Dec. 21, 2009
Check out the introductory press conference for Coach Jenkins on B-CU All-Access: Click Here
Contact B-CU SID Mark Johnson (386) 481-2206
BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY NAMES Brian Jenkins FOOTBALL COACH
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University has named Ft. Lauderdale, Florida native Brian Jenkins its tenth Head Football Coach. Jenkins was an assistant coach at Rutgers University in the 2009 season and will begin his duties with the B-CU football program immediately.
Bethune-Cookman University President Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, who was unable to attend the press conference because she is in Texas with her mother who recently had a stroke, offered these comments to Coach Jenkins. "I applaud your selection as our new Head Coach. I feel in my spirit that you will bring an incredible energy of enthusiasm, excitement, commitment and belief to the members of our football team and coaching staff, as well as our students, faculty, staff, alumni, Board of Trustees, community and fans."
"In your interview, you conveyed that the most compelling aspect of your coaching philosophy is your commitment to the nurturing, well-being and development of our young athletes, off the field as well as on the field. Your commitment to strong values, morals and ethics will mold these young men into the types of students envisioned by our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune."
B-CU Athletics Director Lynn Thompson talked about the new B-CU Head Football Coach. "Brian Jenkins has been a critical part of the success in several major football programs in his journey to become a head coach. He clearly understands that in order to build a championship program you must commit first to building young men. He is a relentless recruiter who is well connected and highly respected. I look forward to watching our tradition rich program grow under his watch. He is a native Floridian with tremendous rapport with the high school coaches in the state by way of his recruiting assignments for Rutgers and Louisiana-Lafayette. He is closely connected to the BCU family by relatives who have worn the Maroon and Gold and he understands our university mission," Thompson said.
Jenkins, 38, takes over a Wildcat football program steeped in HBCU tradition. "It is an honor to be selected at such a prestigious university as Bethune-Cookman University. I am excited about it and looking forward to getting started. I am ready to go to work and have the opportunity to work with the student-athletes in the football program," said Coach Jenkins.
The Search Committee Chair, Attorney Johnny McCray had these words on the new B-CU Head Football Coach. "The Search Committee is extremely pleased with its selection of Brian Jenkins as the new head coach. Given his impressive credentials and outstanding presentation, the committee was unanimous in its decision. We welcome him to the Wildcat family," said McCray.
Jenkins joined the Rutgers University football staff in March of 2009 and he was wide receivers coach on Head Coach Greg Schiano's Scarlet Knights' team that was the St. Petersburg Bowl champions with a 45-24 win over the University of Central Florida last Saturday.
Prior to Rutgers, Jenkins served as running backs coach and special team's coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette for seven seasons (2002-2008). During the 2005-2007 seasons, the Cajuns rushed for 8,080 yards and 77 touchdowns.
In 2005, Louisiana rushed for a school-record 2,797 yards and 34 touchdowns. The Cajuns followed with 2,264 yards and 20 scores in 2006. In 2008, the Cajuns broke the school record again, running for 3,019 yards to become the first team in Sun Belt Conference history to ever rush for over 3,000 yards.
Four-time All-Sun Belt running back Tyrell Fenroy was the biggest piece to the Cajuns ground game, amassing over 4,500 career rushing yards via four 1,000-yard seasons under Jenkins' tutelage. He was the 16th player in NCAA history to have three 1,000-yard seasons as a junior and was the 7th player in NCAA history to post four 1,000-yard seasons.
In 2005, Fenroy became the first running back in school history to ever rush for over 1,000 yards in a season - doing so as a true freshman. A more impressive statistic is that the Cajuns running backs don't fumble the ball - losing only one fumble the entire 2007 season.
As the special team's coordinator, Jenkins helped the Cajuns in nearly all facets. In 2007, the Cajuns kickoff coverage defense ranked 20th in the nation, while the punt return defense had the identical ranking in 2004. In 2005, the Cajuns punt return unit ranked 27th nationally.
Jenkins joined UL from the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe. While in Germany, Jenkins' special teams set several league and team records.
Prior to his stint in NFL-Europe, Jenkins was the running backs coach at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Before joining the Falcons, Jenkins spent five seasons with Eastern Illinois University. From 1995-98 he served as running backs coach and was named the receivers coach in 1999. While at EIU, the Panthers offense was one of the top rushing offenses in the nation, with a 1,000-yard rusher each season. Jenkins was the first running backs coach in school history to have three rushers rush for over 100 yards each in the same game.
In 1994, he was the receivers coach at Western Kentucky University. While at WKU, Jenkins coached Joey Stockton, who is WKU's all-time leader in receptions and all-purpose yards.
Jenkins played college football as both a wide receiver and running back at the University of Cincinnati. He was the Bearcat record holder for kickoff return yards in a season and in a career before those records were surpassed in 2009. He graduated in 1993 with an associate's degree in education and bachelor's degree in social work. After college, Jenkins spent six months running his own social work business.
He and his wife Octavia have a daughter, Briana, and a son, Brian Jr.
Brian Jenkins - Head Football Coach, Bethune-Cookman University (Named B-CU Coach 12/21/09)
AGE: 38 - Born March 4, 1971
HOMETOWN: Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Dillard High School)
FAMILY: Wife, Octavia; daughter, Briana; son, Brian Jr.
COLLEGE: Graduated from University of Cincinnati in 1993 with bachelor's degree in social work
COLLEGE PLAYING CAREER : Played wide receiver and running back for Bearcats/Cincinnati and was the all-time leader kickoff return yards for a season and career until the records were surpassed in 2009.
JENKINS' COACHING CAREER (1994-2009):
2009: Rutgers, wide receivers coach
2002-08: Louisiana-Lafayette, running backs/special teams coach
2001: Frankfurt Galaxy, running backs/special teams coach
2000: Bowling Green, running backs coach
1999: Eastern Illinois, wide receivers coach
1995-98: Eastern Illinois, running backs coach
1994: Western Kentucky, wide receivers coach
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