Expanding Role
December 29, 2007 12:22 PM | General
December 29, 2007
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Whether it’s picking up food orders for the staff or assembling a scout team for the starters, the tasks of graduate assistant coaches generally go unnoticed. Working their way up the coaching ranks is a difficult and tiring journey for those in the business.
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| Pat Kirkland has taken on the added responsiblity of coaching the Mountaineer secondary for the bowl game.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
Nevertheless, many stick it out and pay their dues believing their efforts will someday be noted.
For West Virginia University’s Pat Kirkland, his commitment was rewarded with increased responsibility as West Virginia prepares for its Tostitos Fiesta Bowl appearance against Oklahoma. The second-year graduate assistant is now in charge of the secondary when Tony Gibson submitted his resignation on Dec. 18 to join Rich Rodriguez at Michigan.
What is that age old saying: One man’s loss in another man’s gain?
“I was very excited about the opportunity, there is no question,” said an appreciative Kirkland Friday before practice. “I was hoping that was the route they would go and give me that opportunity (to fill the void).
"I appreciate Coach (Bill) Stewart giving me the opportunity to work with our players and for his trust in me to get our guys ready for that big game on Jan. 2.”
The opportunity wasn’t just handed to Kirkland - it was earned.
The Akron, Ohio, native attended Division III Muskingum College located about an hour east of Columbus. Kirkland earned all-Ohio Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back in 1996 for the Muskies.
After graduation, he worked a couple of seasons at Muskingum as a graduate assistant coach. A year later, he worked on the staff at John Glenn High School in New Concord, Ohio - the same town of his alma mater.
Prior to his arrival in Morgantown, Kirkland spent six seasons in the West Virginia Conference at Glenville State. In five of those six seasons, he was the Pioneers’ defensive coordinator while working with its secondary.
“As a coordinator, you see the whole picture whereas a position coach you sometimes get isolated on a particular focus,” noted Kirkland. “Having been a coordinator for five years, it allows you to see both the front ends and back ends of a defense.”
Kirkland joined the Mountaineer family in 2006, working primarily with the defensive backs. After helping this past spring with the outsider linebackers, he spent this season with the safeties.
“I am very comfortable having worked in the secondary at the collegiate level for 10 years now. I am confident with my knowledge of the game, with what Coach Stewart and Coach (Jeff) Casteel are looking for,” said Kirkland.
Also aiding in a seamless transition was a lesson learned in Kirkland’s climb up the coaching ladder.
“I have been fortunate to have worked a few different places and to have worked for some great football coaches. There are some ideas that I have taken with me to different stops along the way. But building relationships has always been a priority at every place,” pointed out Kirkland.
“He has been around the program for a few years now and we’ve seen his personality,” said senior cornerback Antonio Lewis. “His approach is similar, yet different to coach Gibson. But he knows us players and there has been no drop off at all.”
Lewis is one of several Mountaineers in West Virginia’s odd-stack defense comfortable with Kirkland’s presence.
“Having seniors in the secondary like Larry (Williams), Vaughn (Rivers) and Antonio (Lewis), have helped as well,” Kirkland said. “Besides being good players, those three are leaders on our defense and that has helped me.”
Stewart described Kirkland’s expanded role as a “smooth and successful one.” Kirkland won’t have complete freedom though as he’ll remain under the tutelage of safeties coach Bruce Tall and defensive coordinator Casteel.
The entire coaching staff has been forced to increase their workload the past two weeks, including former Mountaineer and current graduate assistant Jahmile Addae.
“I feel really good about Pat and Jahmile,” offered Stewart. “They may be wet behind the ears in terms of youth, but sometimes that is not a bad thing. They are not wet behind the ears in terms of football knowledge.”
Sounding like a coaching lifer, Kirkland quickly praised his opponent and showed excitement about the challenge in front of him and his team instead of focusing on himself.
“We are playing a very talented Oklahoma team in front of a national audience. Our players have worked hard all year long and it will continue this week. I keep telling our guys that we have a great opportunity to make a statement to a lot people,” he said.
“It has been a total team effort and our staff, all across the board, has carried their weight and then some,” said Stewart. “We couldn’t be in a better situation for our graduate assistants to step up and continue to get this football team ready.”
One thing is clear, Pat Kirkland and the Mountaineer coaching staff are not leaving any stone unturned in trying to win a third straight bowl game.
