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Wittenberg University
2002 Football Coaching Staff Head Coach Joe Fincham bio 
Scott Isphording
Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head CoachE-mail: sisphording@wittenberg.edu Scott Isphording enters his fifth season with the Tigers and continues to transform the program's offense into one of the most dynamic in the Midwest, if not the nation. Principally charged with coaching Tiger quarterbacks while coordinating the offensive efforts, Isphording has been part of four consecutive NCAC championship teams at Wittenberg and has guided an offense that has averaged more than 416 yards and 36 points per game during that time. Previously passing game coordinator at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo. for two years, Isphording has coached one first-team All-NCAC quarterback, two second-team choices and an honorable mention passer. In three of his four seasons at Wittenberg, a Tiger quarterback has led the conference in passing efficiency under Isphording's tutelage. A four-year letterwinner at quarterback for Hanover College, Isphording ranked third in Division III in total offense with 315 yards per game in 1992. He was 16th in passing efficiency, completing 207 of 359 attempts for 3,098 yards and 24 touchdowns. At the time, Isphording's 3,098 yards was the sixth-best in Division III history, and his 309.8 yards per game also made the record books at the time. A native of Cincinnati and a 1990 graduate of LaSalle High School, Isphording received a master's degree from Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where he was quarterback coach in 1994 and 1995. While at Fort Hays, Isphording helped his team reach the NCAA Division II playoffs. Isphording, who doubles as Wittenberg's head golf coach after serving as assistant baseball coach the last four years, resides in Springfield. 
Kelly Cummings
Defensive Coordinator/LinebackersKelly Cummings joined the Tigers' coaching staff in 2000 and has led the unit to the top spot statistically in each of his first two years at Wittenberg. Cummings began his collegiate career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, before transferring to Eastern Kentucky University, from which he received a bachelor's degree in history in 1993. He followed his collegiate career with a free-agent tryout for the NFL. Cummings coached four seasons at Denison before arriving in Springfield, serving as linebacker coach for one year before being named defensive coordinator prior to the 1997 season. Before working with the Big Red, Cummings was an assistant coach at Madison Central High School in Richmond, Ky. Cummings and his wife, Kate, who is the head women's basketball coach at Ohio Dominican College, are the parents of daughters, Allyson and Bailey. They live in Hilliard, Ohio. 
Mark Henninger
Assistant Coach/Defensive BacksE-mail: mhenninger@wittenberg.edu Mark Henninger joined the Tiger coaching staff in 2000, and he has since become an integral part of the NCAC's top-ranked defense. A 1996 Wittenberg graduate, Henninger coached wide receivers at Millikin University under former Tiger head man Doug Neibhur for two years and then spent a season as wide receiver coach with the Hamburg (Germany) Blue Devils, a squad that went 15-3-1 and won the European championship. Henninger also spent one season at Wartburg College working with former Tiger defensive coordinator Rick Willis. He coached defensive backs, one of whom was named All-America after the season, for a Wartburg team that won the Iowa Conference championship. Henninger, a native of Indianapolis, Ind. and a 1992 graduate of Roncalli High School, was a four-year letterwinner at Wittenberg and a three-time special teams Player of the Week. He finished second on the team in interceptions in his senior season. Since joining Wittenberg's coaching staff, he has coached three All-NCAC players, two of whom have also received second- or third-team All-America status. Henninger lives in Springfield with his wife, Jeni, and their newborn son, Jack. 
Larry Baldridge
Running BacksLarry Baldridge is in his 16th season on the Tiger coaching staff and will be coaching the running backs for his third year after guiding two of the best rushers in school history, Casey Donaldson and Daniel Grove, in his first two years. He brought 16 years of coaching experience with him to Wittenberg. The Shelby, Ohio native was a head coach on the high school level for eight years at Mansfield Malabar, Ashland, Cambridge Meadowbrook and New Carlisle Tecumseh high schools. He was also an assistant coach at Shelby High School for seven years. He is a 1970 graduate of Morehead State University, where he was a Little All-America and Academic All-America defensive back. Baldridge, who is retired from teaching and now doubles as Wittenberg's equipment room manager, resides in Springfield with his wife, Pam. They have two children, Stephanie, 31, and Larry II, 20. 
Mark Ewald
ReceiversMark Ewald, who will coach the receivers, is in his seventh season with the Tiger coaching staff. Ewald is in his 22nd year of coaching with past experiences in Dayton-area high schools. Most recently, in 1995, he was assistant coach at Trotwood-Madison High School after three years as head coach at Carroll High School. He also coached at Chaminade-Julienne High School for several years. Ewald resides in Kettering, Ohio with his wife, Diane, and three children, Nicholas, 14, Jacklyn, 8, and Luke David, 2. 
Aaron Shaffer
Defensive LineFormer Wittenberg offensive lineman Aaron Shaffer continues with the Tiger program, serving as an defensive line coach in 2002 after three seasons as the team's offensive line coach. During his playing days, Shaffer, a native of Greenville, Ohio, was a two-time first team All-NCAC pick and was honored as a first-team All-American by Hewlett Packard and a second-team All-American by Football Gazette following his senior season. In addition, he served as team captain for the 1998 team that won an NCAC championship. Shaffer resides in Springfield with his wife, Jessica, who is also a Wittenberg graduate. He is a seventh grade teacher at Clark Middle School. In addition to working with the Wittenberg football program, Shaffer coaches reserve baseball at South High School in Springfield. 
Kris McGuire
Offensive LineFormer Wilmington College offensive lineman Kris McGuire is joining the Wittenberg coaching staff in 2002. He will be in charge of the tight ends. McGuire was a four-year starter for the Quakers after playing his high school football at Lancaster High School. He is moving to Springfield from Lancaster this summer. 
Matt Leisure
Offensive LineMatt Leisure, another former Wittenberg offensive lineman, is back in the fold this year as the unit's position coach. A four-year letterwinners and 2002 Wittenberg graduate, Leisure was named Offensive Most Improved Player in 1999 and was a three-time All-NCAC selection. In addition, Leisure was named second-team All-America by Hewlett Packard and second-team All-North Region by Football Gazette in 2001. 
Rob Linkhart
Defensive BacksRob Linkhart is in his second year as an assistant coach on Wittenberg's staff, working with the defensive backs. A 1999 Wittenberg graduate with a degree in biology, Linkhart was a three-year letterwinner at defensive back and played on three NCAC championship teams. A native of Springfield, Linkhart resides in his hometown and is studying for his teacher's license at Wittenberg. Head Coach Joe Fincham Football Home Page |
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