Assistant Coaches
TIM PENDERGAST
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Tim Pendergast, who served as defensive coordinator at James Madison University for two years, begins his third season at The University of Memphis and his first as the Tigers' receiver coach. He was the secondary coach for Memphis for two years before moving to receivers last spring. He recruits the Texas area (Dallas/Fort Worth) and Memphis area for the U of M. Working with the Tiger defensive backs over the past two seasons, Pendergast has been responsible for the development of such noted backs as Mike McKenzie, Keith and Kevin Cobb and Jeremy Stewart. McKenzie was one of the top defensive backs taken in the 1999 NFL draft. This past spring he took over the receiver position and has been given the task of honing the skills of such young receivers as Derrick Harmon and Tripp Higgins. During his tenure at James Madison University, Pendergast, age 40, worked as the Dukes' defensive coordinator for two seasons while overseeing the defensive backs. Prior to being elevated to defensive coordinator, Pendergast served
as defensive secondary coach for Scherer for two seasons. A native of Syracuse, New York, Pendergast entered the coaching profession at Cornell University in 1981 as a part-time assistant and was promoted to freshman coach in 1982. In 1983, he was named secondary coach and remained in that capacity for seven years. Cornell won the Ivy League title in 1988 and was in the top 10 nationally in total defense and scoring defense in 1986 and 1988. Pendergast left Cornell in 1990 to join the staff at Northwestern as receiver coach and in 1992 moved to the University of Maine as the secondary coach. Maine had 24 interceptions and returned six for touchdowns in 1992. A graduate of Cortland State, Pendergast played safety for four seasons and was a Division III ECAC all-star as a senior. He received his bachelor's of education from Cortland State in 1980 and his master's of education from Ithaca College in 1986. Pendergast and his wife, Leslie, have a son, Gregory, and a daughter, Taylor.
THE PENDERGAST FILE Personal Born: Syracuse, NY Birthdate: 8-15-58 College: Cortland State (1980) Athletics: 4 year football letterman at defensive safety Wife: Leslie Pendergast Children: Gregory & Taylor
Coaching Experience Univ. of Memphis (1997-) James Madison Univ. (1993-96) Univ. of Maine (1992) Northwestern (1990-91) Cornell (1981-89)
ASSISTANT COACHES
ASSISTANT COACHES
RECEIVERS
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THE PENDERGAST FAMILY