Nicholls hires 3 new assistant coaches

It’s been a long summer for the Nicholls football team but after altering spring drills due to lack of coaches, head coach Jay Thomas can finally focus on his job at hand, with the addition of three new assistant coaches.

Thomas also announced the promotion of linebackers coach Jeremy Atwell to defensive coordinator. Atwell will continue to coach the linebackers in addition to his new duties.

Atwell replaces Nicholls alum Steve Ellis who left to become an assistant at Division-I FBS Middle Tennessee State.

“I think that we have hired some very talented and intelligent assistant coaches, and all of them bring fresh ideas and a hard work ethic to the table,” said Thomas. “We are very excited to add the caliber of these coaches to our staff.”

The three additions to the staff are Kevin Carey, Dustin Gisclair and Rashad Watson. Carey will coach the offensive line, Gisclair will supervise the defensive line, and Watson will coach the defensive backs.

Carey brings a total of 11 years of coaching experience to the Nicholls staff, including nine on the collegiate level.

His coaching career began as an assistant with Ottawa University in 1997, coaching the offensive line while supervising the weight room.

After his stint at Ottawa University, Carey went on to serve as a graduate assistant at Hasting College from 1999-2001. Upon his graduation from Hasting College in 2000 with a master’s in history and physical education, Carey took a job as the defensive coordinator at Cisco Junior College.

He held that post from 2003-04.

In 2004, Carey went to the high school ranks, serving as the defensive coordinator at Anadarko High in Anadarko, Okla.

After two seasons, Carey moved on to become the offensive coordinator at Tuttle High in Tuttle, Okla. in 2005 before transitioning back to the collegiate level in 2007 to East Central University.

At East Central University, located in Ada, Okla., Carey served as the recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for two seasons. After his time with ECU, Carey took a brief exit from college athletics, teaching history at Baxter Middle School in Baxter Springs, Kan.

Carey played collegiate football at Sterling College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

At Sterling, Carey was named MVP and received All-Conference honors his freshman season, and went on to play his final three years at SW Oklahoma State.

At SW Oklahoma State, Carey earned All-Conference recognition as a senior in 1995.

Gisclair returns to his alma mater after working with Louisiana-Lafayette during the spring of 2009.

At Louisiana-Lafayette, Gisclair was a graduate assistant and helped with the defensive side of the ball. Prior to his time with the Ragin Cajuns, Gisclair was a student coach at Nicholls for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

His duties as an assistant coach with Nicholls primarily included working with the linebackers and assisting with the special teams. Gisclair also was responsible for organizing practices and the breakdown of film for the defense.

The native of Cut Off was a standout linebacker for the Colonels, earning four letters.

He was also a prominent member of Nicholls’ 2005 Southland Conference Championship squad, and was named All-SLC Honorable Mention his senior season in 2006.

Watson spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons with Morehouse College, working with the secondary and assisting with special teams. During his time there, his unit produced the SIAC’s 2008 Defensive Player of the Year, Jeffrey Cargile, and three All-Conference selections.

Prior to his stint with Morehouse College, Watson spent five years coaching on the prep level in Alabama.

He spent 2004-05 with Anniston High, coaching both the offensive and defensive backfields, and then moved on to Midfield High where he served as the school’s defensive coordinator.

Watson held that post until 2007.

Watson played on the collegiate level at Alabama A&M from 1997-2001, and was a four-year letter winner, earning a starting role as a redshirt freshman.

The Bulldogs’ 2000 defensive unit put together one of the best seasons in school history, finishing eighth nationally in total defense.

The 2000 unit still holds the NCAA record for least amount of rushing yards allowed in a season (39.7 yards per game).