Akron:
AKRON, Ohio — Darrell Funk, a 28-year veteran of collegiate coaching, has been named an assistant football coach at the University of Akron, head coach Terry Bowden announced on Thursday.
Funk will serve as the offensive line coach and offensive run game coordinator.
His hiring is pending approval by the University's Board of Trustees.
"I am extremely excited to have Darrell join our staff here at the University of Akron," Bowden said. "He is one of the top offensive line coaches in the country and will add a wealth of experience to our staff. Just as importantly, Darrell is a man of high character, and he will fit in nicely with the family atmosphere that we believe in here at Akron."
http://gozips.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/201501224s967i
Ball State:
Ball State head football coach Pete Lembo is the first head mentor in the school’s 91-year history to win 30 games in his first four seasons at the helm.
Lembo, who has led the Cardinals to two bowl games and a 30-20 overall record in his first four campaigns, passed the mark of 26 wins set by Dwight Wallace in his first four years from 1978-81. In addition, Lembo’s .600 winning percentage with the Cardinals is the second best among Ball State head coaches through their first four seasons at the helm in Muncie, Ind. Ray Louthen has the only better winning percentage with his 23-9-2 (.705) mark from 1962-65.
Ball State hired Lembo prior to the 2011 campaign and of the 24 coaches hired at that time, 13 finished the 2014 season as that school’s head coach. Of those 13, only four had a better record than Lembo in their first four seasons – David Shaw (Stanford, 41-12), Mark Hudspeth (Louisiana-Lafayette, 35-16), Rocky Long (San Diego State, 32-19) and Brady Hoke (Michigan, 31-20).
Among the winningest Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches with less than five years at the FBS level, Lembo is third in terms of victories with 109 in his career. He also ranks seventh amongst that group in winning percentage with a 109-56 career mark (.661).
http://ballstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=67657&SPID=7633&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=209800709&DB_OEM_ID=14200
Bowling Green:
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—Bowling Green State University head football coach Dino Babers announced the hiring of new defensive coordinator Brian Ward on Friday (Feb. 13) morning. Ward comes to Bowling Green after serving as the defensive coordinator at Western Illinois University the previous three years.
"We are really excited to welcome Brian Ward and his family to Bowling Green as our new defensive coordinator," Babers began. "Brian's defenses play with a lot of confidence and it's clear how disciplined and well-coached they are. His Western Illinois defense regularly finished as one of the best in the nation and we are excited to see what he does with our Falcon defense."
When Ward arrived at Western Illinois for the 2012 season, the Leathernecks' defense ranked among the bottom of the Football Championship Subdivision in most statistical categories. But, Ward quickly turned the defense around, molding the Leathernecks into one of the top defensive units in FCS football and the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Ward's 2013 defense ranked seventh in the nation in total defense, while ranking third nationally in passing defense. The WIU defense also showed an incredible improvement in passing efficiency defense, tackles for loss, and sacks as Ward continued to implement his scheme during his second year.
http://bgsufalcons.com/news/2015/2/13/BB_0213154303.aspx
Buffalo:
CLEVELAND, OH – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2014 Football Academic All-MAC team as a total of 128 student-athletes were named to the squad. Among the selections were eight members of the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York football team. Making the team were seniors Jake Silas and Lee Skinner, juniors Tony Daniel, Nick Gilbo, Tyler Grassman, Matt Weiser, Ron Willoughby and sophomore Jarrett Franklin.
http://ubbulls.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/20150127tpfb1h
Central Michigan:
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – John Bonamego got down to work on Tuesday, overseeing an 8 a.m. workout in the turf bay at the Indoor Athletic Center.
Bonamego was named the Central Michigan football coach and met his players on Sunday, was introduced to the public and the media on Monday, and watched his new team for the first time as its head coach on Tuesday.
“Very, very impressed,” Bonamego said after overseeing a 60-minute conditioning session in the turf bay. “Pleased with how they work, pleased with the organization that’s been done by the strength coaches, and the drill work by the coaches. Pleased with the effort and the finish.
“I’m just really looking forward to connecting with each and every one of these kids individually. They’re mine now, but they’re ours. It’s a lot of new faces and a lot of new names to learn, but I plan to get up to speed very, very quickly.”
Bonamego, who said the preceeding 48 hours were “a blur,” said the top priorities are getting to know the players, which he will do through face-to-face contact, by meeting with the coaching staff, and by watching film.
http://www.cmuchippewas.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021015aaa.html
Eastern Michigan:
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University and the University of Missouri have agreed to a two-game football series, as announced jointly Tuesday, Feb. 3, by both schools. Mizzou will play host to both games in the series, with the first date set for Sept.10, 2016, in Columbia, Mo. while the back end of the two-game set will be played Sept. 26, 2020.
The Eagles and Tigers have met once previously on the gridiron, with Missouri posting a 44-24 victory at Faurot Field, Sept. 6, 1997, in what was the season-opener that year for both squads.
Additional football non-conference scheduling announcements will be made in the coming weeks as other contracts are finalized.
http://www.emueagles.com/news/2015/2/3/FB_0203150337.aspx?path=football
Kent State:
Julian Edelman's nine-catch performance in Super Bowl XLIX included a fitting touchdown grab that proved to be the game-winner in New England's 28-24 victory over Seattle. The former Kent State quarterback had been making clutch plays throughout the game, the playoffs and the season.
A 15-yard punt return by Edelman in the fourth quarter helped set up New England's third touchdown drive as the Patriots overcame a 24-14 deficit. The drive included a pair of 21-yard catches by Edelman on third down plays. The first came on a third-and-14 at midfield and the second on a third-and-eight, taking the ball down to Seattle's four yard line.
Prior to the game's first touchdown, New England was faced with a third-and-nine when Tom Brady connected with Edelman over the middle for a 23-yard gain to Seattle's 12 yard line. Two plays later, the Patriots were on the board.
The Patriots' second scoring drive included a seven-yard run by Edelman, setting up a manageable third-and-three near midfield.
Even when New England's offensive fate turned on an interception, Edelman was able to make a tackle, preventing the Seahawks from flipping the field.
In three playoff games, Edelman totaled 26 receptions for 281 yards and showed off his old Kent State quarterback skills with a 51-yard touchdown pass against the Ravens.
A seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft, Edelman and Josh Kline join a list of former Golden Flashes with Super Bowl rings, including James Harrison, who made one of the most memorable plays in the history of the game during Super Bowl XLIII.
http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2015/2/2/FB_0202151415.aspx
Miami (OH):
Former Miami defensive back and point guard Quinten Rollins participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday.
Rollins was a starter for the North team, which won the game 34-13. The North team was coached by the Tennessee Titans coaching staff, led by Ken Whisenhunt.
Rollins said he was able to learn a lot from the NFL staff, including watching the ball pre-snap, watching the receiver’s hips and being more upright in his press coverage stance.
“Knowing when there’s trips to one side and they’ve got a receiver on my side, he’s most likely going to do an in-route because that’s what the flow of the offense is,” Rollins said. “Just little things like that that I can put in my back pocket to have moving forward was great.”
Rollins finished the game with one interception and two tackles. Rollins picked off former Southeastern Louisiana State University quarterback Bryan Bennett’s pass with 19 seconds left in the third quarter.
http://www.muredhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=26100&ATCLID=209865423
UMass:
AMHERST, Mass. - Longtime college and NFL coach Mark Michaels has been announced by head coach Mark Whipple as the UMass football team's new special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach. Michaels returns to familiar territory as he helped the Minutemen win the 1998 I-AA National Championship as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
Michaels has spent a large portion of his career coaching alongside Whipple since the pair first worked together in 1988 at the University of New Haven. Since first starting as a graduate assistant in New Haven from 1987-90, Michaels has also worked at Brown (1993-97), at UMass (1998), with the Cleveland Browns (1999-00), with the Seattle Seahawks (2001-04), with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2005-06) and at Fordham (2007).
Prior to being announced as UMass' new special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach, Michaels was the defensive and special teams coordinator and a health teacher at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park, Fla., since 2008.
Over the past six years, Michaels helped Ridgeview reach the Florida state playoffs three consecutive years (2010-12), advance to the third round of the 4A Playoffs in 2008 and set school records for wins (9, 2009), blocked kicks (2009) and return touchdowns (2009).
http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/012315aaa.html
Northern Illinois:
DEKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois University wide receiver Da'Ron Brown (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) has been selected to participate in the 2015 National Football League Scouting Combine, the league announced today.
One of 323 NFL prospects invited, Brown is one of nine players from the Mid-American Conference selected to participate in the league's annual showcase of talent held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. Feb. 17-23.
Brown, who started all 14 games for the Huskies in 2014, earned Second Team All-MAC honors after leading NIU in receiving with 1,065 yards, which ranked fourth in the league, on 68 receptions. He is the seventh Huskie in school history to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season. Brown tallied a career-high nine receptions in the 2014 MAC Championship Game against Bowling Green.
http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020615aab.html
Ohio:
COLUMBUS — A.J. Ouellette’s story was told time and again this fall around his hometown of Covington and Miami County.
What had been a regional story has gone national.
This past weekend, Ouellette — a 2014 Covington High School graduate who played running back at Ohio University last fall — was recognized by the Touchdown Club of Columbus as a 2015 Player to Watch.
Based in Columbus, the Touchdown Club — which was founded in 1956 — honors the top football players in America every year. Along with Ouellette, some of the players honored at this year’s even included Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin and Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.
http://tdn-net.com/news/localsports/151773121/Ouellette-honored-by-Touchdown-Club
Toledo:
TOLEDO, OH – Head Coach Matt Campbell and members of the University of Toledo football program appeared at the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank on Wednesday to present a check for $675 as part of Kroger’s “Sacks for Cash” program.
Kroger donated $25 for every sack the Rockets made this year. UT had 27 sacks in the regular season. Kroger also made the same donation for every sack by Toledo’s rival, Bowling Green State University, making the total donation $1,200.
Campbell and the Rocket players represented UT and the Rocket football program and thanked Kroger for their continued support and for giving back to the community.
“The Sacks for Cash initiative exemplifies teamwork both on and off the field,” said Cheryl McCormick, public affairs manager for Kroger's Columbus division. “The student-athletes did their part on the field this season by making a combined total on 57 sacks. At Kroger, now it is our turn to turn those sacks into cash for the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank to use to feed our hungry friends and neighbors.”
http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18000&ATCLID=209884088
Western Michigan:
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Western Michigan footbal defensive back duo of Donald Celiscar and Ronald Zamort have been named NCAA Statistical Champions for leading the nation in passes defended per game.
Passes defended is pass breakups plus interceptions, with both averaging 1.6 per game this past season.
Celiscar, a First-Team All-MAC selection, finished the season with 17 breakups and four interceptions. He had three breakups in a win against Murray State and the back-to-back games with an interception against Virginia Tech and Toledo. He had four breakups and an interception in a win at Miami and then matched that performance in a win at Central Michigan that led him being named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week.
http://www.wmubroncos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=24299&SPID=1922&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=209882805&DB_OEM_ID=4600
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