The University of Akron Athletics
Football Names McCloud as DBs Coach, Retools Defensive Staff
March 14 | Football
AKRON, Ohio - University of Akron head football coach Rob Ianello announced the completion of his program's defensive staff on Monday, with the addition of Kim McCloud as defensive backs coach.
McCloud, who was secondary coach at Baylor the last three seasons, boasts more than a decade of Division-I coaching experience and also competed in the Canadian Football League in the early 1990s. He served as the Bears' defensive recruiting coordinator the last two seasons as well.
"I'm pleased to announce Kim's addition to our staff," said Ianello, who prepares for his second season at UA. "He has a wealth of experience and has competed as a coach and player. He will be a great fit to our staff, and a terrific role model and teacher for our student-athletes. It's exciting to welcome him to the Akron football family."
McCloud tutored an All-Big 12 safety each of the last two seasons, with senior Byron Landor (2010) and senior Jordan Lake (2009) being so honored. Landor compiled a team-high 127 tackles (78 unassisted) five pass breakups, one interception and one sack last season; while Lake totaled 92 tackles as a senior and 97 stops and three INTs as a junior in 2008. McCloud also mentored Chance Casey, a 2009 All-Big 12 Freshman honoree who led the team with two interceptions and one touchdown. McCloud's backfield accounted for eight interceptions in 2008.
In 2010, McCloud helped Baylor to its first bowl appearance since 1994, facing off against Illinois in the Texas Bowl in Houston. The Bears finished the season with a 7-6 overall record (4-4 Big 12).
McCloud came to Baylor after eight seasons as an assistant at the University of Nevada. He coached the Wolf Pack secondary for seven (2000-2003, 2005-07) of his eight years at the school and spent one season (2004) as the program's wide receivers coach. Nevada enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in its gridiron fortunes his final three seasons, earning three-consecutive bowl bids and winning a share of the 2006 Western Athletic Conference title.
McCloud coached a pair of All-Western Athletic Conference performers at Nevada, including two-time (2005 and 2006) first-team honoree Joe Garcia, who ranked 14th nationally in interceptions as a senior in 2006. In his lone year as the Wolf Pack wide receivers coach, Nichiren Flowers earned first-team All-WAC honors after a 91-catch campaign that saw him finish second in the conference in both receptions and receiving yards.
A native of Los Angeles, McCloud began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Kaiser High School in Honolulu. He broke into the college ranks as a graduate assistant at Missouri in 1997 and helped the Tigers earn a Holiday Bowl invitation. In 1998, McCloud joined the University of Idaho's staff as cornerbacks coach where he helped the Vandals capture the Big West Conference title and cap the season with a Humanitarian Bowl victory.
McCloud was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at the University of Hawai'i, where he earned honorable mention All-WAC honors as a defensive back and was named to the 1990 All-WAC Academic Team. He signed a free agent contract with the NFL's San Diego Chargers in 1991 and played two seasons as defensive back (1991 and 1992) in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
An all-city defensive back and wide receiver at Los Angeles City High School, McCloud received his bachelor's degree in economics and sociology from Hawai'i in 1991. He and his wife, Renee, have two children, Kaleb and Rachel.
"I'm happy to be joining the Akron football family," McCloud said. "I look forward to working alongside Coach (Rob) Ianello and Coach (Kevin) Cosgrove (defensive coordinator) and being a part of building the program into a championship contender. The commitment the campus administration has given to athletics is tremendous and made this a very appealing opportunity."
In February, Ianello named Kevin Cosgrove as defensive coordinator, and with the addition of McCloud as defensive backs coach, has completed the restructuring of UA's defensive staff.
In addition to being the defensive coordinator, Cosgrove will oversee the defensive ends. Vince Okruch, who is in his third season with the program and coached the safeties last year, will now be in charge of the defensive tackles and remain as special teams coordinator. Charlie Camp, in his second year with the team, will continue to tutor the Zips linebackers. Matt Arshinkoff, now in his third year at UA, is the program's graduate assistant for defense and Tony Bouie was added to the staff during the winter and will be in charge of defensive quality control. Bouie played safety for four seasons with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1995-98) after a standout career on the gridiron at the University of Arizona.
Akron opens spring practice on Wednesday, March 23 and will hold its annual Spring Game on Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. ET at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field.
The McCloud File:
Born: May 8, 1968
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Education: B.S., Economics and Sociology - Hawai'i, 1991
High School: Los Angeles City HS
Family: Wife, Renee; Children, Kaleb and Rachel
Coaching Experience Year-By-Year:
1997: Missouri - Graduate Assistant
1998-99: Idaho - Cornerbacks Coach
2000-07: Nevada - Cornerbacks/Wide Receivers
2008-2010: Baylor - Secondary Coach
Bowl Games:
Aloha Bowl 1989 (player); Holiday Bowl 1997; Humanitarian Bowl 1998; Hawaii Bowl 2005; MPC Computers Bowl 2006; New Mexico Bowl 2007; Texas Bowl 2010
