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News Nuggets, 01.07.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

'Shank' takes over Gamecocks' offensive line

COLUMBIA — Steve Shankweiler, who has 21 years of collegiate coaching experience, has joined the staff of South Carolina coach Lou Holtz as offensive line coach.

Shankweiler, who coached the offensive line at Cincinnati this past year, spent a total of 10 seasons as offensive line coach at East Carolina, working with that program on two different occasions (1987-91 and 1998-2002), and three years as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Georgia Tech (1992-94).

During his second stint at East Carolina under then head coach Steve Logan, the Pirates appeared in three consecutive postseason bowl games and ECU was the only school in Conference USA to place an offensive lineman on the all-league first team for five straight seasons (1998-2002).

"We feel fortunate to bring in Steve Shankweiler to our program," said Lou Holtz, who was in Orlando, site of this week's annual American Football Coaches Association Convention. "He is a highly-regarded offensive line coach who brings a great deal of experience and enthusiasm to our staff, along with a genuine desire to help this program contend for a championship.

"Coach Shankweiler has demonstrated he has an excellent rapport with his players and I believe he will help bring an outstanding chemistry to our coaching staff."

A 1974 graduate of Davidson College with a degree in history, Shankweiler went on to earn a master's degree in physical education from Georgia State in 1978. He was a two-year football letterman and three-year letterwinner in track at Davidson.

"Having coached against and recruited against South Carolina for many years, I've always thought this was a program that could compete for a championship," said Shankweiler. "I've admired Coach Holtz for many, many years and I used to drive all the way to Arkansas to attend his coaching clinics. He's one of the best coaches in the history of the game and I'm extremely excited about having the opportunity to work with him at South Carolina."

Shankweiler is married to the former Patti Ann Thompson and they have three children: a son Kort, who plays football at ECU, and daughters, Lori and Jennifer.

ECU 'Wild Dogs' founder quits Longhorns

AUSTIN — Texas defensive coordinator Carl Reese resigned Tuesday following his sixth season and one in which the Longhorns again failed to win the Big 12 or make it to a BCS game.

The defense had been ranked in the top 10 three of the past four years but this season finished at No. 25, allowing 329.9 yards per game.

``I just felt it was in everyone's best interest for me to move on,'' Reese said. ``I think it will be good for Mack to get some fresh blood in here with some new ideas who can help them take it to the next level.''

Speculation about Reese's job began following a 65-13 loss to rival Oklahoma in October. Texas ended the season 10-3 and ranked No. 12 after a 28-20 loss to Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

Reese, 60, had been at Texas since 1997 and said it was ``the best job I've ever had.''

A 1966 graduate of Missouri, Reese began his college coaching career at East Carolina in 1970. He served four seasons as the Pirates' defensive coordinator and his 1972-73 defensive unit, which became known as the 'Wild Dogs,' was instrumental in helping ECU put together back-to-back Southern Conference championships.

Reese would go on to serve as defensive coordinator at a number of schools, including two stints at his alma mater, Missouri. His last stop before joining the Longhorns' staff was at LSU.

Texas coach Mack Brown said he did not anticipate any further staff changes and that a search for Reese's replacement would begin immediately.

Carroll headlines AFCA coaching awards

ORLANDO — Southern California's Pete Carroll was honored as the Division I-A coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association on Tuesday.

Carroll led the Trojans to a 12-1 season and The Associated Press national championship. After losing five of his first seven games at Southern Cal, Carroll has gone 27-4.

``You have to have great resolve in what you stand for, and that's a lot easier said than done,'' Carroll said. ``Until you start making those declarations, I don't see how you can really move forward with real intention and a direction that you can really stay with.''

Colgate's Dick Biddle won the Division I-AA honor from AFCA for leading the Red Raiders to that level's national title game.

Grand Valley State's Brian Kelly and Carroll's Mike van Diest shared the Division II coaching award. Kelly won his second consecutive Division II title, while Van Diest led Carroll to a 15-0 record and the Montana school's second straight NAIA championship.

John Gagliardi won the Division III honor after a season in which he led St. John's (Minn.) to a national championship and passed Eddie Robinson as the career victory leader.

Carroll, speaking nonstop for an hour with only a few brief pauses and waving his arms while rarely standing still at the podium, told the convention that a successful coach should ask first himself in what he believes. Only then, he said, can a coach successfully teach his players.

``You can question yourself, and constantly revisit 'Why' and 'What for?' about what you're doing, and establish firm opinions,'' Carroll said. ``You wear them and see how they fit you, then you adjust from there.''

Former Army QB makes East-West Shrine roster as LB

WEST POINT — Last month's Army-Navy game was not the final collegiate football contest for one Army senior. Senior outside linebacker Ryan Kent has been selected to participate in Saturday's 79th East-West Shrine Game.

A native of Woodbury, N.J. (Woodbury, H.S.), Kent served as one of Army's team captains this past season. He capped an outstanding Black Knights career this fall by piling up 146 tackles, the fifth-highest single-season total in Army history. His 11.2 per-game tackle average ranked fifth among Conference USA leaders. He also finished with nine tackles for loss, the second-highest total on the team.

Originally recruited to West Point as a quarterback, Kent started his final three years on defense and became only the third player in Army history to serve as team captain in consecutive seasons. He closed his decorated Army playing career with 325 tackles to list seventh on the Academy's all-time chart. He also ranks seventh with 16 career pass breakups.

Kent will become the 18th Army player to participate in the East-West Shrine Game, which will be played at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. (EST).

Proceeds from the game benefit all 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children in North America. The postseason all-star classic has been played annually since 1925, raising more than $14 million.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007