Temple University Athletics
Temple Restructures Football Coaching Staff
2.19.07 | Football
Feb. 19, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - Temple University Head Football Coach Al Golden today announced that he has restructured his coaching staff and named two new assistants. Jared Backus, who spent the past two seasons as defensive coordinator at Bucknell, has been named defensive line coach. Kevin Gilbride, who was the slot receivers/tight ends coach at Georgetown in 2006, will direct the running backs.
"Jared Backus and Kevin Gilbride will have a tremendous impact on our program as we enter our inaugural season in the Mid-American Conference," said Golden. "Both are young, energetic and passionate about the mission of Temple Football. As I have said before, we will continue to hire rising stars here at Temple University and I believe Jared and Kevin fit that mold. Having the type of organization that sends coaches to top 25 programs like Auburn, Virginia Tech and Boston College, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs, is something we are proud of. It provides a barometer for the way the coaching profession views the type of people we hire and the way we run our operation."
Offensive coordinator George DeLeone will relinquish his tutelage of the quarterbacks and will instruct the interior offensive linemen. Matt Rhule, who directed the defensive line in 2006, will serve as quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. Jeff Nixon, who served as running backs coach last year, will direct the wide receivers and be the team's community service representative. Tights ends coach Andrew Dees will also instruct the offensive tackles. Golden has assumed special teams coordinator responsibilities. The remainder of the coaching staff (defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio, linebackers coach Curtis Bray and secondary coach Paul Williams) has the same assignments.
"Restructuring the Temple Football staff will accomplish three distinct objectives," said Golden. "First, it places members of our staff in the best possible situation to positively impact our student-athletes and our football program. Second, it creates better knowledge of systems amongst staff members which creates depth and eliminates stagnation. Lastly, it rewards coaches within the organization and lends credence to my belief that the leader must support individual initiative and professional growth."
Backus arrives in Owl Country with 13 seasons of collegiate coaching experience. For the past seven seasons he was as an assistant at Bucknell, first coaching outside linebackers/special teams (2002) and defensive line/special teams (2003-04), before being promoted to defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2005-06). This past season, he was instrumental in the biggest turnaround in Division I-AA, as the Bison improved to 6-5 after posting a 1-10 record in 2005. He also helped develop multiple all-conference players at Bucknell, including current Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Sean Conover. During his tenure in Lewisburg, Pa., Backus recruited New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas, Maryland, Delaware, Canada and Pennsylvania for the non-scholarship program.
"It is a real positive when you can have former coordinators on your staff and Coach Backus brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to the defense," said Golden. "He also provides us with the recruiting experience in the footprint that we covet."
Prior to Bucknell, Backus was defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at Maine from 1999 to 2001, helping the team to an Atlantic 10 title and a No.8 final ranking in 2001. He also directed two Black Bears to All-America honors, with return man Lynard Byrd earning accolades in 2001 and defensive end Jo-Jo Oliphant capturing the honor in 1999. The Saugatuck, Conn. native began his collegiate coaching career at King's College (strength and conditioning intern, 1994), before moving on to Springfield College (graduate assistant, 1995), Rutgers (graduate assistant, 1996-97), and Pace (secondary/kickoff coverage, 1998).
Born April 29, 1970, Backus was a two-year varsity letterwinner as a linebacker at Springfield, earning a degree in physical education in 1993. He received a master of physical education degree from Springfield in 1998. He and wife Amanda have a three-year old son, Garrett, and a daughter, Grace, born this past August.
Gilbride was a two-sport Division I-A athlete in college and has three seasons of Division I coaching experience. In addition to directing the slot receivers and tight ends this past season at Georgetown, he also headed the kickoff coverage unit and assisted on punt, kickoff return and punt block. He recruited Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida and Delaware for the Hoyas.
"Coach Gilbride has a long lineage and familiarity with coach DeLeone and the intricacies of our offense," said Golden. "This, coupled with his intensity for recruiting and coaching, made Kevin the best candidate for the job."
Prior to Georgetown, Gilbride was an offensive graduate assistant coach at Syracuse for two seasons (2004-05), working heavily with the tight ends in 2005. The Orange captured a share of the Big East title in 2004 and earned a berth in the Champs Sports Bowl. He first joined the SU staff as a graduate assistant for video in 2003 before then head coach Paul Pasqualoni moved him into a coaching role.
Born December 14, 1979, Gilbride graduated from the University of Hawaii in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in speech communications. He was a backup quarterback and played on special teams for the Warriors in 2000 after sitting out the 1999 season following his transfer from Brigham Young. He also earned four letters on the diamond at UH, playing outfield, first base and designated hitter. As a senior, he batted .308, had a .413 on base percentage and did not commit an error. The Jacksonville, Fla. native is the son of Kevin Gilbride, the current New York Giants offensive coordinator who was also head coach of the San Diego Chargers.
2007 Temple Football Coaching Assignments
Al Golden: Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
George DeLeone: Offensive Coordinator/Interior Offensive Line
Mark D'Onofrio: Defensive Coordinator
Jared Backus: Defensive Line
Curtis Bray: Linebackers
Andrew Dees Tight Ends/Offensive Tackles
Kevin Gilbride: Running Backs
Jeff Nixon: Wide Receivers/Community Service Representative
Matt Rhule: Quarterbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
Paul Williams: Secondary
In addition to the restructuring, Golden also named Ryan McNamee as the program's new assistant director of football operations. McNamee, a four-year varsity football letterwinner at Gettysburg College from 1995-98, spent the past three seasons as Director of Recruiting and Special Projects at Villanova. He received a bachelor of arts in health and physical science from Gettysburg (May 1999), before earning a master of arts in health and physical education from Adams State (December 2000), where he served as an assistant football coach. McNamee worked as a health and physical education teacher at Kinsey Elementary School in Philadelphia from 2001 to 2003 before returning to his alma mater as an assistant football and baseball coach during the 2003-04 academic year.
