A source close to the Kent State athletic department confirmed Monday evening that new football coach Paul Haynes has hired all but one of his assistants, the group meeting earlier in the day to begin working the Golden Flashes’ recruiting board.
The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because the hirings are not yet official.
The new coaches are: linebackers coach Ben Needham (formerly the defensive quality control coach at Ohio State), cornerbacks coach Amp Campbell (secondary coach at Western Michigan), receivers coach Doc Gamble (running backs/tight ends coach at Alcorn State), running backs coach Ted Bahhur (coming from Colorado State and a Flashes alum who served as a defensive assistant coach at KSU, from where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1992), offensive line coach Shawn Clark (who held the same position at Purdue) and strength and conditioning coach Antoine Sharp (an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Arkansas).
There are currently three holdovers from former coach Darrell Hazell’s staff and possibly a fourth coming soon. The three already in place are: Brian Rock (continuing on as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach), Brian George (current defensive line coach who will add the title of defensive coordinator) and Jeff Burrow (staying on as safeties coach).
Haynes has yet to name a tight ends coach, although there’s been speculation that current Flashes special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Dave McMichael could remain on staff in the position.
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Kent State blog at http://www.ohio.com/flashes. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.
