NickKBTV Posted March 15, 2010 Report Posted March 15, 2010 BEAUMONT – Todd Whitten, who spent the past five years as head football coach at Sam Houston State University, is joining Ray Woodard’s Lamar University staff as offensive coordinator. Whitten, who replaces Tommy Mainord who left in January to take an assistant’s job at Texas Tech, reported to work Monday, the day before the Cardinals open spring training in preparation for the 2010 season, the first for Lamar since 1989. Whitten compiled a 25-28 record at Sam Houston State with his best seasons being 2006 and 2007, when the Bearkats had runnerup finishes in the Southland Conference with 6-5 and 7-4 records, respectively. Whitten’s final Bearkat team went 5-6 and finished fifth in the SLC race. Prior to succeeding longtime Sam Houston coach Ron Randleman in January of 2005, Whitten spent six seasons as head coach at Tarleton State, leading the Texans to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2001 and 2003. The 2001 Texans advanced to the quarterfinals and posted a 10-3 record. Whitten, who has also been an assistant coach at Texas Tech, New Mexico State, Texas-El Paso and Wyoming as well as Sam Houston State, had a 45-23 record at Tarleton State, and his 11-season head-coaching record is 70-51. “I’m excited about having Todd join our staff,†said Woodard. “He has a wealth of experience, and he’s also a coach I’ve known and respected for a long, long time. “Todd has a lot of familiarity with Southland Conference football, and that will be beneficial to our program. Everywhere Todd has been, the teams have put up impressive numbers in passing and total offense, so we’re looking forward to tapping into his expertise.†When Whitten was offensive coordinator at Sam Houston State in 1999, the Bearkats led the SLC in total offense and passing, and they were second in scoring. As head coach, he had 51 players earn All-SLC recognition at Sam Houston, and he had another 80 All-Lone Star Conference performers at Tarleton State. Woodard, Whitten and the rest of Lamar’s coaching staff will hit the Vernon Glass Field of Champions practice facility at 4 p.m. Tuesday for the Cardinals’ first of four practices this week. The first three will be in shorts and helmets, and the first one in full pads will be Friday, also at 4 p.m. The Cardinals will conduct controlled scrimmages on March 26 and on April 1, at the practice field. After four weeks of practices, the Cardinals will conclude spring training with a Spring Game, set for 3 p.m. on April 10, at the Lamar Soccer Complex.
Recommended Posts