction", "WKU 'Program Savers' re-unite on Saturday", "Harbaugh sons used unconventional means to help father build college football powerhouse", "Board Of Regents Votes To Elevate Western Kentucky Football To Division I-A Status", "Moving up? On August 13, 2016, WKU released 2 new (red home and white away) jerseys with 3 pants (red, white, and black.) Ben Arbuckle - who was an Offensive Quality Control coach in 2021 - will become a full-time assistant as a Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach. Basketball. WKU beat LaTech 5844 in a revenge match becoming just the second team to repeat as C-USA champions in back-to-back years and the first team in C-USA to host the championship and win in back-to-back years. FOOTBALL (Sport Administrator: Collin Sexton) Lance Leipold: Head Coach. Summers most recently served as a Defensive Analyst for Florida during the 2021 season. Is Coach Rick Stockstill on the Hot Seat? Image. After Anderson left the hill once again, this time to be an assistant coach at Indiana, the Hilltoppers selected Gander Terry to lead the program. Brown joins the Hilltoppers following a two-year stint at Ole Miss. They were a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Jimmy Lindsey and Garrett Chachere. Former Louisville, Atlanta Falcons and Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino was hired as the new head football coach following Taggart's departure. [42] Additionally, the 1928 team defeated all other Kentucky teams on its schedule and claimed to be state champions.[43]. Sheridan, a former quarterback at Michigan, fills Following the completion of Western Kentucky's football coaching staff last month with the hiring of new offensive .