Courtesy of Kemmler Chapple
Matt Barrett is one of three coaches coming to coach at Southeastern. Barrett has had successful runs with Georgia Southern University and Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State.
Head football Coach Ron Roberts announced changes and additions to the coaching staff last Tuesday. These changes to coaching staff are believed by Roberts to help return the Lions to championship form next season after a disappointing 4-7 record last season.
“I think every one of them is going to bring something that is best for the program and help us to get back to where we belong, and that is winning conference championships,” said Roberts.
The new additions to the coaching staff are offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Matt Barrett, offensive line coach Travis Mikel and secondary coach Patrick Toney.
Barrett brings a lot of experience to the Lions staff. He was on the coaching staff of Georgia Southern in 2015 and helped them to their first ever bowl game appearance and victory at the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Barrett also coached at conference rival Sam Houston State where he helped them to back-to-back FCS playoff appearances and to the 2012 national championship game. Before going to Sam Houston State, he coached nine seasons as an offensive coordinator for Missouri Southern State and Catawba College.
“It is a tremendous thrill, this program is so attractive for so many reasons,” said Barrett. “Coach Roberts has won everywhere he has been, and I have seen first-hand the talent that Coach Roberts and his staff have recruited here. From my time at Sam Houston State, we played for the national championship and then the following season got beat by Southeastern two times in the same season. I saw the athletes, and they were very impressive and since I have been here, I have been impressed by the work ethic of the players.”
Mikel had been the offensive line coach for the Lions in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. Mikel spent the 2015 season on the Hammond High School coaching staff. Mikel not only coached with Roberts at Delta State University previously but also an All-American center at DSU under Roberts in his first season as coach.
Toney was also previously with the Lions coaching staff. Before, he spent the 2015 season with conference rival Sam Houston State where he helped them to make a Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearance. Toney is a 2013 Southeastern graduate and spent three seasons under Roberts working with the Lion secondary coach. He was also special teams coordinator in the 2014 season.
The changes to the coaching staff have been made to the offensive and defensive side. Chet Pobolish will now be the wide receivers coach, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator. Tyler Hennes will switch from tight ends coach to running backs coach which he was in the 2014 season. Jake Zbydniewski will switch from defensive assistant to tight ends coach. On the defensive side, Kevin Weston is switching from running backs coach to cornerback coach.
“Last year, I lost five coaches so I had to maneuver coaches around just to get through the year,” said Roberts. “So, I simply moved some coaches back. Coach Weston was a defensive coordinator for eight years. It was always his position on the defensive side of the ball. I brought him in last year. I did not have an opening on defense, but I did on offense. As opposed as I was of getting someone I did not want, I took him, and as soon as I got an open defensive spot, I gave it to him.”
Roberts will be taking over duties as defensive coordinator this season.
“Last year was a little different for us because it was the first time I had somebody else come in and be defensive coordinator,” said Roberts. “Right now, we are trying to get back to the things we did before 2015. We are going to look a lot like the way we did in 12, 13 and 14.”
The Lions will start spring practice on March 8, and the annual spring game will be on April 16. For more information on the Lions for 2016, visit lionsports.net.