2017 Purdue Football Schedule / Purdue Football Master Plan
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue head football coach Jeff Brohm has announced the addition of eight new members to his staff. The group consists of six assistant coaches (Brian Brohm, Tony Levine, Nick Holt, Reggie Johnson, Anthony Poindexter and Dale Williams) and two support staff members (Greg Brohm and Robert Sampson). The eight new additions join the previously announced JaMarcus Shephard and Justin Lovett on staff. Their positions will be announced later.
Brian Brohm joins Purdue from Western Kentucky, where he served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2016 season. He helped guide a Hilltopper offense that averaged 45.5 points, 336.8 passing yards and 523.1 total yards per game. WKU won its final eight straight games, including a 58-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA championship game and a 51-31 win over Memphis in the Boca Raton Bowl, to finish 11-3 overall. WKU quarterback Mike White completed 280 of 416 passing attempts for 4,363 yards and 37 touchdowns against merely seven interceptions in his lone season under Brohm's mentoring.
Prior to joining WKU's staff, Brohm spent eight seasons playing professionally with the Green Bay Packers (2008-09) and Buffalo Bills (2009-10) in the National Football League, the Las Vegas Locomotives (2011-12) in the United Football League and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2013) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2014-15) in the Canadian Football League. He was a second-round pick (56th overall) by the Packers in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Brohm was a three-year starter collegiately at Louisville and still ranks among the top Cardinal quarterbacks in career passing yards (10,755, 2nd), attempts (1,185, 2nd), completions (780, 3rd), completion percentage (65.8, 3rd) and touchdowns (71, 4th).
Brohm guided the 2007 Cardinals to a 12-1 record, including a 31-14 victory over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl, and a No. 6 final ranking in the Associated Press poll. He was named the Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player after completing 24 of 34 passes for 311 yards against the Demon Deacons. His 30 touchdown passes that season are tied for second in school history with 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, one behind Minnesota Vikings' 2014 first-round draft pick Teddy Bridgewater. Brohm posted a school-record 45 completions and 65 attempts against Syracuse that season, and his 555 yards passing against the Orangemen ranks second all-time.
In high school, Brohm led Louisville Trinity to a trio of KHSAA 4A state titles (2001, 2002 and 2003) and was named the MVP of all three championship games, including a 555-yard, seven-touchdown performance in the 2002 title game. He was named the 2003 Kentucky's Mr. Football, USA Today's Offensive Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year.
Brohm (born Sept. 23, 1985) graduated from Louisville in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He and his wife, Ashley, have a son, Weston.
Levine comes to West Lafayette after spending the 2016 season as Western Kentucky's special teams coordinator and co-offensive coordinator. Along with helping lead the potent Hilltopper offense, he oversaw top five nationally ranked kickoff and punt return teams, which averaged 28.6 and 17.9 yards per return, respectively. Individual standouts included junior Nacarius Fant, who scored on a pair of punt returns and averaged 15.6 yards per return, which would have ranked among the top five in the Football Bowl Subdivision had he qualified with enough returns, and junior kickoff returner Kylen Towner, who returned 26 kicks for 1,048 yards which averaged a NCAA-record 40.3 yards per return, and a touchdown.
Prior to WKU, Levine was at Houston for seven seasons as head coach (2011-14), assistant head coach (2010-11), special teams coordinator (2008-11) and inside receivers and tight ends coach (2008-11).
Elevated to interim head coach when former Purdue linebacker Kevin Sumlin departed for Texas A&M following the 2011 regular season, Levine was named full-time head coach 11 days prior to 2012 Ticket City Bowl. During his three-year tenure, he guided the Cougars to a 21-17 record and back-to-back bowl berths, the 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl and the 2014 Armed Services Bowl. Levine won his first game as a collegiate head coach with a 30-14 victory over No. 22 Penn State in the Ticket City Bowl. That contest included a Cotton Bowl Stadium-record 532 yards passing against the then-No. 4 defense in the country. He guided Houston in its inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference in 2013, finishing with eight wins for the 16th time in school history.
Houston averaged 441 yards of total offense per game, including 285 passing yards, under Levine as head coach and was the only FBS team in the nation to have underclassmen as the team's leading passer, rusher and receiver in 2013. Quarterback John O'Korn, a true freshman, was named the AAC Rookie of the Year and a third team freshman All-American after throwing for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Deontay Greenberry led the AAC with 1,202 yards receiving and was second in the conference and 10th nationally with 11 touchdowns.
Houston's defense also improved under Levine, leading the nation in turnover margin (+25) and turnovers forced (43) in 2013. Sophomore Trevon Stewart led the nation in turnovers with a FBS-best six fumble recoveries and four interceptions, while classmate Adrian McDonald led the AAC with six interceptions. The Cougars improved their scoring defense in three consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2014, including the third-best improvement in the NCAA from 2012 to 2013, from 36.0 to 21.8, a drop of 14.2 points per game. The 2014 Cougars ranked 15th in scoring defense (20.6) and 20th in total defense (343.4 yards per game).
Under Levine's direction, both as head coach and an assistant, his special teams units blocked 20 kicks, returned nine kickoffs for touchdowns, including a NCAA-record-tying five in 2009, and forced seven turnovers. Led by AAC co-Special Teams Player of the Year and first team All-AAC selection Demarcus Ayers, the Cougars finished fifth nationally in kick return average (25.3) in 2013. Individually, Ayers was 12th nationally and the AAC leader with a 27.6-yard average. His 1,021 return yards set a Houston freshman record and were second on the school season list. Punter Richie Leone was a first team All-Conference USA selection in 2012, a second team FWAA All-American in 2013 and a three-time semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. Leone set the Houston career record with 54 punts of more than 50 yards and is the only punter in school history to earn All-America honors. In 2011, Houston returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, including Tyron Carrier's seventh career return for a score (tying an NCAA record), and two punt return scores.
Houston's receivers and tight ends also flourished under Levine. In 2008, tight end Mark Hafner earned second team All-Conference USA honors with 86 receptions for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. The following season, inside receiver James Cleveland finished with 104 receptions for 1,214 yards, while Tyron Carrier hauled in 91 receptions for 1,029 yards. Carrier finished his career as Conference USA's career leader in both receptions (320) and receiving yards (3,493). Other standouts included Justin Johnson's 87-reception, 1,229-yard season in 2011 and Fendi Onobun, a basketball transfer from Arizona who had never played football, being selected by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round of the 2010 National Football League Draft. Onobun tied the NCAA record with two blocked PATs against Southern Miss in 2010.
Prior to Houston, Levine spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2006-07) in the NFL as an assistant specials teams and strength and conditioning coach. The Panthers led the NFC in net punting in 2006 (38.8), with punter John Baker's net average of 39.0 establishing a franchise record. Baker placed 31 of his punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, best in the NFC, while his 45.7 yard gross average was second. Kicker John Kasay finished the 2006 season 24 of 27 on field goal attempts, including a perfect 20 for 20 on kicks up to 49 yards long. Kasay was 24 of 28 on field goals in 2007, including a 54-yard make that tied for the third-longest of his career.
Levine also has spent time as a receivers and tight ends coach at Texas State (1997-99), offensive graduate assistant at Auburn (2000-01), special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Louisiana Tech (2002) and director of football operations (2003) and special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Louisville (2004-05).
Highlights from his time as a coach at Louisville include a 20-4 overall record, an 11-3 conference record, back-to-back top 20 national rankings (No. 6 in 2004 and No. 19 in 2005) and the 2004 Conference USA championship. His special teams units blocked seven kicks, returned three punts for touchdowns and kicker Art Carmody made an NCAA-record 77 consecutive extra points in 2004. Carmody would go on to win the 2006 Lou Groza Award, the year after Levine departed for the Panthers.
At Louisiana Tech, kicker Josh Scobee earned second team All-Western Athletic Conference honors under Levine's direction. The Bulldogs averaged 417.9 yards of total offense, 19th in the country, and 302.8 passing yards, 10th nationally.
A walkon wide receiver at Minnesota, Levine earned three letters for the Golden Gophers and was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He got his start in coaching at Highland Park Senior High School, his alma mater, in 1996.
Levine earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on sports management from Minnesota in 1996, a master's degree in physical education from Texas State in 1999 and an educational specialist degree in adult education from Auburn in 2003.
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Levine (born Oct. 28, 1972) and his wife, Erin, have three sons - Ben, Asher and Eli - and a daughter, Willa.
Holt rejoins Jeff Brohm's staff in West Lafayette after coaching Western Kentucky to a 51-31 victory over Memphis as interim head coach.
Prior to being elevated to the interim role, Holt served as the Hilltoppers' associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013 to 2016. A veteran of 31 years of coaching experience, including two as a head coach and 16 as a defensive coordinator, Holt has coached in 15 bowl games, including seven BCS bowls, was on the USC coaching staff that won the 2003 national championship and five Trojan Pacific-10 title staffs.
Under Holt's guidance, the Hilltoppers improved their scoring defense from 121st nationally in 2014 (39.9) to 41st in 2016 (24.6), their total defense from 120th (509.9) to 41st (376.6) and their rushing defense from 111th (220.8) to third (97.2) among FBS schools. In his first season at WKU, the Hilltoppers ranked 15th nationally in total defense (339.2) and 10th in passing defense (177.9).
In his position group at Western Kentucky, senior linebacker Keith Brown was named first team All-Conference USA in 2016 after racking up 131 tackles, including 60 solo, 13 for loss and six sacks, with nine pass breakups, two interceptions and a fumble recovered. Sophomore Joel Iyiegbuniwe and junior T.J. McCollum were named honorable mention All-C-USA in 2016, with Iyiegbuniwe tallying 64 tackles, including 10 for loss and 3.5 sacks, and McCollum finishing third on the team with 85 stops, including four for loss. Senior Nick Holt was named first team All-C-USA in 2015 after recording 90 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and four sacks. In 2013, Xavius Boyd had a career season and was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, giving WKU the award in consecutive seasons (also Quanterus Smith in 2012). The 2013 Hilltoppers also had a conference-best four players named first team All-SBC: Bar'ee Boyd, Xavius Boyd, Jonathan Dowling and Cam Thomas.
Prior to joining WKU, Holt spent three seasons (2009-11) at Washington as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. The Huskies played in the 2011 Alamo Bowl and the 2010 Holiday Bowl, defeating heavily favored Big 12 North champions Nebraska 19-7 in the Holiday. In his first season, Washington cut its scoring defense by nearly 12 points per game (from 38.6 in 2008 to 26.7 in 2009) and its total defense from 451.8 yards per game in 2008 to 389.5 in 2009. The Huskies finished second in the Pac-10 in passing defense in 2010, allowing 194.4 yards per game.
Holt has had two stints at USC, serving three seasons as the defensive coordinator and line coach (2006-08) and three seasons as linebackers coach (2001-03). During his six combined seasons with the Trojans, USC posted an overall record of 63-14, a Pac-10 record of 41-10, won the 2003 BCS national championship, four Rose Bowls (2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and one Orange Bowl (2002). With Holt as the coordinator, the 2006 Trojans finished the season ranked 20th in total defense (295.8), 11th in scoring defense (15.2) and tied for ninth in rushing defense (91.1). In 2008, USC led the nation in scoring defense, allowing a paltry 9.0 points per game while holding eight opponents to seven points or less with three shutouts. The 2008 Trojans paced the NCAA in passing defense (134.3) total defense (221.8) and in passing efficiency defense (85.75) while ranking second by allowing 221.8 yards of total offense per game, the lowest total by a Pac-10 school since 1971.
In between stints at USC, Holt was the head coach at Idaho during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, posting a 5-18 record. He previously had served as the Vandals' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (1994-97) and defensive line and recruiting coordinator (1990-93). The Vandals made five appearances in the Division I-AA playoffs and had the No. 1-ranked rushing defense in 1994.
Holt also has served as the defensive line coach at Louisville (1998-2000) and as the inside linebackers coach (1988-89) and as a graduate assistant (1986-87) at UNLV. With the Cardinals, Holt developed a defensive line that finished second in the nation and broke the school record with 50 sacks. The 2000 team finished second nationally in rushing defense (79.9), went 9-3, won the Conference USA title with a 6-1 record and played in the Liberty Bowl. Louisville also played in the 1998 Motor City Bowl and 1999 Humanitarian Bowl.
Holt has coached/recruited five conference defensive players of the year: Jeff Robinson (1992 Idaho, Big Sky), Ryan Phillips (1995 Idaho, Big Sky), Dwayne White (2001 Louisville, Conference USA), Sedrick Ellis (2006 USC, Pacific-10) and Xavius Boyd (2013 Western Kentucky, Sun Belt).
A native of San Jose, California, Holt was a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player as a linebacker at the University of Pacific. He was named to the Associated Press All-West Coast team in 1984 and 1985 and an honorable mention All-American in 1985. He graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in political economics.
Holt (born Oct. 15, 1962) and his wife, Julie, have two sons, Nick and Ben.
Johnson joins the Boilermakers after spending the 2016 season at Western Kentucky, where he coached the defensive ends. The Hilltoppers' four primary defensive ends racked up 98 tackles, including 22 for loss and 11 sacks, with six pass breakups, two fumbles recovered and an interception. Senior Nick Dawson-Brents led the way with 37 tackles, while topping the team with seven sacks and ranking third on the team with 11 tackles for loss.
Before his lone season at WKU, Johnson spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator, linebackers and defensive line coach at Alabama A&M (2014-15), two seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Alabama-Birmingham (2012-13) and four seasons as the linebackers coach at Arkansas (2008-11). Previously, he served four seasons as the linebackers coach (2004-07), one season as the defensive line coach (2003) and two years as a graduate assistant (1997-98) at Louisville, his alma mater. He had a three-year stint at Alabama A&M, where he served as special teams coordinator and defensive coach (1998-99) and inside linebackers coach (2000) and also spent two seasons at UTEP as defensive ends (2001) and linebackers (2002) coach.
Johnson has coached in eight bowl games, including the 2005 Gator Bowl, 2006 Orange Bowl, 2010 Sugar Bowl and 2011 Cotton Bowl.
In 2012 at UAB, Johnson saw senior linebacker Marvin Burdette set school game, season and career records for tackles with 24, 157 and 406, respectively. Burdette was named All-Conference USA.
During his four seasons at Arkansas, linebacker Jerry Franklin became the first Razorback to lead the team in tackles four straight seasons since 1957 to 1960. Franklin was a Freshman All-American and named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2008, and ranked sixth in the SEC with a career-high 101 tackles as a senior.
In 2003 at Louisville, Johnson helped mentor future All-American, Nagurski and Hendricks Award winner Elvis Dumerville, as well as freshman and future first-round selection Amobi Okoye. Dummerville has gone on to a pro football career that has seen him selected to the Pro Bowl five times and set the Baltimore Ravens' franchise record for sacks in a season with 17. Okoye, who was the youngest player ever drafted at the age of 19, played six seasons in the National Football League with the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears and now is a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. Okoye was selected by the Texans with the 10th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Johnson was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker at Louisville from 1987 to 1990. As a senior, he played on a team that went 10-1-1, including a 34-7 victory over Alabama in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl. He finished his career with 252 tackles.
Johnson graduated from Louisville in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in political science and earned a master's degree in education from Louisville in 1998.
Johnson (born April 14, 1969) and his wife, Eulice, have two children, Sydney and Jordan.
Poindexter comes to Purdue after three seasons (2014-16) as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Connecticut. Previous to his stay at UConn, he spent 12 seasons at Virginia, his alma mater, in a variety of roles. He has coached in six bowl games, including the 2007 Gator Bowl and the 2011 Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
In 2016, Poindexter coached Senior Bowl-bound safety Obi Melifonwu to All-American Athletic Conference honors. Melifonwu finished the season with a team-high 118 tackles, including 73 solo, while also leading the Huskies with four interceptions. UConn finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in red zone defense (73 percent).
During the 2015 season, Poindexter directed a unit that finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in red zone defense (73 percent), 15th in scoring defense (19.5), 20th in passing defense (189.3) and 33rd in total defense (355.1). Senior safety Andrew Adams was named second team All-AAC after leading the Huskies with 103 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and three interceptions.
Poindexter got his start in collegiate coaching as a graduate assistant at Virginia in 2003 before being elevated to running backs coach in 2004. He served as Cavaliers' running backs/assistant special teams coach from 2006 to 2008, defensive backs/assistant special teams coach in 2009, safeties and special teams coordinator from 2010 to 2012 and safeties coach in 2013.
In 2013, Poindexter coached Sports Illustrated All-American safety Anthony Harris to first-team All-ACC honors after leading the nation with eight interceptions. Harris amassed 80 tackles, including 42 solo, 3.5 for loss and one sack, with six pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Poindexter's defensive backs limited the opposition to merely a 53.7 passing completion rate in 2011, ranked 21st in the nation in passing defense in 2009 (184.6 yards per game) and saw second team All-ACC safety Ras-I Dowling and cornerback Chris Cook selected in the second round of the National Football League Draft by the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.
As running backs coach at Virginia, Poindexter coached Cedric Peerman, a seven-year NFL veteran, to 1,749 career rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Peerman was an honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2008 and played in the 2009 Senior Bowl.
An outstanding player in his own right, Poindexter was a two-time consensus All-American (1997 and 1998) and the 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the year as a safety for the Cavaliers. He is one of only three players in ACC history to be named all-conference three times. He was named the 1998 Brian Piccolo Award winner, presented to the ACC's most courageous football player. A hard-hitter compared with Ronnie Lott, Poindexter finished his collegiate career with 342 tackles, ninth in school history. His No. 3 jersey was retired by Virginia in 2009.
Despite tearing his ACL during his senior season, Poindexter was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft and was a member of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team.
Poindexter graduated from Virginia in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in anthropology.
Poindexter (born July 28, 1976) and his wife, Kimberly, have three children: Morocca, Anthony Jr. and Chloe.
Williams comes to Purdue after spending the 2016 season as the offensive line coach at Western Kentucky. He has previous coaching experience at Florida Atlantic, Findlay, Gardner-Webb, North Greenville College and West Virginia.
At WKU in 2016, Williams' line helped protect a proficient Hilltopper offense that averaged 45.5 points, 336.8 passing yards and 523.1 total yards per game. WKU's line allowed merely 22 sacks on 471 passing attempts (one every 21.4 attempts). Senior left tackle Forrest Lamp, a two-time first team All-Conference USA selection, was named a third team All-American by the Associated Press. Classmate Max Halpin joined Lamp with first team all-conference honors, while fellow senior Darrell Williams earned second team recognition.
At FAU, the Owls won the 2007 Sun Belt championship, 2007 New Orleans Bowl (the school's first-ever bowl appearance) and 2008 Motor City Bowl. FAU ranked 15th in the nation in total offense in 2009, averaging 432.1 yards per game. Williams' line protected 2007 Sun Belt Player of the Year Rusty Smith and paved the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons by Charles Pierre (1,009 in 2008) and Alfred Morris (1,392 in 2009). FAU finished 13th in the nation in fewest sacks allowed in 2007 and 17th in 2008. Three of Williams' offensive linemen - John Rizzo, Jarrid Smith and David Matlock - went on to earn All-Sun Belt accolades.
At Findlay, where he was the offensive coordinator and line coach from 2002 to 2004 and recruiting coordinator from 2000 to 2004, Williams directed an offense that finished 11th in the nation among Division II schools in rushing in 2004 (246 yards per game) and 18th in rushing (219) and 29th in total offense (405) in 2002. The 2002 team went 9-2, was ranked No. 25 in the country and allowed merely 15 sacks. Williams' line blocked for running back Robert Campbell, who rushed for 1,564 yards. Brad Dunlap earned first team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in 2002. Three of Williams' players earned second team All-GLIAC recognition: Ken Meibers in 2001, Phil Gunder in 2003 and Mike Patrick in 2004.
A three-year letterwinner and a member of West Virginia's 1994 Sugar Bowl team, Williams was a two-year starter on the offensive line for the Mountaineers. He went on to get his start in collegiate coaching as a graduate assistant at West Virginia.
Williams graduated from West Virginia with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1994 and earned a master's degree in athletic coaching from West Virginia in 1996.
A native of Cleveland, Williams (born Dec. 4, 1970) and his wife, Wendi, have two children, Nicole and Dominick.
Greg Brohm comes to Purdue after spending the 2014 to 2016 seasons as the director of football operations at Western Kentucky. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program. During his three years with the Hilltoppers, they compiled a 30-10 record.
Prior to WKU, Brohm was a teacher and head football coach at Thomas Nelson High School in Bardstown, Kentucky, from 2012 to 2014. He started the football program at the newly opened school.
Brohm served as the director of football operations at Louisville from 2004 to 2008. In that capacity, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program while assisting in developing academic procedures and coordinating all player development. He organized travel, camps and coordinated bowl preparations for the 2004 Liberty Bowl, 2005 Gator Bowl and 2007 Orange Bowl. In addition, Brohm maintained all NCAA documentation for the program. In three seasons under head coach Bobby Petrino, the Cardinals won a Conference USA and Big East championship and twice finished in the Associated Press top 10.
Prior to Louisville, Brohm served as the president and offensive coordinator for the Louisville Fire of the Arena2 Football League. As president, he was responsible for all football operations, corporate sales and marketing, as well as hiring and supervising the coaching staff. He took the lead in recruiting players and executing player contracts, while also coordinating the team's practice schedule and travel plans.
Brohm was an account manager for WHAS radio and Clear Channel Communications in Louisville for nine years prior to joining the Fire. As account manager, he conducted advertising sales in the greater Louisville market, managed event and sports marketing activities, and created a strategic plan to grow budgets and projections. While at WHAS, Brohm also served as an analyst for the Louisville Cardinals' radio broadcasts.
Brohm was a four-year letterwinner and a three-year starter at Louisville from 1988 to 1992. He was the starting wide receiver during the Cardinals' 1991 appearance in the Fiesta Bowl, catching passes from his brother, Jeff.
A member of the Dean's List, Brohm graduated from Louisville in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in business administrating and accounting. He earned a master's degree in teaching from Louisville in 2014.
A three-sport athlete (football, basketball and baseball) at Louisville Trinity High School, Brohm earned first team all-state honors as a wide receiver in 1987. He was inducted into the Trinity High School Hall of Fame in 2006 and served on the board of directors for the Trinity alumni board from 2000 to 2003.
Sampson spent the 2016 season working as assistant director of football operations at Western Kentucky. He assisted in the daily management of the program, including work with team travel, team meals, schedules, recruiting travel expenses and the coordination of head coach Jeff Brohm's schedule. Sampson also assisted with the management of WKU football camps. The Hilltoppers won the 2016 Conference USA Championship and 2016 Boca Raton Bowl, finishing the season 11-3.
A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Sampson spent the 2015-16 school year at TCU, working in the media relations office with the women's basketball and football programs.
During a three-year stint in WKU's media relations office, Sampson helped re-energize the image of the women's basketball program, promoting four All-American selections and seven conference player or coach of the year honorees. The Lady Toppers won two conference tournament championships, made two NCAA Tournament appearances and earned the program's first Associated Press ranking since the 1997-98 season. Sampson also worked closely with the football program under the direction of head coaches Bobby Petrino and Brohm.
Sampson earned a bachelor's degree in integrated strategic communications with a minor in communications from Kentucky in 2009. While at Kentucky, he worked with the media relations office, as a manager for the women's basketball team in 2006-07 and as a staff assistant for the men's basketball team in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Sampson earned a master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2011 and worked for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Louisville Sports Commission's Paul Hornung Award.
Sampson also spent time growing the brand of athletics at Louisville's Trinity High School on a national level. Under the guidance of head coach Mike Szabo, Sampson played a key role in establishing the Trinity boys' basketball program as a state power, national name and eventually helping the school claim the 2012 KHSAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. His work with the school's football program resulted in Sports Illustrated, Scout.com and Rivals naming the team national champions in 2011.
The eight new additions join Shephard, who was hired as an assistant coach Dec. 8, 2016, and Lovett, who was hired as the director of strength and conditioning Dec. 21, 2016.
Shephard came to the Boilermakers after spending the 2016 season at Washington State following the previous five years at Western Kentucky.
In his lone season at Washington State, where Shephard served as the inside receivers coach, he had senior slot receiver River Cracraft en route to a career year before a torn ACL ended his campaign. Cracraft finished his final collegiate season with 53 receptions for 701 yards (13.2 average) and five touchdowns in 10 games. Washington State averaged 370.8 yards passing per game during the regular season.
Shephard joined the Western Kentucky staff in 2011 as a defensive analyst and volunteer assistant, a position he held for two seasons. He was moved to offensive analyst by then-head coach Bobby Petrino in 2013 before being hired full time as the Hilltoppers' receivers coach by Brohm in 2014. In the two seasons under Shephard's guide, Hilltopper receivers amassed 553 receptions and 86 touchdowns. The offense averaged 374.3 yards through the air in 2014 and 372.2 yards in 2015.
Individual standouts under Shephard at WKU included Taywan Taylor, who finished the 2015 season ranked 10th nationally with 104.8 receiving yards per game. Taylor's 17 touchdowns were second among FBS players, while his 1,467 yards receiving ranked third and his 86 receptions 20th. All three marks are school records. Jared Dangerfield, who broke the previous school record for receptions with 69 in 2014, and Taylor were All-Conference USA selections.
Shephard got his start in football coaching in the Indiana high school ranks, serving as an assistant at his alma mater, Fort Wayne Northrop, in 2005 before moving to Broad Ripple in Indianapolis in 2006. He served as a volunteer assistant with the DePauw track & field program in 2007, working with the long jumpers and sprinters.
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Shephard was a four-year football letterwinner at DePauw from 2001 to 2004. He was a two-time All-American and still holds the school record for career kickoff return yards (1,430), while ranking fifth in receptions (168), sixth in receiving yards (2,382) and tied for 18th in scoring (122). As a senior, Shephard caught 47 balls for 815 yards (17.3 average) and seven touchdowns. He played in the 2005 Hula Bowl (one of just two NCAA Division III participants) and the 2004 Aztec Bowl. Shephard served as captain for both the football and track & field teams his senior year.
Shephard served as an intern with the Philadelphia Eagles during his senior year at DePauw. He worked in the NCAA Education Services Division in 2006 and 2007 and with the National Center for Drug-Free Sport in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2007 to 2011.
Shephard (born May 30, 1983) earned his bachelor's degree in sports medicine from DePauw in 2005 and his master's degree in recreation and sport administration from Western Kentucky in 2013. He and his wife, Hallie, have a son, Jaylan, and a daughter, Alana.
Lovett joined the Boilermakers after three seasons in a similar capacity at Western Kentucky. During his time with Hilltoppers, Lovett helped build WKU to back-to-back Conference USA championships (2015 and 2016) and two straight bowl victories (2014 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl and 2015 Miami Beach Bowl). Five players were selected by National Football League teams during his time in Bowling Green, including a school-record-tying three in the 2016 draft. Western Kentucky went 30-10 overall during Lovett's time, including a 19-5 mark in CUSA play.
Prior to WKU, Lovett spent two seasons with the strength and conditioning staff at Georgia. The Bulldogs posted a 20-7 overall record, played in the 2012 SEC championship game and in two January bowl games (2013 Capital One Bowl and 2014 Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl) during his time in Athens. Including first-rounders Todd Gurley, Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree, a total of 15 players were selected by NFL teams in his two seasons at Georgia.
Lovett worked with the Denver Broncos from 2009 to 2011, starting as an intern before moving to assistant strength and conditioning coach the final two years. While with the Broncos, the team won the 2011 AFC West and was among the top five teams in the NFL in terms of having the lowest amount of practices and games missed by starters in 2009 and 2011. Denver had eight players voted to the Pro Bowl during Lovett's time there.
Lovett got his start among the collegiate ranks at UTEP from 2008 to 2009. He served as the strength and conditioning coach for Miners' soccer and track & field teams, and assisted with football and softball.
Lovett served as the head strength and conditioning coach at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, from 2004 to 2008 and as the director of sports performance at Miramont Sports Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, from 2003 to 2004.
A two-sport athlete in football and baseball at the University of Findlay, Lovett earned a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science from Colorado State in 2003 and a master's degree in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2012. He played semi-professional football in the Colorado Football Conference from 2000 to 2003 and was a Colorado Golden Gloves amateur boxer in 2002.
Lovett holds certifications from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified), National Strength and Conditioning Association (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), National Academy of Sports Medicine (Performance Enhancement Specialist & Corrective Exercise Specialist) and the National Association of Speed and Explosion (Specialist in Speed and Explosion).
A native of Beavercreek, Ohio, Lovett (born Jan. 8, 1977) and his wife, Amy, have two sons, Tillman and Lyndon.