Monken Continues to Fill Eagle Football Coaching Positions
1/16/2010 9:14:00 PM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Football Coach Jeff Monken announced the hiring of several individuals to his coaching staff. Six assistant coaches have assumed their duties with Georgia Southern football, including offensive coordinator Brent Davis and defensive coordinator Brent Pry.
Davis, in addition to some other familiar names, returns to the Eagles' coaching ranks on offense. The former GSU offensive line and running backs coach installed the option offense at VMI and propelled the Keydets to the NCAA Division I FCS rushing offense title each of the last two years. Eight offensive linemen earned All-Southern Conference honors and three achieved All-America status at Georgia Southern under Davis from 2002-05. Responsible for the Eagles running backs corps for three seasons, Davis coached 1999 Walter Payton Award winner and four-year All-American Adrian Peterson.
The force behind Southern Utah's potent offenses in the late '90s, C. Ray Gregory was invited to the offensive staff following three seasons as slotbacks coach at Bethune-Cookman. Gregory and Monken were on the same coaching staff at Hawai'i under offensive coordinator Paul Johnson. Mitch Ware, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia Southern from 2002-05, joins Monken's staff to tutor the Eagle quarterbacks. Brett Gilliland, a graduate assistant coach at Georgia Tech for four years, and most recently an offensive quality control coach for the Yellow Jackets, has been named an assistant coach for the offense.
Brent Pry brings more than 15 years experience to his position as defensive coordinator, arriving at Georgia Southern from Memphis. Pry was the defensive line coach for the Tigers for the last three seasons following five years on the defensive staff at Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin' Cajuns' linebackers coach, Pry held the position of defensive coordinator and also served for three years as assistant head coach.
The new defensive line coach, John Scott, Jr. comes to the Eagles from Missouri State where he coached outside linebackers for the 2009 season. Scott coached at his alma mater, Western Carolina, for three seasons, two as defensive ends and outside linebackers coach and one as defensive line coach.
Assistant Athletics Director for Strength and Conditioning Tom Melton resumes the responsibilities and direct leadership role for strength training for Eagle Football. Melton is in his sixth year on the Georgia Southern staff gaining experience in progressive positions at Colorado State, Clemson, Wofford and South Carolina.
Additional hires will be announced in the coming weeks.
