coaching staff Mike O’Cain Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks, Year At JMU: First Graduate of: Clemson (Bachelor’s 1977) Hometown: Orangeburg, S.C. At JMU: In his first year as JMU’s offensive coordinator and will work with the team’s quarterbacks… Brings over 35 years of D-I coaching experience to the Dukes. Before JMU: Spent the last eight seasons as the quarterbacks coach at Virginia Tech... Has been the head coach at NC State and an offensive coordinator at both North Carolina and Clemson... Also has coached in 19 Bowl Games during the course of his time with those three teams... Over the past two years at Virginia Tech, O’Cain has turned Logan Thomas into a competitive college quarterback. In his first year working with the new quarterback, Thomas broke the school’s single-season record for total offense and became just the second 3,000-yard passer in school history. He nurtured Tyrod Taylor over the preceding four years, helping him become a versatile dual-threat quarterback who eventually was drafted by the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Prior to Virginia Tech, O’Cain coached at Clemson serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was instrumental in the guidance of another future NFL quarterback, Charlie Whitehurst, who established 33 school records, including passing yardage and completions for a season. After a one year stint as the Assistant head coach at East Carolina, he joined the N.C. State Wolfpack as a quarterbacks coach. O’Cain was the top assistant under Dick Sheridan from 1986-92 and helped lead the ‘Pack to six bowl game appearances. In 1993, after Sheridan retired, O’Cain was named head coach and became the second coach ever in N.C. State history to lead his team to a bowl game in his first two seasons. After notable wins verses #1 Florida State and Texas in 1998 and 1999, O’Cain became North Carolina’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for one year. He then moved to Clemson to take the quarterbacks coach role until 2004. O’Cain began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Clemson in 1977. He then coached the offensive backfield at The Citadel between 1978-80 before moving to Murray State where he was an assistant under current Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer from 1981-84. Personal: Bachelor’s degree in recreation parks administration... Was a three-year letterwinner at Clemson and was the team MVP and captain of Clemson’s 1976 team, playing both quarterback and punter... Is still ranked in Clemson’s history for passing efficiency... Married to Nancy and they have two daughters, Jenny (27) and Lizzi (25).
Kyle Gillenwater Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Born: Dec. 22, 1964 Year At JMU: 14th Graduate of: Bridgewater (Bachelor’s 1987), Frostburg State (Master’s 1989) Hometown: Powhatan, Va. At JMU: Coaches the linebackers and was named defensive coordinator before the 2009 spring practice period… Primary Recruiting Area: Virginia’s Route 29 corridor… joined the JMU staff with head coach Mickey Matthews… Coached 2011 First Team All-CAA selection Stephon Robertson and Pat Williams, a Second Team pick... had the 2010 CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year and Third-Team All-CAA pick in Stephon Robertson... in 2009 coached Pat Williams, who was Third-Team All-CAA… in 2007 Justin Barnes was Second-
Team All-CAA… in 2006 coached Akeem Jordan and Isaiah Dottin-Carter, First-Team All-Atlantic 10 picks… Jordan was national defensive player of the year by College Sporting News and runner-up for national defender of the year by The Sports Network, state Division I defender of the year by Virginia’s sports information directors and was named to four All-America first teams… in 2005 Jordan was second-team all-league… in 2004 coached Kwynn Walton (first-team All-A-10 and third-team All-America by The Sports Network) and Trey Townsend (second-team All-A-10)… Dennard Melton was second-team All-A-10 in 2003 and third-team in 2002… Derrick Lloyd in 2001 won the Buck Buchanan Award and was named to four All-America first teams… Mike Luckie and Derick Pack were First-Team All-A-10 in 1999… Pack was first-team All-A-10 in 2000 and 2001 and Lloyd second team in 2000 and first team in 2001… in 1999 Pack was the regular-season tackles leader in the A-10, Second-Team All-America by the Associated Press and a finalist for the Buchanan Award… in 2000 he led the A-10 in tackles and was first-team All-America by Football Weekly and third team by The Sports Network… Lloyd led the A-10 in tackles and was the national leader in solo stops in 2001. Before JMU: Coached Elon’s defensive line from 1996-98… coached at Hargrave Military Academy and was Marshall’s assisant linebackers coach in 1994 while JMU coach Mickey Matthews was defensive coordinator there… coached the defensive backs and was recruiting coordinator at Bridgewater from 1989-91… U.S. Achievement Academy All-America and academic All-America at Bridgewater. Personal: Bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in physical education and a master’s in education… his wife, Elizabeth, is a JMU graduate and a special education teacher. They have three sons, Josh (23), Trey (10), and Thomas James (5).
Curt Newsome Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Line Born: ???? Year At JMU: Eighth Graduate of: Emory and Henry (Bachelor’s 1982) Hometown: Newport News, Va. At JMU: In his second stint at JMU, re-joining the staff in the spring of 2013, returning as the assistant head coach and offensive line coach, the same positions he held previously… Brings 14 years of collegiate football coaching experience, seven of which were previously with JMU... Returns to the Dukes’ organization where he previously was a part of the program that won the 2004 Division I-AA National Championship... Served as JMU’s assistant head coach and offensive line coach from 2003-2005 and also as tight ends and tackles coach (2002) and defensive line coach (1999-01)... During the 2004 national championship season, the Dukes led a rush-heavy offense that followed the blocks of a talented line, averaging 212.9 rushing yards per game, and scored 37 rushing touchdowns... Coached All-Americans on both sides of the ball during his time with Madison, as defensive end Chris Morant was a two-time First-Team All-American and offensive guard Matt Magerko earned Associated Press First-Team All-American honors during the Dukes’ run to its first national championship... Primary Recruiting Area: ????… Before JMU: Previously coached the Virginia Tech Hokies’ center and guards for two years after serving as the offensive line coach the preceding five seasons... In 2011, the Hokie offensive line ranked 22nd in the country in fewest sacks allowed per game, while blocking for ACC Player of the Year David Wilson’s 1,700 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns...The 2010 Virginia Tech offensive line included three All-ACC selections, and his 2009 group earned four All-ACC selections and led the Hokies to ACC and Orange Bowl titles during his tenure... Before his stint with JMU coached at Kecoughton High School from 1987 to 1997... Also coached at Newport News’ Heritage High School, where he was named the AP’s Virginia Scholastic Coach of the Year, and both Phoebus and Ervington high schools. Personal: Bachelor’s degree in physical education while playing college football at Emory and Henry… Newsome and his wife Melinda have a son, Curtis, 25, and a daughter, Elizabeth, 18.
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