June 12, 2003
Cullowhee, N.C. -
Former Chattanooga head football coach Donnie Kirkpatrick has joined the Western Carolina staff, Catamount head football coach Kent Briggs announced. Kirkpatrick will serve as wide receivers coach and replaces Ken Matous, who served in a similar position this past season.
"I am very pleased to have a coach of this caliber and experience become part of our staff and football program," Briggs said. "I have known Donnie for several years, dating back to his time at Appalachian State in the early '80's, and have always been impressed with his work ethic, character, football knowledge and recruiting ability. He has a great offensive mind and will be an asset to our staff and wide receivers corps."
In addition to his role as head coach with the Mocs, Kirkpatrick served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Over his tenure, Chattanooga's offense annually ranked among the SoCon's best. This past season, UTC ranked second in the SoCon in passing (220.4 ypg), trailing only Western Carolina, while quarterback Ryan McCann was second in passing (209.9 ypg) and third in pass efficiency (131.6 rating). Also, wide receiver Jason Jones was a consensus All-SoCon pick, ranking third in receptions per game (4.75) and fourth in receiving yards (67.9).
"I am happy to be joining a staff and program that is on its way to the top," Kirkpatrick said. "It is great for me and my wife (Misty) to return to the great state of North Carolina. I think this is an exciting time in Western Carolina history with all the improvements they have made to the facilities on campus, both athletic and otherwise. Also, this university has excellent leadership from the chancellor (Dr. John Bardo) to the athletics director (Jeff Compher) to here in the football office (Coach Briggs)."
The Granite Falls, N.C., native and 1982 Lenoir-Rhyne graduate produced a 10-24 record as head coach at Chattanooga. In 2001, the Mocs were forced to deal with the loss of seven starters due to career- and/or season-ending injuries, including two-time first team All-SoCon receiver Cos DeMatteo, running back Jason Ball and receiver/return specialist Kwento Ikwuezunma. Despite the setback, Chattanooga still finished third in passing with an average of 192.7 ypg. In the absence of Ball and DeMatteo, running back Charles McNeill was only 47 yards shy of becoming just the fifth back in UTC history to rush for 1,000 yards, while Jeremy Grier set a school record for freshmen with 36 receptions to lead the team.
In his first season at Chattanooga, Kirkpatrick's "Air Raid" offense shattered nearly every passing record in school history. Highlights from that season include an upset of sixth-ranked Appalachian State (30-27), his quarterback leading the nation in passing yards and a receiver setting a school standard for season receptions. Although the Mocs were 5-6 in 2000, four of the five losses were by five points or less, including an overtime loss to nationally-ranked Furman.
In Kirkpatrick's system, quarterback Chris Sanders was a consensus first team pick in 2000, throwing for 335.5 ypg, and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the NCAA I-AA Player of the Year. Also, Richmond Flowers and DeMatteo each earned first team All-SoCon honors, ranking one-two in both receptions and receiving yards in the league. Flowers tallied 86 receptions to set a UTC single-season record and led the SoCon with 7.82 receptions per game, while DeMatteo paced the league with his 97.1 receiving yards per game average.
Kirkpatrick was named the Mocs' 20th head football coach on Feb. 19, 2000. In addition to his previous experience and results, Kirkpatrick landed the head job thanks in part to a petition of support by the UTC football players. Prior to that, he spent two seasons on the Chattanooga football staff. In 1998, he was a volunteer assistant, working with the defensive backs, before being elevated to offensive coordinator in 1999. In his inaugural season as offensive coordinator, Chattanooga led the SoCon in passing and set single-season records for most pass attempts (496), pass completions (300), passing yards (3,591) and touchdown passes (27).
Other stints for Kirkpatrick prior to Chattanooga include Louisville, Eastern Michigan, South Carolina and Appalachian State. While at Louisville (1995-97), he served as quarterbacks coach where he helped develop Marty Lowe and Chris Redman, who would go on to earn the Johnny Unitas Award as the nation's top quarterback. In 1997, the Cardinals ranked ninth in the nation in passing offense (298.36 ypg) and Redman ranked 15th in total offense (268.91 ypg). The Cardinals set team season records for pass attempts (276), completions (473) and passing yards (3,282).
Before his time in Louisville, Kirkpatrick worked two years (1993-95) as quarterbacks and receivers coach at Eastern Michigan where he helped develop professional players Stevie Clay, a receiver, and quarterback Charlie Batch. Kirkpatrick was quarterbacks coach for Sparky Woods at South Carolina from 1989-92. He tutored signal-callers Todd Ellis and Bobby Fuller. Ellis finished his career as the NCAA's seventh all-time passing leader.
Kirkpatrick began his coaching career at Appalachian State in 1986. He started out as a graduate assistant, earning his master's degree in Secondary Education in 1988, and worked with the defensive ends, running backs and quarterbacks from 1986-88. During his time in Boone, the Mountaineers won SoCon titles in 1986 and '87 and set a national single-season record by committing just 10 turnovers in '86.
A four-year football letterman at Lenoir-Rhyne, Kirkpatrick played three years at quarterback, where he set the school record for longest touchdown pass (89 yards versus Liberty), and one year as receiver, where he led the district in receptions (33), under head coaches Jack Huss and Henry van Zant. During his sophomore season, the team ranked 18th in the NAIA polls. Kirkpatrick also was a letterman in tennis for the Bears. He played as high as No. 3 singles and finished third in the conference championships at No. 3 doubles.
Kirkpatrick is a product of South Caldwell High School in Hudson, N.C., where he played quarterback for his father, Don Kirkpatrick. He led SCHS to the state championship final in his senior year. He is married to the former Misty McCreery of Lexington, N.C. The couple has two children, a daughter Molly (10) and a son Davis (8). Kirkpatrick has been very involved in his community. In 2000 and 2001 he was Honorary Chairperson of the Boy Scouts recruitment for the Cherokee Area Council, serving 11 counties in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. He has also volunteered time to work with the Special Olympics and United Way.
The 2003 Western Carolina Football Coaching Staff:
*Kent Briggs (Western Carolina `79 -- Head Coach)
*Geoff Collins (Western Carolina `94 -- Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
*Todd Varn (North Carolina State `92 --?Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs)
*Matt Rhule (Penn State `97 --?Asst. Head Coach/Special Teams Coord./LBs)
*Myron Jackson (Florida State `98 --?Defensive Line)
*Donnie Kirkpatrick (Lenoir-Rhyne `82 --?Wide Receivers)
*Allen Mogridge (North Carolina `99 --?Defensive Line)
*David Napert (Troy State `82 --?Offensive Line)
*Dick O'Brien (Tampa `63 --?Specialist)
*Kris Reis (Central College `90 --?Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends)
