2010 s chedule 2010 b$˛˛ˆ ˝ 22001100 truman...

TRUMANBULLDOGS.COM1

2 0 1 0 B u l l d o g s2010 SchedULe

truman football

@ st. Joseph’s collegeSaturday, Aug. 28th

12:00 p.m. ~ Rensselaer, Ind.

vs. southwest baptistSaturday, Sept. 4th

7:00 p.m. ~ Stokes Stadium

@ Fort Hays state (Kan.)Saturday, Sept. 18th

7:00 p.m. ~ Hays, Kan.

vs. northwest MissouriSaturday, Sept. 25th


vs. central MissouriSaturday, Oct. 2nd

6:30 p.m.. ~ Stokes Stadium

@ Missouri westernSaturday, Oct. 9th

1:30 p.m. ~ St. Joseph, Mo.

Family night

vs. Missouri southernSaturday, Oct. 16th


@ emporia state (Kan.)Saturday, Oct. 23rd

1:00 p.m. ~ Emporia, Kan.

Homecoming

vs. washburn (Kan.)Saturday, Oct. 30th


@ pittsburg st. (Kan.)Saturday, Nov. 6th

2:00 p.m. ~ Pittsburg, Kan.

vs. nebraska-omahaSaturday, Nov. 13th


coacHing staFFcoacHing staFF truMan state universitytruMan state universityHead Coach: Gregg NesbittAlma Mater, Year: Truman (1980)Career Record: First Season - CollegiateTruman Record: First Season

Assistant Coaches:Offensive Coordinator: Jay DavisCo-Defensive Coordinator:Kellen NesbittDef. Line: Nate GriffinWide Receivers/Recruting: Thomas KearneyOffensive Line/Strength: Jed PaulsenRunning Backs: John ThomasGraduate Assistant: Troy WilliamsGraduate Assistant: Keith AlbertiStudent Assistant: Greg ChastainAthletic Trainer: Michelle Boyd

Location: Kirksville, Mo.Founded: 1867 Enrollment: 5,800 Nickname: Bulldogs Colors: Purple and WhiteStadium: Stokes StadiumCapacity/Surface: 4,000/

Astro Turf GameDay Grass 3DConference: Mid-America Intercollegiate

Athletics Association (NCAA Div. II)President: Dr. Troy PainoDirector of Athletics: Jerry Wollmering Sports Information Director: Kevin WhiteSID Email: [email protected]: TrumanBulldogs.comTicket Information: (660) 785-4276

First Year of Football: 1900Postseason Record (Yrs.): 1-4 (5 yrs.)Last Postseason Appearance: 1994 All-Time Truman Record: 526-364-34

(.587, 102 yrs.)MIAA Record: 293-180-20 (.614, 81 yrs.)MIAA Championships: 26 (Last - 1988)

Schedule..........................................................1Football Quick Facts ......................................1Media Information..........................................2Head Coach Gregg Nesbitt..........................3-4All-Time Coaches ..........................................4Offensive Coordinator Jay Davis....................5Co-Defensive Coordinator Kellen Nesbitt ....6Assistant Coaches & Staff ........................7-10Roster Breakdown ........................................11Roster ......................................................12-13Player Locations ..........................................14Pronunciation Guide ....................................14Returning Players ....................................15-34Newcomers..............................................34-35

2009 season-in-reviewSeason-in-Review ........................................36Offensive Statistics ......................................37Defensive Statistics ......................................38Team Statistics ..............................................382009 Highs/Lows..........................................39Long Plays ....................................................40Game-by-Game Statistics........................41-42Red Zone Statistics ......................................42Game-by-Game Recaps ..........................43-53

History/records/awardsRushing Records ..........................................54Passing Records............................................55Receiving Records........................................56Special Team Records ..................................57Defensive Records........................................58Total Offense & Scoring Records ................59Bulldog Football History ..............................60Truman Hall of Fame....................................60Timeline ........................................................61Harlon Hill Winner Jarrett Anderson............62Bulldog Scholarships....................................62Truman All-Americans ................................63Retired Bulldog Numbers ............................63Truman First-Team All-MIAA ....................64First-Team Academic All-Americans ..........64Gridiron Greats........................................65-69Derringer Cade Award ..................................69Bulldogs In The Pros ....................................70Playoffs....................................................71-72Bulldog Letterwinners ............................73-75All-Time Head Coaches ..............................75Year-by-Year Scores................................76-78

2010 opponentsAll-Time Series Records ..............................782010 Game-by-Game Information ..........79-85The Old Hickory Stick..................................81MIAA Composite Schedule..........................85

MiaaMIAA............................................................862009 Standings/All-Conference Team..........87MIAA Team Statistics ..................................88MIAA Individual Statistics ..........................88MIAA Records ........................................89-92Past MIAA Champions ................................93Truman Players of The Week........................93

truManTruman Athletics ....................................94-97Truman State University ........................98-99Stokes Stadium/Weight Room....................100

creditsEditor: Kevin White, Athletics Media RelationsCopy: Kevin White, Tyler Madsen, & Athletics Media Rela-

tions Student Staff.Photography: Tim Barcus, Public Relations; Kevin White,

Tyler Madsen, Laura EagleCover Design: Ron Fauss, Multi-Ad SportsPrinting: Multi-Ad Sports, Peoria, Ill.

Special thanks to Bill Cable, Retired Sports Information Di-rector, for historical stories and information throughoutthe media guide.

2010 TRUMAN FOOTBALL2010 TRUMAN FOOTBALL

Football HistoryFootball History

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TRUMANBULLDOGS.COM2 truman football

Media Credentials: Please direct all requests for press, photo andparking credentials to the athletics media rela-tions office at the address on page one.

Press Area:Truman’s press box accommodates about eightmembers of the media. Admission is by PASSONLY. Person wishing to sit in this area mustcontact the Athletics Media Relations Office inadvance of game day.

Press Services:Rosters, game programs and statistics will beprovided to media personnel. The office willemail or fax final results to opponent media ifnumbers and addresses are provided. A smalllunch is served to members of the media whohave given advanced notice of their attendance.

Internet Services:Stokes Stadium and Pershing Arena both havewired internet access in the press box that areavailable to use for official business only. Wire-less connections are currently not available

Interview Policy:All interviews should be arranged through theTruman Athletics Media Relations Office. Following Coach Nesbitt’s postgame interviewwith KRES, the coach will answer questions onthe field outsidethe Bulldog Kennels. Selectedplayers will also be brought to the location.

Photography:Photographers, with passes, are permitted toshoot from the end zone to the 30-yard line, butare NEVER permitted to enter the player’s box.Passes must be displayed at all times and maybe obtained from the Athletics Media RelationsOffice.

Visiting Radio:Visiting radio stations wishing to broadcastgames must contact KRES sports director, BradBoyer (660-263-1600), AFTER first contactingthe Truman Athletics Media Relations Office.The visiting phone line number is 660-665-7968

Media Parking:Parking passes are available upon request.Media parking is located directly behind StokesStadium.

104.7 FM SUPERSTATION KRESKRES 104.7 FM, the Superstation, enters its

15th season as the official ‘Voice of the Bulldogs’.KRES broadcasts Truman football, as well as

the men's and women's basketball games.Brad Boyer, Chad Speakar and Hank Janssen

bring the thrill and excitement of Truman football tofans.

Boyer, KRES’s sports director for the last 20years will handles the play-by-play while Speakeris in his third year as a full time member of thebroadcast team doing the color commentary. Long-time analyst Hank Janssen will report from the side-lines and Kevin White, Director of Athletics MediaRelations will join the booth for the pregame andpostgame.

Boyer was recently honored with a Distin-guished Service Award by the Missouri State HighSchool Activities Association.

Speakar is a native of western Kansas and is aproud graduate of the University of Kansas.

Speakar hasbeen one ofthe stationstop announc-ers duringtheir awardwinning high school athletics coverage, includingcalling state championship games in various sports.

Janssen has been a fixture on Truman athleticbroadcasts since the late 1970s

Football broadcasts begin 40 minutes beforeeach game. The pregame show features a visit withboth head coaches, a look inside the numbers, aweekly update from the MIAA and a player profile.

Halftime brings a recap of the first-half and alook at other Bulldog sports. After each contest,Boyer conducts a brief live interview with the coachand selects the Truman Player of the Game.

The KRES sports department has earned severalawards from the MissouriBroadcasters Association,including a certificate ofmerit for its play-by-playof the 1997 Central Mis-souri double overtime foot-ball game. It was thesecond award for Trumanfootball broadcasts forKRES.

The station has alsoearned three awards for itsBulldog basketball broad-casts, including a first-place finish for Boyer forhis play-by-play of a tripleover-time elite eight game in 1999.

Chad Speakar Brad Boyer

Hank Janssen

MEDIA SERVICES

T R U M A N B U L L d O G S . c O MThe Official Online Home Of Truman Athletics

For the latest Bulldog news,

scores, stats, schedules and

much more, fans and media

can visit TrumanBulldogs.com.

Live stats are available along

with video webcasts provided

by B2 Networks for selected

Truman home and away

games.

You can also follow the

‘Dogs on Twitter

(TrumanAthletics) or become

a fan of Truman on our official

Facebook page.

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Truman State University Director of Athletics JerryWollmering announced on December 4, 2009 that formerBulldog standout and assistant coach Gregg Nesbitt hadbeen named the football program’s next head coach.“I am excited to announce the hiring of Gregg as the

Head Football Coach at Truman State University,” saidWollmering. “We are elated to have Coach Nesbitt backin Bulldog purple and are confident that his experience,knowledge, enthusiasm, and character make him the per-fect fit to lead our students participating in our footballprogram on and off the field.” Nesbitt, a native of Hannibal, Mo., received both his

bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Truman while play-ing for the Bulldog Football team from 1976-1979. Heearned his bachelor’s degree in 1980 before adding hismaster’s degree in 1987.“I am tremendously excited and proud to take over the

reins of our Truman Bulldog football program,” saidCoach Nesbitt. “Thisgreat university helpedequip me for this profes-sion 30 years ago andalso is where I wasblessed to meet my wifeJackie.” “We have fond mem-

ories of our early daysas undergraduates andthe years when I re-turned here as the defen-sive coordinator in theearly 90's,” Nesbitt said.“This will be the biggestchallenge I have been apart of thus far in mycoaching career, and we

are anxious to begin the "hard work" it will take in our at-tempt to restore the "Bulldog" pride.”

As an alumnus of Truman, Nesbitt returned to hishometown and was the head coach for Hannibal HighSchool from 1984-89 leading the Pirates to the state play-offs in his final three seasons. Nesbitt also served as theschool’s Athletic Director.In 1990, Nesbitt returned to Kirksville and the Truman

family to join Eric Holm’s staff as linebackers coach anddefensive coordinator. During his time back as a Bulldogassistant, the program excelled with two nine-win seasonsand two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs (1990 &1992).Robert Merriman earned second team Football Gazette

all-America honors as a defensive back under Nesbitt in1992.The Bulldogs, during those three seasons, were 23-9.In 1993, Nesbitt left Truman to become the head coach

at one of the most premier high school programs in thestate of Missouri – Columbia’s Hickman High School.Nesbitt would spend the next 13 years on the sidelines

GREGGNESBITT

First Season

M.S Sports Administration - Truman (1987)

B.S. Physical Education - Truman (1980)

2007-09 - Def. Coordinator - Univ. of Central Mo.

2006 - Def. Coordinator - Central Methodist Univ.

1993-2005 - Head Coach - Hickman High School

1990-1993 - Def. Coordinator - Truman St. Univ.

1984-1989 - Head Coach - Hannibal High School

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Coach Years W L T Pct.

No Coach (1900) 1 3 2 1 .583

Todd Kirk (1903-06) * 4 10 6 1 .618

O.C. Bell (1907-09) 3 13 7 0 .650

C.B. Simmons (1910-11) 2 3 9 0 .250

H.L. McWilliams (1914-25) $ 11 48 26 8 .634

Don Faurot (1926-34) 9 63 13 3 .816

Fred Faurot (1935-37) 3 15 5 2 .727

Earl Svendsen (1938) 1 3 5 0 .375

Malcomb Eiken (1939-41) 3 10 14 2 .423

Vincent Gehringer (1945) # 1 1 2 1 .375

James Dougherty (1945-50) # 5 19 20 8 .489

Maurice Wade (1951-66) $ 16 99 41 2 .704

Marv Braden (1967-68) 2 9 9 0 .500

Russell Sloan (1969-71) 3 22 5 1 .804

Randel Lukehart (1972-74) 3 12 18 3 .409

Ron Taylor (1975-78) 4 26 14 2 .643

Bruce Craddock (1979-82) 4 24 19 0 .558

Jack Ball (1983-89) $ 7 37 38 0 .493

Eric Holm (1990-94) 5 37 19 0 .660

John Ware (1995-2003) $ 9 54 43 0 .556

Shannon Currier (2004-2008) 5 20 35 0 .303

Aaron Vlcko (2009)# 1 2 9 0 .181Totals 102 530 360 34 .591

Official NCAA Record $ 102 526 364 34 .587

$ The NCAA does not recognize forfeits unless they are a result of anNCAA violation. Otherwise on-the-field results apply. Truman wonone game by forfeit against Missouri Wesleyan in 1920, two games byforfeit from Washburn University in 1963 and 1989, and one fromMissouri Southern State University in 1997.

* Kirk was not an official coach. Bell was the first coach appointed bythe Board of Regents. Dougherty also coached the last two games of1945.

# Gehringer and Vlcko were interm coaches.

TRUMAN ALL-TiMe cOAcheSTRUMAN ALL-TiMe cOAcheS

in Columbia and would rack up six Missouri Class Six play-off appearances culminating in the 2004 State Championship. In 10 of those 13 years, Hickman was ranked in the top 10

in Missouri’s largest football class with 95 students receivingcollege scholarships and 42 named to Missouri’s all-stateteams.Following his state championship in 2004, Nesbitt was

named the Missouri Coach of the Year by the AssociatedPress, the National Federation of High School Sports Re-gional Coach of the Year and a nominee for the NFHS Na-tional Coach of the Year Award.Nesbitt moved back to the college ranks in 2006 as defen-

sive coordinator and secondary coach at Central MethodistUniversity (NAIA) before joining Bulldog rival Central Mis-souri in Warrensburg prior to the 2007 season as co-defensivecoordinator.During the past three seasons, the Mules defense allowed

just 23.3 points per game and 378 yards per game.While his focus at the collegiate level has been primarily

on the defensive side of the football, Nesbitt called highschool offenses for over 22 seasons giving him a unique per-spective of being a leader on both sides of the football.Nesbitt has also been invited to speak at over 20 coaches

clinics throughout the Midwest over the past 10 seasons andhas been responsible for recruiting the St. Louis Metro andout-state Missouri during his collegiate coaching years.Nesbitt and his wife Jackie, have two sons, Kellen (26),

and Ryan (23).

Pictured above with Coach Nesbitt is Gary and Rusty Drewing. Gary is

the owner of Joe Machens Ford in Columbia, Mo. while Rusty is the

dealership’s general manager. Rusty was a three-time letterwinner for the

Bulldogs from 2002-2004.

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JAYDAVIS

First Season

B.A. Psychology - North Carolina State (2005) 2007-09 - QB Coach - Grambling St.

2006-07 - Recruiting Intern - NC State

Philip Rivers QB Camp (2007)

Chuck Amato Football Camp (2006)

New York Jets Mini-Camp (2006)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mini-Camp (2006)

Manning Passing Academy (2005)

Jay Davis is in his first season as Truman’s offensive coordi-nator. Davis spent the past three years as Quarterback coach at Di-

vision I Grambling State (La.) University as a member of RodBroadway’s staff. During those three years at Grambling, Davis and the Tigers

were 26-10 with two Southwestern Athletic Conference cham-pionships while averaging nearly 30 points per game with abalanced rushing and passing attack. In 2007, the Tigers were 8-4 after going just 3-8 in 2006 and

averaged 350 yards of total offense and 27 points per game.Grambling won the SWAC Western conference championship. In 2008, Grambling captured the SWAC championship with

an 11-2 record and victories in both the Bayou Classic (againstSouthern University) and the SWAC Championship game.Quarterback Greg Dillon was named all-SWAC, was the SWACNewcomer of the year and named most valuable player in boththe Bayou Classic and SWAC Championship game. In 2008, The Tigers were first in the SWAC in both scoring

offense and rushing offense after posting a 7-4 record. Gram-bling averaged 33.4 points per game, which was 46th in Divi-sion I, and over 190 yards rushing per game which was 12th inthe nation. Through the air, Grambling averaged 163 yards pergame in 09. Dillion threw for 1747 yards as a junior with 13 touchdown

passes. Under Davis, Dillon threw for over 3100 yards in 24 career

games with 31 touchdown passes. Davis was a Division I starting quarterback at North Car-

olina State He played in 30 career games and throwing for over3500 yards and 19 touchdowns in the Atlantic Coast Confer-ence. During his first two years at NC State, Davis was the back-

up to future NFL Pro Bowl Quarterback Phillip Rivers (SanDiego Chargers).

In his first year as a starter, Davis ranked second in the At-lantic Coast Conference in passing yards per game with 191.3.He threw for 2,104 yards, which was the 10th-best season markin school history. He was the only quarterback in the ACC to throw for more

than 200 yards in six consecutive games in 2004 and had a sea-son-high four touchdown passes in a 45-31 loss to #3 Miami(Fla.). As a senior, Davis threw for 1,267 yards in six games, in-

cluding a career high 311 against nationally-ranked VirginiaTech. He completed 60 percent of his passes that season. Davisfinished his collegiate career as the ninth best passer in Wolf-pack history. Following his playing days at NC State, Davis participated

in NFL mini-camps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NewYork Jets and was an instructor at both the Phillip Rivers Quar-terback Camp and the Manning Passing Academy. Davis earned his bachelor’s of arts degree in Psychology

from North Carolina State University.He was a first team all-state selection in Florida and was a

three-year starter at Clearwater Central (Fla.) Catholic HighSchool. He was named the “Player of the Year 2000” by the St.Petersburg Times.

2 0 1 0 B u l l d o g scO-deFeNSive cOORdiNATOR


KELLENNESBITT

First Season

B.S. Physical Education - Central Mo. (2008) 2008-09 - Secondary Coach (G.A.)

- University of Central Missouri

Kellen Nesbitt is in his first year as the Bulldogs co-Defensive Coordinator. Nesbitt spent the past three years as a defensive backs

coach at the University of Central Missouri. The Mules were tops in the Mid-America Intercolle-

giate Athletics Association (MIAA) in pass defense effi-ciency in 2007, had four all-MIAA selections, andcoached All-American free safety Kendall Ricketts.

Ricketts recorded78 tackles with 1.5sacks, one intercep-tion and three quar-terback hurries thatyear to earn his sec-ond straight first-team all-Americahonors. Randy Shepherd

was a second teamall-conference choicein 2007 and JustinBrown and Steven

Ehase were honorable mention defensive backs for theMules. Shepherd was a unanimous first-team all-conference

selection in 2009 after picking off six passes and record-ing 77 total tackles. Central was third in the conference in scoring defense

allowing, 23.5 points per game and was fifth in the leaguein interceptions with 13. In 2008, Ehase was a first-team all-league selection

after leading the Mules with 84 total tackles. Ehase hadthree interceptions, three pass break-ups and three forcedfumbles. As a player, Nesbitt was a four-year letterwinner for

the Mules recording more than 120 career tackles andstarting every game his senior year at safety. He was theMules’ Special Teams player of the year in 2004 and

earned the school’s Markey Football Scholarship in 2006. Nesbitt earned his bachelor’s of science degree in

Physical Education at UCM and was a Bright FlightScholarship recipient. Kellen and his wife Audrey have a young son, Blake.

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JEDPAULSEN

First Season

B.A. Teaching Education - N.C. State (2004) 2007-09 - Strength & Conditioning

- University of Central Missouri

2006-07 - Strength & Conditioning

- North Carolina State

2005-06 - Chuck Amato Football Camp

2005-06 - O-Line Student Assistant

- North Carolina State

Paulsen, a three-year starter at North Carolina StateUniversity, joins the Bulldogs after spending two and ahalf years as a graduate assistant coach at the Universityof Central Missouri. While working with Coach Nesbitt at UCM, Paulsen

coached first team all-conference player and HonorableMention all-American, DeMarco Cosby. As a sophomore,Cosby caught 29 passes for 623 yards and five touch-

downs that set schoolrecords for yards by atight end. Cosby entered his

junior year (2009) asa preseason all-American byD2Football.com andcaught 39 passes for513 yards and fivemore touchdownswhile being mentoredby Paulsen. At UCM, Paulsen

was also the department’s Strength and Conditioningcoach and worked as a counselor at the annual summerfootball camp. Paulsen, originally from Rocheport, Mo. and a Hick-

man High School graduate, was the first four-year starterfor the Hickman football program and was a three-yearall-State selection. In addition, Paulsen followed in thefootsteps of his father and grandfather in winning a Mis-souri State High School Heavyweight wrestling champi-onship. Paulsen was recruited by Chuck Amato and was a four-

year letterwinner and three-year starter for the North Car-olina State University Wolfpack. As a senior, Paulsen served as one of the team’s cap-

tains, earned the NCSU Jim Ritcher Award for Best Of-fensive Lineman, was named to the first-team Academic

all-Atlantic Coast Conference and ACC Honor Roll, andwas a preseason second-team all-ACC selection. In 2003, Paulsen was awarded the Bob Warren Award

for integrity and sportsmanship at NC State. He was afirst team Academic all-ACC and ACC Honor Roll mem-ber and named to the league’s honorable mention squad. Paulsen coached both the offensive and defensive lines

for the Wolfpack for two seasons following his playingcareer. Paulsen and his wife Anna, a former cheerleader at NC

State, have a son, Jackson.

2 0 1 0 B u l l d o g sdeFeNSive LiNe


NATEGRIFFIN

First Season

M.S. - Sports Administration

- University of Northern Colorado (2007)

B.S. - Public Communication

- University of Idaho (2004)

2008-10 - Graduate Assistant

- Northern Illinois University

2006-07 - Offensive Assistant

- University of Northern Colorado

2005 - Linebackers Coach - Poudre High School

2004 - Assistant Strength Coach - Idaho

Nate Griffin joined the Bulldog staff in March 2010and will coach the defensive line. Griffin played for threeseasons at the University of Idaho and has been an assis-tant football coach at both Northern Colorado and, mostrecently, Northern Illinois University. Griffin played for current Oakland Raiders head coach

Tom Cable at the University of Idaho from 2000-2003.He was named to the 2002 Sun Belt Conference HonorRoll and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Com-munication with emphasis in Coaching and Leadership. From there, Griffin assisted the Vandals’ staff as a stu-

dent assistant strength coach in 2004. He worked one yearat Poudre High School in Fort Collins, Colo., as the var-sity linebackers coach before being hired as a graduate as-sistant at the University of Northern Colorado. As a member of the Bears’ staff in both 2006 and 2007,

Griffin coached the wide receivers, assisted with scoutingreports, coached scout teams, and was responsible for

both the offensive playbook and summer conditioningprogram. Griffin assisted the recruiting coordinator at Northern

Colorado and oversaw video operations on a daily basis.He earned his Masters degree in Sports Administrationfrom the UNC in 2007. He joined Jerry Kill’s Northern Illinois University staff

in 2008 as a graduate assistant coach. Griffin assistedwith running backs and worked with fullbacks on a day-to-day basis. Kill previously worked as a head coach inthe MIAA at both Pittsburg State and Emporia State. Griffin was also responsible for special teams as a

member of the NIU staff and assisted with video opera-tions. The Huskies finished 2009 with a 7-6 record andparticipated in the 2010 International Bowl against SouthFlorida in Toronto.Nate and his wife, Amy, reside in Kirksville.

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THOMASKEARNEY

Fourth Season

M.S. Sports Administration - Northwest Missouri

B.S. Sport Management - Peru State

1988-93 - U.S. Navy

Kearney is in his fourth season on the Bulldog staffand will move from defensive backs coach to the wide re-ceivers coach in 2010. Kearney has coached two all-conference performers

for the Bulldogs over the previous two seasons. Demetrius Lavant earned second team all-league hon-

ors as both a junior and senior for the Bulldogs in 2008and 2009. Lavant had four interceptions during his Bull-

dog career with tworeturned for touch-downs. He capped offa homecoming over-time victory over na-tionally rankedNebraska-Omahawith the first defen-sive score to end agame in MIAA his-tory. Lavant had 176

tackles with 10.5 forloss in his two sea-

sons under Kearney. This past year, Michael Elliott earned honorable men-

tion all-MIAA honors after recording 101 total tacklesand a team-leading three interceptions. Elliott started 10games as a true freshman and all 11 in his sophomore sea-son. Prior to coming to Kirksville, Kearney spent the previ-

ous two years as an assistant Head Coach at Iowa Wes-leyan College. While a member of the IWC staff, Kearney coached

the defensive backs, was the recruiting coordinator andserved as the team’s academic liaison. Five of Kearney’sdefensive backs earned all-conference honorable mentionawards and one defensive back was named the NAIA Na-tional Defensive Player of the Week. While working on his Masters degree at Northwest

Missouri State, Kearney coached the outside linebackersfor the Bearcats. Two of his linebackers earned first-teamall-MIAA honors during his time as a graduate assistant. Kearney earned his Bachelors degree in Sports Man-

agement from Peru State College, graduating Magna cumLaude. At Peru, Kearney served as the program’s recruiting

coordinator and coached the running backs, wide re-ceivesr and linebackers. Kearney served in the United States Navy from 1988

to 1993 and was awarded the Navy’s Good ConductMedal, National Defense Service Medal, Joint Meritori-ous Unit Award and Cold War Recognition Certificate.

2 0 1 0 B u l l d o g sBULLdOG STAFF


JOHNTHOMAS

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John Thomas enters his sixth year coaching the Bulldogs and fourth year withthe running backs.

Thomas’ backs have been versatile the last four years. Phil Kenney was sec-ond on the team in catches with 39 while rushing 32 times in 2008.

Anton Bernard emerged as the team’s leading rusher behind quarterback MattTicich in 2007. Bernard carried the ball 96 times for 388 yards and 4.0 yards percarry.

Before moving to running backs, Thomas was the wide receivers coach.Thomas coached Ryan Bonner to honorable mention all-MIAA wide receiver

honors following the 2006 season.Thomas has worked in the Kirksville community in the area of drug-use pre-

vention and is currently the Education Coordinator in the Human Resources Of-fice at Preferred Family Healthcare. He has two daughters, Lauren and Allisonand is engaged to marry Rhonda Ahern.

KEITH

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TROY

WILLIAMS ddeFensiveeFensive aassistantssistant ccoacHoacH

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GREG

cHASTAIN sstudenttudent aassistantssistant ccoacHoacH

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Troy Williams comes to Truman via the University of Central Missouriwhere he served the past year as a defensive line graduate assistant coach.

Williams played four years at Division II Albany State (Ga.) and led theGolden Rams to four consecutive SIAC titles from 2003-06 as a linebacker.

The Golden Rams played in the Division II playoffs in three of Williamsfour seasons under the direction of Coach Mike White.

Williams was a three-sport athlete at Fitzgerald High School in Fitzgerald,Ga. as he earned all-state, all-region and all-area honors as a linebacker.

He earned a degree in Recreation in the fall of 2007 and finished his seconddegree in Health & Physical education in the spring of 2008.

MIcHELLE

BOYD HHeadead aatHletictHletic ttrainerrainer


Michelle Boyd, ATC is the Head Athletic Trainer for the Bulldogs. Boyd andher staff of three other full-time certified athletic trainers and athletic training stu-dents work with team physician Dr. John Bailey. Together, they provide qualityhealthcare for all of Truman’s student-athletes.

Boyd is a member of the athletics department administrative team and is cur-rently serving on the Board of Directors for the National Athletic Trainers’ Associ-

ation Research and Education Foundation.At the 2009 NATA Convention, Boyd was honored

with an Athletic Training Service Award and will be theincoming president of the Missouri Athletic TrainersAssocation

Boyd serves as program director for one of thestate’s premier Athletic Training Education programs.The Athletic Training Major is an accredited programthat prepares graduates to become certified athletictrainers.

She received her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiologyin 1992 from the University of Illinois-Champaign andher master’s in Exercise Physiology from the Univer-sity of Pittsburgh in 1994.

As a graduate student, Boyd worked as the headathletics trainer at Quaker Valley High School inLeetsdale, Pa.

KEVIN

WHITEaassistantssistant aatHleticstHletics ddirectorirector (s(sportsports iinForMationnForMation))


Kevin White is in his 14th season as an Assistant Athletics Director in Tru-man’s Athletics department and his sixth year overseeing the Athletics MediaRelations office.

White and assistant Tyler Madsen handle the public relations and statisticaloperations of all of Truman’s 21 intercollegiate sports. They maintain the Uni-versity’s athletics website, produce media guides, weekly game notes andgameday programs. They also oversee the majority of gameday operations.

White has served as the co-men’s golf coach from 2005-2008 and has beenon the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer national selection committee.

He has been a member of the KRES 104.7 broadcast coverage of the Bull-dogs, serving as color commentator for Bulldog women’s basketball games, as-sisting on Bulldog Football pregame shows and various other duties with thestation.

He is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America, amember of the Board of Directors for the Kirksville Country Club and hasserved on boards for the Kirksville Kiwanis Club and Mary ImmaculateCatholic Church.

The previous seven years, White was in charge of facility scheduling, ticketoperations, transportation and game day operations.

White is a 1996 graduate of Truman with a degree in Communications-Jour-nalism. He worked for the Athletics department in the sports information officeunder CoSIDA Hall of Famer Bill Cable and the late Melissa Ware. White wasalso the sports director at then-KNEU, the campus radio station.

He and his wife Robin have one child, Kyle.

Dr. John Bailey

Team Doctor

Keith Alberti is in his third year as a student-assistant coach and fourth yearat the university.

Alberti was a walk-on freshman in 2007 and moved over to the coachingstaff the following year.

Alberti is a native of Excelsior Springs, Mo. and a 2006 graduate of Excel-sior Springs High School.

He is a history major and is currently working on his MAE.

Greg Chastain is in his first year as a student-assistant coach.Chastain was a 2007 graduate of Smithville (Mo.) High School where he

lettered and started three years as a center and linebacker.He was a three-time all-conference linebacker with two second team men-

tions. He recorded 135 total tackles with three sacks and three fumble recov-eries.

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