Jumping to the top: Reed changes priorities, wins state title
March 5, 2014My thoughts on this week of non-stories in sports
March 5, 2014
The Nicholls State University football team was in need of a defensive coordinator after former coordinator Jeremy Atwell accepted the head coaching position at nearby Vandebilt Catholic.
To fill the void, the Colonels have decided to promote from within.
Nicholls head coach Charlie Stubbs announced a handful of adjustments to his coaching staff this week – moves that will be in place for the 2014 season.
The most notable move was Stubbs’ decision to promote special teams coach Steve Adams to defensive coordinator. With Adams taking on added responsibility, Stubbs also announced that associate head coach Chuck Hepola will take over the Colonels’ special teams duties.
“I constantly tell our coaches that they are always on a job interview when they’re here, so I’m excited that we’re having some really good coaches develop,” Stubbs said. “The main thing I wanted to do was to strengthen our defensive coaching staff, and I feel with this realignment, we are definitely stronger.”
The need for a stronger defensive staff comes with Atwell’s departure, but also with the struggles the team has had on that side of the football in recent seasons. Nicholls was near, or at the bottom, of the Southland Conference in virtually every defensive statistical category in 2013 – a large reason for the team’s losing season.
So in addition to Adams’ promotion, the Colonels have also swapped Brandon Nowlin from the team’s tight ends coach to linebackers coach – a position Atwell worked exclusively with during most of his career with Nicholls.
Nowlin is going to be entering his second season coaching with the Colonels. He landed in the position after a multi-year stint as the head coach at Morgan City High School.
In his one year working with the tight ends, Nowlin coached a group that was among the most productive in the Southland Conference in receptions and overall productivity.
Filling in for Nowlin with the tight ends will be Justin Anderson, who was also named the team’s assistant head coach for the upcoming season.
To round out the moves, assistant coach Freddie Banks will shift from Nicholls’ cornerbacks coach to video coordinator. This will be the coach’s second season with Nicholls.
The new coaching roles will be on display beginning March 25 when Nicholls opens its spring practices.
Spring practices will be very important to the Colonels this season as they aim to decide playing time among valuable positions on the field, including at the quarterback position where four experienced players return.
