Keith named Colonels’ interim football coach

As the search for a new football coach begins, the Nicholls State University Athletics Department announced last week that wide receivers coach Kent Keith would assume the roll as head coach on an interim basis during the current recruiting process.

The 2009 season was the 47-year-old’s third overseeing the Colonels’ wide receivers.

Prior to that, Keith served as Nicholls’ offensive line coach in 2004 and running backs coach in 2005 and 2006.

Keith, who earned bachelors and master’s degrees at Southwest Baptist University and began working in the coaching ranks 23 seasons ago, will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Colonels’ football program.

Nicholls’ Athletics Director Rob Bernardi said it was important for the program to continue to move forward despite not having a head coach at the moment.

“Kent Keith has head-coaching experience. He was the most logical choice in terms of keeping the program moving forward during this important recruiting period,” he said.

Keith’s collegiate experience includes a five-year stint as head coach of Independence Community College in Kansas from 2000-04.

The Nicholls Athletic Department also announced the formation of an 11-member search committee to begin looking for a new head football coach.

The diverse committee is made up of athletic department administrators, local business and community leaders and former members of the Nicholls football program.

The committee will review all of the applicants and narrow the field down to a select number of applicants to meet with.