EMORY, Va. - In conjunction with the beginning of spring practice Wednesday afternoon, Emory & Henry College Head Football Coach Curt Newsome is pleased to announce the hiring of three new assistant coaches. Craig Stutzmann will be the Wasps' new Offensive Coordinator while Kevin Burant and Quintin Hunter coach the defensive line and running backs, respectively.
Stutzmann comes to Emory & Henry to be the offensive coordinator after a two-year stint as the Receivers Coach at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He has coached at multiple FBS and FCS schools and coached the receivers at NCAA Division III Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. during the 2011 season. He brings experience with a multitude of offensive schemes to the table and has recruited in all of the West Coast states.
Stutzman played four years as a wide receiver the University of Hawaii where he was elected as a team captain his senior year. He was also selected as a member of the Warriors' All-Century Team and currently serves as an administrator for the Polynesian Coaches Association.
"I am excited about Craig's ideas about the up-tempo game," said Newsome. "He is dedicated and a hard worker. He has already shown how big his commitment to E&H as he will be here by himself until this summer, when his family joins him from Hawaii."
Burant, who will coach the Wasps' offensive line, spent the past two years in the same position at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, also serving as assistant strength & conditioning coach. He was the Head Coach of the Helsinki Rooters, an American Football team in the Finnish capital during the spring and summer of 2011.
Burant got his start in college coaching in the fall of 2011 at his alma mater, North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he was also a member of the 2004 inaugural team under E&H alumnus Jack Ginn. He was a four-year starter for the Battling Bishops, a two-time All-USA South honoree and served as a team captain.
"Kevin comes as a highly-recommended coach. He grew up in the Lexington area and played for Emory guys," commented Newsome. "I feel strong about him as a coach and a person. He coached a very good defensive line at Wartburg in 2013."
Hunter will be E&H's running backs coach this year, as Vince Reese will move to work with the Wasps' corps of wide receivers. Hunter graduated in December from James Madison University where he was a three-year letterwinner on the football field for the Dukes after transferring from the University of Virginia after his freshman year. He was selected as one of 300 participants in the NCAA's Career in Sports Forum where he attended personal development workshops in the forum's "Coaching Track."
"Quintin is an intelligent young man and a great leader. We knew that his plan was to get into coaching and he had an opportunity to do that at JMU, but I am glad that we were able to scoop him up here at E&H," said Newsome.
The NCAA Division III spring practice format is different from other divisions. Each program is allowed to practice 16 times in a five-week period, with no more than four days of practice in any one week. The spring season is also non-contact, with only the use of hand-shields and blocking dummies allowed.
Coach Newsome's plan for the Wasps is three-pronged. Members of the team have already completed their off-season weight program and will spend their five weeks on the field focusing on new offensive and defensive schemes and terminology while also working on speed and conditioning.
Emory & Henry will open the 2014 season on Saturday, September 6 at Ferrum College. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
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