Smith Assembles Spartan Football Staff
12/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 28, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State first-year head coach John L. Smith has filled all but two openings on his football coaching/support staff. Smith announced Saturday, Dec. 28 that five assistants from Louisville have accepted positions at Michigan State and five Spartan staff members have been retained.
Joining Smith in the move from Louisville to East Lansing, Mich., are defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Smeland, linebackers coach Mike Cox, cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes, wide receivers and special teams coach Jim McElwain and defensive line coach Steve Stripling. Holdovers from Michigan State's 2002 staff include running backs coach Reggie Mitchell, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, assistant athletics director/director of football operations Mike Vollmar, head strength and conditioning coach Ken Mannie and assistant strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman.
"Like in any business, it's tough any time you change managers, so continuity is a big key," Coach Smith said. "By bringing in four defensive coaches from Louisville, we're assured of having great continuity on one side of the football.
"A crucial position on our offensive staff is wide receivers coach because we'll line up with three, four or perhaps even five receivers on the field. Jim McElwain has done a tremendous job in that role for the last three years and I'm happy he's on board.
"Reggie Mitchell is kind of our savior. Reggie is a key figure for our program because he knows recruiting in the state of Michigan. We must be able to recruit successfully in our backyard before we go anywhere else.
"Jeff Stoutland is another quality coach who provides us with a recruiting in on the East Coast. My staff really hasn't gotten its feet wet in that area of the country, so Jeff fills that need."
Here's a brief look at the 10 members of the new Spartan football coaching/support staff:
Smeland has been a defensive coordinator for 20 years, including the last eight seasons for Coach Smith. He played an integral part in helping Louisville to a combined record of 41-21 (.661) since 1998, including five straight bowl appearances and back-to-back Conference USA championships in 2000-01. Over the last three years, Louisville's defense has produced 129 sacks and 85 takeaways, including 53 interceptions. In 2002, the Cardinals ranked among the NCAA regular-season leaders in rushing defense (No. 23 at 114.2 yards per game) and total defense (No. 23 at 317.6 ypg.). In 2000, Louisville ranked among the NCAA leaders in rushing defense (No. 4) and total defense (No. 15) while forcing a nation-best 37 turnovers. During his three-year stint at Utah State (1995-97), the Aggies won consecutive Big West Conference crowns in 1996-97. In 1997, Utah State led the Big West in every defensive category and finished No. 25 nationally in rushing defense, allowing only 115.6 yards per game. Smeland spent four years on the Hawaii coaching staff (1991-94), working with the inside and outside linebackers in 1991 before being elevated to defensive coordinator in 1992. He previously served as defensive coordinator at Kent State (1988-90) and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (1982-87). His coaching credits also include stops at Nevada (offensive line, 1979-81), Colorado (outside linebackers, 1978) and Southwestern Louisiana (inside linebackers, 1977).
Cox has 16 years of coaching experience under his belt, including the last 14 seasons as an assistant under Smith. While at Louisville, the Cardinals won back-to-back C-USA titles in 2000-01, averaged eight wins per season and earned five straight bowl invitations. In 2002, Louisville ranked among the NCAA regular-season leaders in rushing defense (No. 23 at 114.2 yards per game) and total defense (No. 23 at 317.6 ypg.). In 2001, the Cardinals finished No. 10 nationally in scoring defense, permitting 17.8 points per game. In 2000, Louisville forced an NCAA-best 37 turnovers and ranked among the national leaders in rushing defense (No. 4) and total defense (No. 15). During his tenure at Utah State (1995-97), he tutored two first-team All-Big West linebackers, including David Gill (1995-96) and Tony D'Amato (1997). In 1995, Gill broke NFL great (Houston Oilers) Al Smith's USU single-season record for tackles with 168. Cox helped Idaho to a combined record of 73-26 (.733) from 1987-94, including four Big Sky Conference championships and five Top 10 finishes. During his eight-year stint at Idaho, he worked primarily with the linebackers and defensive line. In 1994, the Vandals led the Big Sky in rushing defense, allowing only 65.3 yards per game.
Haynes comes to Michigan State following one season at Louisville where he coached the cornerbacks. In 2002, the Cardinals ranked fifth in C-USA and No. 38 nationally in pass efficiency defense (112.9 rating). Haynes spent the 2001 season with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars where he served as the defensive quality-control coach. In 2001, Jacksonville ranked among the AFC leaders in passing defense (second at 190 yards per game), scoring defense (fourth at 17.9 points) and total defense (seventh at 316.9 yards). He worked for two years under former Spartan defensive coordinator Dean Pees at Kent State (1999-2000) where he coached the secondary in 1999 before taking over the duties as assistant head coach and safeties coach in 2000. Prior to joining the Kent State staff, Haynes coached the running backs and secondary at NCAA I-AA Northern Iowa in 1997-98. He also served as secondary coach at Ferris State for two seasons, from 1995-96. Haynes began his coaching career at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993 before moving on to Bowling Green as a graduate assistant in 1994.
McElwain has served as Louisville's wide receiver and special teams coach for the last three seasons. He has coached four first-team All-Conference USA selections including wide receiver and punt returner Damien Dorsey (2002), kick returner Broderick Clark (2002), wide receiver Deion Branch (2000-01) and return specialist Zek Parker (2001). He has tutored three of the Cardinals' all-time leading receivers, including Arnold Jackson (first with 300 career receptions), Branch (sixth with 143) and Parker (tied for eighth with 128). Jackson also ranks as C-USA's career leader in receptions and receiving yards (3,670). In 2002, the Cardinals ranked among the C-USA leaders in scoring offense (third at 29.9 points per game), passing offense (third at 228.2 yards), kickoff returns (second at 23.2 avg.) and punt returns (third at 13.5 avg.). Louisville's special teams produced six touchdowns in 2002, returning four punts and two kickoffs for scores, and blocked 11 kicks, including nine punts. McElwain previously served as offensive coordinator at Montana State for five years (1995-99). Under his direction, Montana State's Rob Compson threw for nearly 7,000 career yards and a school-record 54 TDs. He also coached the Bobcats' all-time leading receiver Chip Hobbs, who caught 144 career passes for 2,060 yards and 18 TDs. Prior to his appointment at Montana State, McElwain spent 10 years at Eastern Washington (1985-94) where he worked primarily with the quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Stripling has coached Louisville's defensive line since 2001. He helped develop two first-team All-Conference USA selections, including Dewayne White (2001-02) and Michael Josiah (2001). In 2002, Louisville ranked second in C-USA in rushing defense (114.2 yards per game) and total defense (317.6 yards). In 2001, White earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors after producing a school single-season record 23 tackles for losses, including 15 sacks. White and Josiah accounted for 26 of Louisville's 41 sacks in 2001. Over the last two seasons, the Cardinals have recorded 74 sacks. Stripling came to Louisville following four seasons at Minnesota (1997-2000) where he served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator under Glen Mason. In 1999, Minnesota ranked among the Big Ten leaders in passing defense (first at 179.4 yards), scoring defense (second at 16.3 points) and total defense (fourth at 319.9 yards). The Golden Gophers finished No. 22 nationally in total defense in 1999 while racking up a school-record 44 sacks. Prior to joining the Minnesota staff, Stripling spent 13 seasons under Bill Mallory at Indiana (1984-96) where he coached the offensive and defensive lines for six years each before taking over as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 1996. During his tenure at Indiana, he tutored nine All-Big Ten players while the Hoosiers made six bowl appearances. Stripling worked as offensive line coach at Northern Illinois for four years, from 1980-83. He served as the recruiting coach at North Carolina in 1979 after getting a start as a graduate assistant at Colorado in 1977-78.
Mitchell has been on Michigan State's staff since 1999, coaching the running backs the last three years. In 2001, he tutored T.J. Duckett, who rushed for 1,420 yards - the fifth-best single-season total in school history. Duckett, MSU's fifth all-time leading rusher with 3,379 career yards, became the first Spartan running back to be drafted in the first round (Atlanta Falcons, No. 18 overall in 2002) since Lorenzo White (Houston Oilers) in 1988. Mitchell came to Michigan State following two seasons as running backs coach at Minnesota. He followed Glen Mason to Minnesota after a nine-year stint at Kansas, where he coached running backs for two years (1995-96), defensive ends for four seasons (1991-94) and defensive line for three years (1988-90). Mitchell first joined Coach Mason as wide receivers coach at Kent State in 1987. His coaching credits also include stops at Western Michigan (running backs, 1986), Michigan (graduate assistant, 1985), Ferris State (wide receivers, 1984) and Central Michigan (student assistant, 1983).
Stoutland has served as the Spartans' offensive line coach since 2000. His offensive line helped pave the way for Duckett, who produced back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2000 and 2001. He came to Michigan State following three seasons under Paul Pasqualoni at Syracuse (1997-99), where he coached the tight ends his first two years before taking over the offensive line in 1999. In addition to his coaching duties, he also served as the Orangemen's recruiting coordinator for all three years. Stoutland previously spent four years as offensive line coach at Cornell (1993-96). His full-time coaching credits include two stints at his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State, where he served as offensive coordinator for five years (1988-92) and coached inside linebackers for two seasons (1984-85). He also spent two years as a graduate assistant under Dick MacPherson at Syracuse (1986-87), working primarily with the offensive line.
Vollmar has acted as Michigan State's director of football operations since 1996. His duties include overseeing the internal and external operations of the football program plus supervising the athletic department's equipment program. He also serves on the American Football Coaches Association's national committee for Directors of Football Operations. Vollmar previously spent five years at Syracuse, serving as recruiting and personnel coordinator from 1991-93 and director of football and recruiting operations from 1994-96 under Pasqualoni. Prior to joining the Syracuse staff, he worked for three years as assistant recruiting coordinator and in athletic administration under Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller at Michigan (1988-90).
Mannie has overseen Michigan State's strength and conditioning program since 1994. In May 2002, the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association awarded him the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of his professionalism, expertise, longevity and contributions to the field. Prior to his arrival at MSU, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at Toledo (1985-94). He served as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes' Big Ten championship football team. Mannie taught and coached on the high school level for 10 years (1975-84), including nine seasons at his alma mater Steubenville (Ohio) Catholic Central. He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Akron in 1974, working with the offensive guards and centers.
Wellman has held the position of assistant strength and conditioning coach at Michigan State since 2001. He previously spent five years at Indiana (1996-2001) where he served as a graduate assistant in the weight room for two years before being named assistant strength and conditioning coach in 1998. Prior to joining the Indiana staff, Wellman completed a strength and conditioning internship at Notre Dame in 1995 where he coordinated individual workouts for Irish football, basketball and baseball players.
The search continues for an offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
"We're going to find two other offensive coaches that will be able to mesh well with Jim, Reggie and Jeff," Smith said. "We're looking for the right fit for the other positions. Coaches must be able to get along, especially when they spend 16-18 hours together every day."