{"id":6393,"date":"2014-01-06T21:55:00","date_gmt":"2014-01-07T02:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=6393"},"modified":"2014-01-06T23:38:00","modified_gmt":"2014-01-07T04:38:00","slug":"withers-starts-to-assemble-new-jmu-coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=6393","title":{"rendered":"Withers Starts to Assemble New JMU Coaching Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Intense-Withers\"<\/a>As first reported by WHSV<\/a>, Everett Withers has hired the six members of his new JMU coaching staff. Some names began to trickle out via Twitter and the rumor mill over the weekend, but Withers and the school made things official this evening. On the offensive side of the ball, Brad Davis and Andrew Mehringer will be co-offensive coordinators. Davis will also coach the offensive line, while Mehringer will be responsible for Michael Birdsong and the other quarterbacks. Parker Fleming will coach the wide receivers and special teams.<\/p>\n

There has been no announcement regarding a defensive coordinator, but Steve Sisa, John Bowers, and and Antoine Smith were hired to help out with that unit. Stisa was named linebackers coach today. Bowers, who played for JMU, will succeed Tony Lezotte and coach the secondary. Smith will be the defensive line coach.<\/p>\n

After the news about Mehringer and Davis being handed the reins to the offense broke, Todd made it pretty clear we were excited. Davis is viewed by many as a rising star\u00a0in the coaching business<\/a>. As a former lineman for the Oklahoma Sooners, he’s well suited to take control of the Dukes line. He had tremendous success as the offensive line coach and running game coordinator at Portland State. In 2012 his unit helped the Portland State offense gain over 200 yards a game both running and throwing the ball. Perhaps more impressively, the line gave up only 5 sacks in the 343 times the QB dropped back to pass. This past season, the rushing attack coordinated by Davis featured 8 different individuals with at least 20 attempts who averaged greater than 5 yards a carry. As a team, Portland State averaged a healthy 6 yards a carry for the season.<\/p>\n

The other coaches are no slouches in their own right. Todd used the term “young and hopefully hungry” to describe Mehringer. The same can probably be said for Smith, Stisa, and Fleming. Bowers however, will bring over 30 years of experience back to JMU nearly four decades after he played for the Dukes. He, Mehringer, and Fleming, were members of the Ohio State staff with Withers. Stisa and Davis were members of the UNC coaching staff during Withers’ time. Antoine Smith hasn’t coached with Withers before, but the 2001 Maine grad already has twelve years of experience as a defensive line coach. He’s \u00a0been successful everywhere he’s coached. Most recently, he’s been on the staff of Holy Cross<\/a> (my old man’s alma mater), where he coached three d-lineman to All Patriot League honors.<\/p>\n

Withers has assembled the makings of a pretty good coaching staff. With the exception of Bowers, the guys hired so far are young and out to prove themselves. The staff has experience at both big time BCS and FCS programs. Davis looks like a star in the making and Smith should work wonders with the d-line. We’re anxious to see who is hired to be the Defensive Coordinator. Thus far though, the staff is looking pretty good.<\/p>\n