HobbsDailyReport.com
Comments by Drew Cronic, the new head football coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University, about his staff.
In a Monday press release, LRU announced Cronic has hired five new assistant coaches and retained two from the previous coaching staff.
Cronic’s comments:
About Bob Bodine: “I have known him for a long time and he is an outstanding teacher and motivator with an impressive background in college football. He will bring toughness and physicality to our offense while also being creative and innovative.”
About Josh Aldridge: “He has all the qualities we are looking for on our staff — smart, innovative, tough-minded, high character — and is a tireless worker and recruiter. I am excited to have him lead our defense.”
About Tim Foster: “He was on my staff at Reinhardt and is an outstanding young football coach and recruiter. He has a great understanding of our offensive system and will do a wonderful job organizing our recruiting efforts.”
About Micheal Ramseur: “He is an outstanding addition to our staff with an impressive background and strong North Carolina roots. He will do a wonderful job with our running backs.”
About Jimmy Long: “He played on some outstanding football teams here (at LRU) and understands what it takes to be successful at Lenoir-Rhyne. Jimmy is an impressive young coach and recruiter and will do a great job with our defensive line.”
About Aaron Brock: “He is respected by everyone on our campus and will be extremely valuable as he handles many administrative duties for us. He embodies all the qualities we look for in our coaches and players.”
About David Cole: “He did a wonderful job as the interim head coach, and he and I share the same vision and values. He is an outstanding football coach and teacher, but an even better leader and family man.”
HICKORY – New Lenoir-Rhyne University head football coach Drew Cronic’s coaching staff, announced Monday via a press release, includes a former star player from Maiden High.
Cronic — hired Dec. 7 to replace Mike Kellar — is bringing in five new assistant coaches, retaining two from Kellar’s staff and keeping four graduate assistants and adding another.
Kellar was fired after two seasons as the Bears’ head coach.
RAMSEUR
Micheal Ramseur, who ran for 14 touchdowns on Maiden teams that went 26-8-1 from 1989-91, will coach the Bears’ running backs. He has been a college coach at Mars Hill, Winston-Salem State and Hampton University over the last 11 seasons and was a graduate assistant at LRU in 1998-99.
Ramseur spent three seasons coaching offensive linemen at Mars Hill, his alma mater, and then coached for four seasons at Winston-Salem State. He was at Hampton the last four seasons, coaching offensive linemen, running backs and serving as run game coordinator.
Ramseur signed with and played two seasons at North Carolina before finishing his college football career at Mars Hill. As a high school star, he played for the North Carolina Shrine Bowl team in 1991.
Maiden went 4-5-1 in Ramseur’s sophomore year, 12-1 his junior season and 10-2 his senior year, all under head coach Tom Brown.
Here are bios on the other LRU hires announced on Monday:
BODINE
Bob Bodine, Offensive Coordinator & Offensive Line Coach
Bodine comes to LRU after one season as Offensive Line Coach at Georgia Southern. He also spent three seasons as Offensive Line and Tight Ends Coach at Army West Point (2014-16). The Black Knights finished second in the nation in rushing in 2016 with more than 327 yards per game.
ALDRIDGE
Josh Aldridge, Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach
Aldridge comes to LRU after serving as Defensive Line Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and NFL Liaison at West Georgia for four years (2014-17). West Georgia’s defense was ranked third in the nation in 2015 (248 yards per game) and seventh nationally in scoring defense (15.2 points per game).
The Wolves also had two players drafted – Dylan Donahue (the Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year) and Alex Armah – under Aldridge’s tutelage.
FOSTER
Tim Foster, Wide Receivers and Tight Ends Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Foster comes to LRU after an outstanding three-year stint as an assistant coach at Reinhardt (2015-17), a NAIA school in Waleska, Ga.
Last year, the Eagles went 12-1 and earned a berth in the NAIA National Championship game. Reinhardt led the nation in rushing (359.8 ypg) and ranked fifth in scoring offense at 47 points per contest.
In all, Foster served as Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Z-Backs, Field Goal Team and Return Coach and Video Coordinator for the Eagles.
LONG
Jimmy Long, Defensive Line Coach
Long recently served as a graduate assistant defensive line coach at N.C. State. He also coached defensive line at Sewanee (Tenn.) – also known as the University of the South — in 2016 after serving two years as Special Teams and Defensive Quality Control Coach for The Citadel (2014-15).
Long, a 2014 LRU graduate, was an all-conference and all-region honoree for the Bears. He played on the 2013 team that reached the NCAA Division II title game and was on three LRU teams that won regular-season South Atlantic Conference titles.
BROCK
Aaron Brock, Assistant Head Coach for Operations
Brock is beginning his 10th year as an LRU assistant coach. This past fall, Brock assumed duties as Assistant Head Coach for Operations after many seasons on the defensive staff. Brock also serves as the Bears’ Coordinator of Academics.
David Cole, Special Teams Coordinator & Secondary Coach
COLE
Cole is beginning his third year on the LRU football staff and will serve as Special Teams Coordinator and Secondary Coach. He also served as Co-Recruiting Coordinator for the Bears in 2017.
Cole was the Bears’ interim head coach while the school searched for a new head football coach.
Note: LRU also retained its four graduate assistants – Cameron Clark, Michael DeStephens, Aaron Terry and Jawan Turner – from last season while adding a fifth GA, Gordon Thigpen.
— Reported by LRU Sports Information