assistant coaches j.r. Norman
Caid Faske
Linebackers
Defensive Quality Control/Asst. DL
J.R. Norman begins his first season on the WT coaching staff as he returns to his alma mater to coach the linebackers in 2013. A native of Odessa, Texas, Norman attended Permian High School and then transferred to Midland Lee High School where he was a three-year letterwinner and played basketball and competed in track at both schools. As a starting quarterback for the Rebels, Norman led the team to a 5-A Division II state championship in 1998. Norman played collegiately at Midwestern State before transferring to WT in 2000 where he played linebacker and running back (2000-2003). He was a graduate assistant at WT where he spent two years in the sports marketing and promotions department and coached at Abell Junior High School and Midland Lee under head coach James Morton coaching the quarterbacks. Norman earned his bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise science from WT in 2003 and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from WT in 2006. J.R. and his wife Jessica reside in Canyon and are the parents of a son, JaKobe.
Now in his second season with the WT football staff, Caid Faske will work with the defensive line and recruiting the West Texas area. Faske joined the program after playing for the Buffs as his playing career was cut short due to health issues. During his first year on the staff, Faske coached three first team all-conference defensive linemen, including nose guard Aaron Wampler and All-America defensive ends Ethan Westbrooks Tyler Higgins. Under his tutelage, Faske helped mold Westbrooks into leading the nation with 19.5 sacks as he was the Daktronics National Defensive Player of the Year. WT had 59 sacks as a team to lead the nation. Faske attended Bushland High School where he was an all-district offensive and defensive lineman as a senior. As a junior, he helped lead the team to a 15-1 record and a state championship berth. Faske played football at Wayland Baptist before transferring to WT in the spring of 2012. He is pursuing his degree in sports and exercise science at West Texas A&M. A native of Bushland, Texas, Faske is engaged to Shylo Manasco and the couple will be married in the summer of 2014.
First season
second season
John Kenjura
tate Rhodes
Defensive backs
Wide Receivers
second season
First season John Kenjura begins his second season with the Buffs after serving as an offensive line coach and wide receivers coach in 2012. He will coach the defensive backs this season. In the fall, he helped coach the offensive line which had Gene Upshaw Award finalist Manase Foketi who signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos in April, as well as graduated seniors Aaron Mullane and Casey O’Connor. Before coming to WT, Kenjura was a coach at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas, where the Buccaneers won the Southwestern Junior College Football championship in 2011. He graduated from Magnolia High School in 2006 and is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree at West Texas A&M.
Tate Rhodes begins his first season on the WT coaching staff working with the wide receivers. Born in Houston, Texas, Rhodes graduated from Bushland High School in 2011 where he played football, basketball, track and baseball. He played in the Texas 2A Division II state championship game in 2009 and the 2A state baseball championship in 2010 and 2011. He went to Wayland Baptist for one year before returning home to attend Amarillo College for three semesters. This will be Rhode’s first full year at WT as he is majoring in special education and plans on pursuing his master’s degree following graduation.
Road trip to sweet home Alabama!
Buffalo Football
NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
6
December 21, 2013, in Florence! Be there! D2championship.com
2013 West Texas A&M Buf falo Football Record Book