Terry Bowden, who owns a 140-62-2 record (69.3 winning percentage) over an 18-year coaching career, was named The University of Akron's 27th head football coach on Dec. 22, 2011.

Bowden, who served as a studio analyst and color commentator with ABC Sports' college football for 10 years, was the head coach at Auburn from 1993-98 and spent the previous three seasons at Division II North Alabama.

Bowden, 56 (born Feb. 25, 1956), was an assistant coach at Akron in 1986 under then Zips' head coach Gerry Faust.

"We welcome Terry Bowden back to campus. He brings with him an outstanding record of success and a true football coaching pedigree," University President Dr. Luis M. Proenza said. "We know the entire Akron community will support Coach Bowden in his mission to cultivate a championship program here."

"We're thrilled to have Terry join the Akron Athletics family," director of athletics Tom Wistrcill said. "It's great for our student-athletes, fans and community to bring in a head coach with his track record of success."

"I'm so excited to be a Zip," Bowden said. "With the great resources and the commitment to winning by the administration and community, it's just a matter of time until we build a championship program."

In his time at North Alabama, Bowden led the Lions to a 29-9 record and three-consecutive playoff appearances. In 2011, the squad went 9-3 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. He was named Gulf South Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 2009 when the team went 11-2 and won the GSC championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs. He followed that in 2010 by guiding the Lions to a 9-4 record and another trip to the playoffs.

As head coach of Auburn, he went 47-17-1 (73.4 winning percentage) and posted the best opening, five-year run of any head football coach in school history. Also during his time with the Tigers, Bowden became the first collegiate coach in 50 years to win his 100th career game by his 40th birthday.

In his first season at AU, he became the first coach in Division I-A (now FBS) history to have an undefeated and untied season in his inaugural year at that level.

Prior to his stint at Auburn, Bowden built two programs from the ground up as head coach at Salem College (W.Va.) and Samford University (Ala.). When he took the job at Salem in 1983 he became the nation's youngest head coach in college football at age 26.

Inheriting a Samford program which had won just six games in three years prior to his arrival, Bowden led the Bulldogs to a 9-1 record his first year, tying the record for the best season in school history. The squad led the nation in total offense (523 yards per game) and scoring offense (51.7 points per game), both national Division III records. The team's 40 touchdown passes were also a national single-season record.

Bowden then engineered and directed Samford's move from non-scholarship Division III football to Division I-AA (now FCS) scholarship football. With only one freshman class on scholarship, the Bulldogs went to a full Division I-AA schedule in 1989. By 1991, Samford was competing for the national championship. His 1991 Samford team had the best record in school history at 12-2, and reached the Division I-AA national semifinals.

Bowden was named head coach at Auburn on Dec. 17, 1992. In 1993, Auburn had a perfect 11-0 record and he swept virtually every national coach of the year award in his rookie season, including Walter Camp, Scripps Howard, Football News, Toyota and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award presented by the Football Writers Association.

Bowden was again a finalist for coach of the year following his second season at Auburn as the Tigers had reeled off 20-straight wins, an Auburn record, and finished 9-1-1. He posted a 47-17-1 record at Auburn and led the Tigers to three bowl games.

During his time away from coaching, Bowden first served as a studio analyst and color commentator with ABC Sports' college football coverage. He was also an analyst for Westwood One Radio's College Football National Game of Week, co-hosted "The Coaches Show" on Sirius Satellite Radio with Jack Arute, and was the exclusive college football columnist for Yahoo! Sports.

Bowden is a member of one of the most famous and successful college football coaching families. His father, Bobby Bowden, turned Florida State into a national champion and his 389 collegiate wins rank first in Division I history.

His brother Tommy had an 18-4 record in two seasons as head coach at Tulane and a 72-45 record in 10 seasons as head coach at Clemson, taking the Tigers to eight bowl games. His brother Jeff also has 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, working at Salem, Samford, Southern Mississippi, Florida State and most recently at North Alabama, with Terry.

During the decade of the 1990s, Terry, Tommy and Bobby all led their teams to undefeated seasons.

As a student-athlete at West Virginia, Bowden lettered two years as a running back (1977-78), held a 3.65 grade-point average in accounting, the highest GPA on the football team, and graduated Magna Cum Laude.

He did post graduate work at Oxford University in England, and earned a Juris Doctorate from the Florida State School of Law in 1982, while a graduate assistant coach with the Seminoles.

Bowden has five daughters (Tera, Jordan, Erin, Cori and Jamie) and one son (Terry, Jr.).

Bowden's Career Head Coaching History:
Career Record: 140-62-2 (.693)
1983-85 – Salem (19-13 record)
1987-92 – Samford (45-23-1 record)
1993-98 – Auburn (47-17-1 record)
2009-11 – North Alabama (29-9 record)
2012 – Akron

Chuck Amato, in his 40th year in the collegiate coaching ranks, including serving as head coach at North Carolina State and long-time assistant coach at Florida State, joined the Akron staff in January 2012. He serves as the program's associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Amato is one of the most respected coaches and recruiters in college football and has produced winning football teams and numerous top draft picks throughout his career. In 2002, he was elected to the American Football Coaches Association Board of Trustees.

Amato, 66 (born June 26, 1946), served as head coach at his alma mater NC State from 2000-06 and posted a 49-37 record while guiding the program to five bowl appearances (4-1 record in those bowl games). He led the Wolfpack to their first 11-win season in school history in 2002 and highest national ranking (No. 12 in the final Associated Press poll; No. 11 in the final Coaches poll) since 1974, after defeating Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. The 2004 NC State squad led the nation in total defense. Additionally under Amato, quarterback Philip Rivers rewrote the program and ACC record books in every passing and total offense category. During his tenure, he had 22 players drafted into the NFL, including five in the first round.

In 2000, Amato’s NC State squad defeated Minnesota in the MicronPC.com Bowl, in 2001, lost to Pittsburgh in the Tangerine Bowl, in 2003 downed Kansas in the Tangerine Bowl, and in 2006 topped South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Amato spent 21 seasons on the staff at Florida State (1982-1999 and 2007-09). In his most recent stint (2007-09) he served as executive head coach to then-head coach Bobby Bowden. From 1982-95 he coached the defensive line, 1996-99 the linebackers and from 1986-99 also served as assistant head coach. He was part of 10 ACC championship teams and two national championship squads (1993 and 1999). Six of his Seminole players were selected in the NFL Draft's first round and 24 defensive players overall that he directly coached were drafted during his FSU tenure.

Amato was also a member of the NC State staff from 1971-79, serving as graduate assistant (1971-72), defensive secondary coach (1973-75) and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (1976-79). He also coached linebackers at Arizona from 1980-81. His coaching career began at Easton High School in his hometown of Easton, Pa., where he was an assistant coach from 1969-70.

Amato lettered in football (linebacker) and wrestling at NC State, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1969 and master's degree in education in 1973. The 1965 football team won an ACC co-championship and he was captain of the defense in 1967. He won two ACC titles as a wrestler in 1966 (heavyweight) and 1968 (191-pound weight class).

He and his wife, Peggy, have twin daughters, LuGina and Selena.

Amato's Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1969-70 – Easton (Pa.) High School (assistant coach)
1971-72 – NC State (graduate assistant)
1973-75 – NC State (defensive secondary)
1976-79 – NC State (defensive coordinator / linebackers)
1980-81 – Arizona (linebackers)
1982-95 – Florida State (defensive line)
1996-99 – Florida State (linebackers)
1986-99 – Florida State (assistant head coach)
2000-06 – NC State (head coach) (49-37 record)
2007-09 – Florida State (executive head coach)
2012- – Akron (associate head coach / defensive coordinator)

Amato’s No. 1 Draft Picks:
Mario Williams (Texans No. 1 overall pick, 2006)
Manny Lawson (49ers No. 1 draft choice, 2006)
John McCargo (Bills No. 1 draft choice, 2006)
Philip Rivers (Giants No. 1 draft choice, 2004)
Koren Robinson (Seahawks No. 1 draft choice, 2001)
Andre Wadsworth  (Cardinals No. 1 draft choice, 1998)
Sam Cowart  (Bills No. 1 draft choice, 1998)
Peter Boulware  (Ravens No. 1 draft choice, 1997)
Reinard Wilson  (Bengals No. 1 draft choice, 1997)
Derrick Alexander (Vikings No. 1 draft choice, 1995)
Alphonso Carreker (Packers No. 1 draft choice, 1984)

Alan Arrington is in his first season on the Akron staff and will serve as coach of the offensive line.

Arrington, 42 (born Sept. 29, 1969), comes to UA after six seasons at North Alabama, serving as the program's offensive coordinator for the last four seasons and working under Terry Bowden each of the last three years. Arrington also worked with the Lions' offensive line and helped the squad to a 62-14 mark during that six-year span as well as an appearance in the Division II playoffs each season. The program claimed a Gulf South Conference championship in 2006 and 2009. He was UNA’s recruiting coordinator from 2006-08.

At North Alabama, Arrington tutored a number of decorated offensive linemen. In 2009, Calvin Wilson was named an All-American as well as being placed on the All-GSC and All-Super Region 2 teams. In 2008, Sam Hathorn was named to four All-American teams as well as the All-GSC and All-Super Region 2 squads, while J.D Whited earned All-American, all-league and all-region nods in 2007. In 2006, center JoJo Bates earned All-American, All-GSC and All-Southeast Region recognition.

With Arrington as offensive coordinator in 2008, UNA posted a 12-2 record and advanced to the semifinals of the Division II playoffs. That season the Lions ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense (41.3 ppg), seventh in passing efficiency and fourth in turnover margin (giving up 15 turnovers in those 14 games).

He joined the UNA staff following 12 seasons as an assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College, after stints as a student assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi (1989-90) and Ole Miss (1991-93).

In 1994, he was named offensive line coach at Northwest Mississippi and also was the school's head softball coach from 1998-2001. In 2001, he was elevated to offensive coordinator and held that position through 2004. During his tenure, the Rangers claimed three Mississippi Junior College state championships and posted an 84-28 record. In five of those seasons the program ranked in the top six nationally in total offense and led the country in that category in 1999 and 2000.

Also during his stay at Northwest Mississippi, the school produced eight All-Americans and two National Academic honorees. While serving as offensive coordinator, the Rangers sent 11 players onto Division-I programs and nine to Division-II schools.

Thrice during his career (1995, 2002, 2004) he was selected for the MACIC North All-Star coaching staff.

He is a native of Oxford, Miss., and is married to the former Gail Perkins.

Arrington’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1989-90 – Northwest Mississippi CC (student assistant)
1991-93 – Mississippi (student assistant)
1994-00 – Northwest Mississippi CC (offensive line)
2001-04 – Northwest Mississippi CC (offensive coordinator)
2006-07 – North Alabama (offensive line)
2008-11 – North Alabama (offensive coordinator)
2012- – Akron (offensive line)

The younger brother of UA head coach Terry Bowden, Jeff boasts nearly 30 years of collegiate coaching experience and will serve as the Zips' special teams coordinator and also work with the outside receivers.

He spent the previous three seasons as associate head coach and receivers coach at North Alabama with his brother, helping the program to a 29-9 record during that time and a Gulf South Conference championship in 2009. Three of his Lion receivers, Preston Parker, Mico McSwain and T.J. Porter earned All-GSC recognition. McSwain and Porter were also all-region team members and signed free agent contracts with NFL squads.  

Prior to his time at UNA, he spent 13 years (1994-2006) on the staff at Florida State, working under his father, legendary coach Bobby Bowden. Jeff was the Seminoles' offensive coordinator from 2001-06 and from 1994-2000 worked with the receivers.

In his 13 seasons at FSU, the program competed in a bowl game each year, tallied nine conference titles and one national championship (1999). A total of 21 of his charges were drafted or signed as a free agent with an NFL team, including Pro Bowlers Laveraneus Coles, Javon Walker and Anquan Boldin. He also coached consensus All-Americans Peter Warrick and Marvin Minnis, and mentored four bowl game MVPs – Andre Cooper (1996 Orange Bowl), Warrick (2000 Sugar Bowl), Walker (2002 Gator Bowl) and Willie Reid (2006 Orange Bowl).

He began his collegiate coaching career in 1983 as a receivers coach at Salem College, when Terry was hired as the head coach, and in 1985 was promoted to offensive coordinator.

In 1986, he served as graduate assistant coach at Florida State before rejoining Terry on Samford’s staff the following year. Jeff was offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs from 1987-90 and was credited with guiding the career of current Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher in his time as quarterback.

From 1991-93, Bowden served as receivers coach at Southern Mississippi before returning to Florida State in 1994.

Bowden, 52 (born Dec. 30, 1959) played wide receiver at FSU from 1980-83. He and his wife, Cindy, have five children, Haley, Hunter, T.J., Robert and Julia Elizabeth.

Bowden’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1983-84 – Salem College (receivers)
1985 – Salem College (offensive coordinator)
1986 – Florida State (graduate assistant)
1987-90 – Samford (offensive coordinator)
1991-00 – Florida State (receivers)
2001-06 – Florida State (offensive coordinator)
2009-11 – North Alabama (associate head coach / receivers)
2012- – Akron (special teams coordinator / outside receivers)

Northeast Ohio native Trent Boykin is in his first season at Akron, where he will oversee the running backs.

He spent the 2011 season as running backs coach at Wayne State, helping the Warriors to a school-record 12-win season and the program's first-ever appearance in the Division-II national championship game. The team was ranked second in the final AFCA poll, and closed the season listed 33rd nationally in rushing yards per game (200.56) and 23rd in scoring offense (34.48 ppg).

Under his tutelage in 2011, Wayne State had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time in school history. Senior Josh Renel was a first-team all-region selection and CoSIDA Academic All-America pick, while sophomore Toney Davis earned third-team all-region accolades. Davis’s 1,557 rushing yards were the fourth most in a single-season at WSU.

Boykin, 41 (born Nov. 13, 1970), spent the 2010 campaign as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Lambuth (Tenn.) and was the head coach for two seasons (2008 and 2009) at Lane College (Tenn.), where he mentored eight all-conference players and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. Before working at Lane, he spent three seasons as assistant head coach at Kentucky State.

A 1995 graduate of Youngstown State with a degree in organizational communication, Boykin began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Akron (1996-97). He also served one year at Boston College (1998) as an offensive graduate assistant before coaching receivers at Tiffin in 1999. He spent three years (2000-02) as YSU’s wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator, and oversaw the running backs and special teams at Ball State in 2003 and 2004.

Boykin was awarded four varsity letters in football and played on three Division I-AA national championship teams (1991, 1993, 1994) at Youngstown State under head coach Jim Tressel. He completed his collegiate career ranked second on the Penguin’s career receptions (150) list and seventh in career receiving yards (1,950). He also held the school record for career punt returns (74) and career punt return yardage (534), and was named the program’s outstanding offensive player in 1994.

A 1990 graduate of Kent Roosevelt High School, he lettered in football, basketball and track, and is a member of the Kent City Schools Hall of Fame. Boykin played one year in Spain in the Arena Football League after originally signing with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He has two daughter, Elivia and Brittney, and one son, Jaz.

Boykin's Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1996-97 – Akron (graduate assistant)
1998 – Boston College (graduate assistant)
1999 – Tiffin (receivers)
2000-02 – Youngstown State (receivers / special teams)
2003-04 – Ball State (running backs /special teams)
2005-07 – Kentucky State (assistant head coach / offensive coordinator)
2008-09 – Lane College (head coach) (4-17 record)
2010 – Lambuth (co-offensive coordinator / quarterbacks)
2011 – Wayne State (running backs)
2012- – Akron (running backs)

Terrell Buckley, a 14-year veteran of the NFL and Florida State standout, joined the UA staff in January 2012 and will work with the Zips’ cornerbacks. He helped the Patriots to a victory in Super Bowl XXXVI (Feb. 3, 2002).

A two-year starter and three-year letterwinner as a cornerback and return specialist at Florida State (1989-91), he was inducted into the school’s sports hall of fame in 2003. He had his jersey No. 27 retired in 2011 and is one of nine players in FSU history to earn that distinction, joining receivers Fred Biletnikoff (1962-64) and Ron Sellers (1966-68), nose guard Ron Simmons (1977-80), cornerback Deion Sanders (1985-88), Heisman trophy-winning quarterbacks Charlie Ward (1989-93) and Chris Weinke (1997-2000), running back Warrick Dunn (1993-96) and linebacker Derrick Brooks (1991-94).

Buckley, 41 (born June 7, 1971) left FSU as the program’s all-time leader in interceptions (21) and interception return yards (501). That INT return yardage was an NCAA record, and he tied school records for touchdowns off interceptions (4) and punt returns (3). He earned consensus All-America honors as a junior in 1991 as well as the Jim Thorpe Award that same season, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. He was also a member of the Seminoles baseball team for two seasons (1990-91), playing outfield and second base, and was a sprinter on the outdoor track team (1991-92).

Buckley was picked fifth in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and spent the next 14 seasons in the league (1992-2005).

During his NFL career he amassed 50 interceptions. In 1996, Buckley led the league in interception return yards (164) and as a rookie in 1992 set what remains a current record as the youngest player to return a punt for a touchdown (21 years, 105 days – Sept. 20, 1992, versus Cincinnati). He also played baseball in the Atlanta Braves minor league system.

Buckley spent the last three seasons as a graduate assistant strength coach at FSU, where he completed his undergraduate degree in 2007. A native of Pascagoula, Miss., he’s a single father of three daughters, Sherrell, Brianna and Britney.

Buckley's Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
2007 – Florida State (student assistant)
2008 – Florida State (weight room assistant)
2009 – Florida State (graduate assistant – defense)
2010-11 – Florida State (weight room coach)
2012- – Akron (cornerbacks)

A.J. Milwee, a record-setting signal caller at North Alabama, mentors the Zips' quarterbacks and in December 2012 was promoted to offensive coordinator. Milwee comes to Akron after one year on staff at East Mississippi Community College, helping the program to an NJCAA national championship.

He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons on Terry Bowden's staff at UNA as a graduate assistant that worked with the quarterbacks. In that time on the Lions staff the program went a combined 20-6, made back-to-back playoff appearances and were 2009 Gulf South Conference champions.

Having compiled a 33-5 mark as UNA's QB during the 2006-08 seasons, Milwee set all-time school records for career passing yards (8,436), pass completions (677), passing attempts (1,030), touchdown passes (73) and total offense yards (9,401). He earned honorable mention All-America honors as a senior and is a member of the program's all-decade team (1999-2008).

At UNA, he was a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top player at the NCAA Division-II level.

Milwee, 26 (born Jan. 19, 1986) spent his freshman year of eligibility as a member of the Alabama football team. He holds an undergraduate degree in finance from North Alabama.

Milwee’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
2009-10 – North Alabama (graduate assistant)
2011 – East Mississippi Community College (quarterbacks)
2012- – Akron (quarterbacks)

John Pont joined Terry Bowden's staff in January 2012 and will serve as recruiting coordinator and inside receivers coach.

Pont, 29 (born Aug. 28, 1983) spent the 2011 season on staff at fellow Mid-American Conference institution Miami (Ohio), serving as defensive intern. He began his coaching career at Florida State, where he was Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher's offensive graduate student assistant from 2008-09, and completed a master's degree in sport administration during that time.

Pont, who has an undergraduate degree from Miami (Ohio), was receivers and tight ends coach at North Alabama for Terry Bowden in 2009, before a brief stop at North Texas and move to Colorado State in 2010 to be an offensive quality control coach. He returned to North Alabama for a short time in 2011, just prior to his post at Miami.

Pont's grandfather, John, is a member of Miami's famed Cradle of Coaches and also served as head coach at Yale, Northwestern and Indiana. Pont is married to the former Tera Bowden, Terry's daughter.

Pont’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
2008 – Florida State (graduate assistant)
2009 – North Alabama (receivers / tight ends)
2010 – Colorado State (offensive quality control)
2011 – Miami (Ohio) (defensive intern)
2012- – Akron (recruiting coordinator / inside receivers)

Todd Stroud, who boasts over 25 years of experience as a collegiate coach, will work with the Zips' defensive line. Throughout his career he has tutored numerous NFL draft selections and developed nationwide recruiting ties. Additionally, he has served 20 seasons in a role as a strength and conditioning coach.

Stroud spent the previous two years at Colorado State where he coached the defensive line in 2011, and was tight ends/fullbacks coach and recruiting coordinator in 2010.

He arrived at CSU after three seasons (2007-09) as head coach for strength and conditioning at his alma mater Florida State. During that stint, he helped the Seminoles to three bowl appearances.

Stroud, 48 (born Dec. 17, 1963), was assistant head coach/defensive line coach at North Carolina State from 2004-06, working under then Wolfpack head coach and current Akron associate head coach/defensive coordinator Chuck Amato. During his first season, the program led the nation in total defense.

Five of his NC State players were selected in NFL drafts. Three of those linemen went in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft – Mario Williams (the No. 1 overall selection ahead of Reggie Bush), Manny Lawson and John McCargo. Additionally, Wolfpack standouts Tank Tyler (2007, third round) and DeMario Pressley (2008, fifth round), a member of the New Orleans Saints team that won Super Bowl XLIV, also were drafted.

From 1999-2004, he was NC State’s director of strength and conditioning. He was also strength and conditioning coach at Memphis (1997-99), Auburn (1993) and Samford (1987-92), where he also coached the defensive line. He first worked with student-athletes in a weight room in 1986 at Florida State.

The 1993 Auburn team he trained and conditioned went 11-0 and finished ranked fourth in the final Associated Press poll under head coach Terry Bowden. In his six seasons at Samford (also coached by Bowden), he aided the program in reaching consecutive Division I-AA playoff appearances, including the national semifinals in 1991.

Stroud was head coach at Western Alabama from 1994-96. His career began as the defensive line coach at UCF in the spring of 1986, before joining Bobby Bowden’s staff at Florida State as a weight room assistant that summer.

He has a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Florida State (1985) and a master’s degree in athletics administration from Alabama-Birmingham (1988). He started at nose guard for FSU from 1983-85 and was captain of the 1985 squad. A two-time Nutrament Strength All-American, he helped the Seminoles to four bowl games and in 1984 earned the program’s Bob Crenshaw Award, given annually to the player whose courage and fighting spirit was an inspiration to others.

Stroud and his wife, Marianne, have four children, daughters, Jessica, Alexandra and Chelsea, and son, Stone.

Stroud’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1986 – UCF (defensive line)
1986 – Florida State (weight room assistant)
1987-93 – Samford (defensive line / strength and conditioning)
1993 – Auburn (head coach strength and conditioning)
1994-96 – Western Alabama (head coach) (6-25 record)
1997-99 – Memphis (head coach strength and conditioning)
1999-04 – NC State (director of strength and conditioning)
2004-06 – NC State (associate head coach / defensive line)
2007-09 – Florida State (head coach strength and conditioning)
2010 – Colorado State (tight ends / fullbacks / recruiting coordinator)
2011 – Colorado State (defensive line)
2012- – Akron (defensive line)

Veteran coach and Northeast Ohio native Mike Woodford is in his first season on Terry Bowden’s staff, but is in his second stint as a member of the Zips coaching staff. This time around, he will oversee the safeties.

Woodford joins the Akron staff after spending the 2011 season at New Mexico following a three-year stretch at Illinois (2007-09). He coached the Lobos secondary, and was the Illini special teams coordinator and worked closely with their defensive backs.

His input with the UI DBs made an immediate impact, increasing the total number of interceptions by the unit from 10 in 2006 to 17 in 2007. The secondary was credited with 14 INTs in 2008. In 2007, safety Kevin Mitchell’s five picks ranked third-best in the Big Ten and he was listed second in the conference in passes defended.

As special teams coordinator at Illinois, Woodford was responsible for breaking in a brand-new kicking battery after the graduation of the squad’s kicker, snapper and holder from the previous season. Emerging in 2008 was placekicker Matt Eller, who broke the school record for field goals by a freshman and led the team in scoring with 84 points, the seventh-best single-season performance in the school record book. In 2009, Eller was a preseason All-Big Ten selection.

In 2007, Woodford tutored placekicker Jason Reda to the best season of his career. He broke the school’s all-time scoring record with 267 points, while also finishing with 51 career field goals.

Woodford’s tenure at Illinois marked the fourth time he and head coach Ron Zook had joined forces. The pair were part of the Kansas staff in 1983, the New Orleans Saints’ staff in 2001 and during Zook’s time as head coach at Florida, when they led the Gators to the 2002 and 2003 Outback Bowl. While at KU, the duo worked with Mike Gottfried, and Woodford has also studied under such coaches as Larry Smith, Lou Holtz and Jim Haslett.

In his first season at Florida, Woodford coached three All-SEC players in Todd Johnson, Keiwan Ratliff and Guss Scott. That year, the Gator pass defense ranked seventh in the country and allowed 162.38 yards per game, the lowest by a UF squad since 1989.

He also helped a pair of Saints to Pro Bowl selections during his season with the NFL franchise, as safety Sammy Knight was a 2002 Pro Bowl starter and La’Roi Glover also was selected to the team.

Woodford went to the Saints after spending two seasons at Middle Tennessee State as the defensive backs coach. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator at nearby Walsh University for the 1994-99 season and the defensive backs coach at Akron from 1986-91 with coach Gerry Faust (Terry Bowden was on the UA staff in 1986 as well).

That stint followed one-season tenures at MTSU and Rhodes College (Tenn.). At MTSU, he helped lead the Raiders to an 11-0 regular-season record and a No. 1 national ranking. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arizona in 1982 and served in a similar capacity at Arkansas and Kansas.

Woodford, 52 (born Sept. 4, 1959) has a bachelor of liberal arts degree in history from Arizona and played safety for the Wildcats from 1978-81. After joining the program as a walk on, he later becoming a starter and was a member of the team that played in the 1979 Fiesta Bowl.

He has two daughters, Michaela and Ellie.

Woodford's Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1982-83 – Arizona (graduate assistant)
1983-84 – Arkansas (graduate assistant)
1984 – Kansas (graduate assistant)
1984-85 – Rhodes College (defensive backs)
1985-86 – Middle Tennessee State (defensive backs)
1986-91 – Akron (defensive backs)
1994-99 – Walsh University (defensive coordinator)
1999-01 – Middle Tennessee State (defensive backs)
2001-02 – New Orleans Saints (defensive assistant)
2002-03 – Florida (special teams/defensive backs)
2007-09 – Illinois (special teams/defensive backs)
2011 – New Mexico (defensive backs)
2012- – Akron (safeties)

Ben Murphy is in his first season serving as Akron football's director of operations. In this role with the Zips, he conducts the day-to-day operations of the football office, such as scheduling events and practices and making travel arrangements.

Murphy, 28 (born March 27, 1984) served as Terry Bowden's director of football operations each of the last three seasons at North Alabama, after serving as a graduate assistant coach at Florida State from 2007-09.

While at FSU, he was heavily involved in the program's recruiting effort and helped achieve top-10 recruiting classes in 2008 and 2009. He also worked as an intern in the Florida State sports information department from 2005-07.

Murphy, a native of Tampa, Fla., graduated from Florida State with a bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2007, and added a master’s degree in sport administration from FSU in 2009.

Mark Ouimet is in his first season as UA’s assistant director of football operations. In this role, he will help facilitate the day-to-day logistics of the team and also assist in organizing the program’s recruiting effort.

Ouimet, 41 (born May 20, 1971) most recently served as coordinator of recruiting operations at Mississippi State. He relocated to Starkville from Ann Arbor, Mich., where he lived for the previous 10 years. During that period, he spent time as the director of football operations for the All-American Football League and also worked as vice president of football operations for PMG Sports.

He was a member of the University of Michigan’s football staff as well, first serving as an assistant recruiting coordinator and special teams assistant, followed by an assignment as the Wolverines coordinator of player development.

Ouimet has also worked as an account representative for the Detroit Pistons, and was a football graduate assistant for Northwood University in Midland, Mich., from 1996-98.

He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Siena Heights College in 1995, followed by an MBA from Northwood in 1997.

Dan Webb is in his first season as the Zips’ director of strength and conditioning for football, after serving as a graduate assistant on the team’s strength and conditioning staff in 2011.

From 2008-10, Webb was a member of the strength and conditioning staff at Michigan, serving one year as an intern and two seasons as an assistant coach. During that time he worked with student-athletes from multiple sports, including football, men’s ice hockey and wrestling.

Prior to joining the Akron staff in 2011, Webb was on staff at Strength In Motion in Syracuse, N.Y. In that role, he taught proper Olympic lifting techniques, nutrition and customized training programs. Among his students were select members of the Syracuse men’s basketball team.

Webb has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology/fitness development from SUNY Cortland and is working on a master’s degree in sport science and coaching at Akron. He is CSCS certified and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).