Head Coach Joe Fincham bio
|
Former standout defensive back Andy Waddle returned to his alma mater in 2005 to coach the team's defensive backs. A year later, Waddle accepted the additional responsibilities of defensive coordinator, and he continues to guide the program's safeties.
In his first season on the Wittenberg sidelines, Waddle coached several players who earned first-team and a second-team All-NCAC honors. He was part of a defensive staff in 2005 that oversaw an improvement of more than nine points per game from the previous season. The Tigers recorded three shutouts on the season and allowed just 15 points in five wins in 2005. As defensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007, Waddle put together units that exceeded expectations both years as he replaced large numbers of graduated players. In 2007, the Tigers ranked No. 1 in the NCAC in team defense.
Waddle played for two North Coast Athletic Conference championship teams in his three years at Wittenberg after transferring from the University of Findlay in 1999. At Findlay, Waddle was red-shirted during an NAIA national championship season in 1997 and was a starter for the Oilers the following year. In 2000, he tied an NCAA record for blocked punts in a game in his first appearance in the Red & White, turning away three Urbana attempts in the season opener.
Waddle earned first-team All-NCAC honors in football and track and field during his collegiate career, and fittingly he also serves as an assistant coach with the Tiger track and field program.
After graduating from Wittenberg in 2003 with a degree in sociology, Waddle spent one season at Mansfield University (Pa.), as the defensive backs coach for former Tiger defensive coordinator Chris Woods. He acted as a staff liaison to the university's athletic trainers and also learned the recruiting ropes while helping the Mountaineers to an 8-3 record, the program's first winning mark in nearly 30 years.
In 2004, Waddle was the defensive backs coach at Maryville College (Tenn.), and once again the program and its defensive unit made a dramatic improvement. Maryville won as many games in 2004 as it had won the previous three seasons combined, and the defense made a 17-point, 140-yard per game improvement. Waddle also served as Maryville's video coordinator.
A native of nearby Enon, Waddle also serves as the Tigers' recruiting coordinator.
|
Andy Mitchel joined the Wittenberg football coaching staff in 2006. In addition to his offensive coordinator duties, Mitchel guided the team's quarterbacks in 2006 and helped mold Aaron Huffman into the NCAC Newcomer of the Year, and in 2007 he oversaw the No. 1 scoring offense in the NCAC.
Mitchel was offensive coordinator and position coach for quarterbacks and wide receivers at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, for three years prior to his arrival at Wittenberg. He had a wide range of duties at Simpson, including coordinating and scheduling of junior varsity games, coordinating campus visits as the program's liaison to the admission office and organizing and implementing a digital editing system for all game films.
On the field, Mitchel implemented a pro-spread offensive system to great effect. Simpson made the 2003 NCAA Division III Tournament, finishing the campaign with a 9-2 record thanks in large part to an offense that led the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with 424 yards per game. The catalyst was quarterback Mike Donnenwerth, the league MVP, who threw for 322 yards per game, a total that ranked seventh in all of NCAA Division III. In all, Mitchel coached two All-Americans, including 2005 Gagliardi Award finalist Dusty Kain, a wide receiver, and 10 all-conference performers.
Mitchel got his professional start at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he served as wide receiver coach in 2000 and 2001 and passing game coordinator/quarterbacks and wide receivers coach in 2002. Wisconsin-Platteville ranked No. 1 nationally in passing in 2001 and led the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in total offense and passing offense in 2001 and 2002. Mitchel coached one All-American and five All-WIAC performers in his three seasons there.
Mitchel also enjoyed tremendous success as a player at the NCAA Division III level, garnering three all-conference awards as a wide receiver at Hanover College. During his career at Hanover from 1996-99, Mitchel played on teams that won two conference championships, advanced to two NCAA Division III Tournaments and compiled a sparkling 35-7 overall record.
Mitchel, who resides in Springfield with his wife Michelle and son Tucker, holds a bachelor of science in physical education and health education from Wisconsin-Platteville, earned in 2003.
|
Sean Ross arrived at Wittenberg prior to the 2007 season to take over the linebacker coaching duties.
Ross joined the Tiger coaching staff after spending the two years at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. Ross handled many duties for the team, including positions as assistant special teams coordinator, assistant recruiting coordinator, linebackers coach and head junior varsity coach.
Ross was a four-year letterwinner from 2000-2003 and a three-year starting linebacker at Waynesburg College. He was a two-time all-conference selection, earning runner-up status for conference player of the year as a senior. In the same season, Ross was named first-team Eastern College Athletic Conference. As a team captain he was named team defensive MVP in 2003 and made third-team Football Gazette All-South Region.
He got his coaching start with his alma mater in 2004. After graduating in 2004 with a bachelor of arts in business, Ross coached the linebackers and served as assistant strength and conditioning coach for one year. In 2007, Ross earned a master of general education from Westminster College.
|
Graham Johnsen joined the Tigers coaching staff in 2008, with his new focus being on the defensive line and special teams.
Johnsen brings a wealth of experience to Wittenberg after stops at eight different programs spanning Divisions I-A, I-AA and III, including St. Lawrence, Tennessee, Fairfield, Mansfield (Pa.) and his alma mater, Southern Mississippi. Most recently, Johnsen served as head coach of the junior varsity team at St. Francis (Pa.).
He has coached six All-Americans and two Academic All-Americans in his career, in addition to 17 all-conference selections. He has coached 11 players/units that have ranked No. 1 in conference statistical categories and 14 players/units that ranked in the top 20 nationally, and Johnsen has been a part of two coaching staffs that participated in NCAA Division I bowl games at Tennessee.
Johnsen earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Mississippi and a master's degree from Tennessee. A native of Geneseo, N.Y., Johnsen played three seasons at Southern Mississippi, helping the Golden Eagles to winning records in 1995, 96 and 97. Southern Mississippi won two Conference USA championships and the 1997 Liberty Bowl during his playing career.
|
Devin Jordan joined the Tiger coaching staff prior to the 2008 season, and he will coach his former collegiate position of wide receiver.
Jordan was an all-state standout at famed Massillon Washington High School and earned a full scholarship to play football at The Ohio State University. He played three seasons at Ohio State before turning his attention to coaching in 2006 due to injuries. A high school captain, Jordan was a student assistant coach for the Buckeye coaching staff, working with wide receivers, in 2006 and 2007, helping OSU to the national championship game each year.
Jordan received his bachelor's degree in human ecology/family resource management in 2008.
|
After coaching Wittenberg's record-setting receiving corps from 1996-2005, Mark Ewald took over the running backs coaching duties in 2006. He has become a key contributor to one of the top offensive units every year in Division III.
Almost every Wittenberg receiving record was broken under Ewald. Among his proteges were all-conference standouts Michael Aljancic, Skip Ivery, Russ Fedyk and Jered Glover. In 2006, Ewald coached NCAC Player of the Year Tristan Murray, the No. 2 rusher and scorer in Wittenberg history. The Tigers' passing game regularly ranked among the best in the NCAC and all of NCAA Division III during his tenure there and the running game in recent years has been no different.
Before joining the Wittenberg staff, Ewald was an assistant coach at nearby Trotwood-Madison High School after three years as head coach at Carroll High School in Dayton. He also coached at Chaminade-Julienne High School for several years. Ewald resides in Kettering, Ohio with his wife, Diane, and three children, Nicholas, Jacklyn, and Luke David.
|
Rob Linkhart joined the Tiger football coaching staff in 2001. After coaching the defensive backs for two years, Linkhart moved to running backs in 2003. In 2006, Linkhart moved back to the defensive side of the ball, concentrating on the cornerback position.
As the running backs coach in 2003, Linkhart helped develop Raymar Hampshire into one of the top players in the NCAC after two seasons as a fullback. Then in 2004 and 2005, Linkhart guided Tristan Murray to a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Since moving back to defense, Linkhart has helped develop several all-conference performers, including first-teamer Brandyn Brown.
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 he works as a teacher at Northeastern High School.
|
Tom Mescher joined the Wittenberg coaching staff in 2005, concentrating his efforts on the tight end position and offensive tackle positions in 2005 and 2006. He moved over to the defensive line in 2007.
He has coached several all-conference performers, including 2007 and 2008 first-team All-NCAC defensive tackle Lance Phillips and 2005 and 2006 first-team All-NCAC offensive tackle Ted Londot.
A native of Versailles, Ohio, where he played football under legendary high school coach Al Hetrick, Mescher earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education with an emphasis in social studies from Findlay University in 1997. He also had a minor in history. While a student at Findlay, Mescher was a member of the varsity basketball team, president of Sigma Pi Fraternity and also served as a student assistant coach for the men's basketball and softball teams.
Currently a teacher in the Southeastern Local School District in nearby South Charleston, Mescher has coached softball, basketball and football at the high school and middle school levels in recent years. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator for Miami View Junior High School in South Charleston. For the three years prior to that, Mescher was the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach for the Southeastern High School varsity team.
Mescher resides in Springfield with his wife, Kelly, and daughters Elise and Isis.
|
Smith joined the Tiger coaching staff as an offensive line coach in 2008 after a tremendous playing career in the Red & White.
A four-year letterwinner with the Tigers, Smith brings his extensive playing experience to the coaching staff in hopes of continuing to build one of the best lines in the North Coast Athletic Conference. A native of Springfield and a graduate of the former North High School, Smith started out as a defensive lineman at Wittenberg. He moved over to the offensive line as a sophomore and became a starter in 2006 and 2007.
Smith, who was named first-team All-NCAC in 2007, continues to work on his Wittenberg degree after accepting a full-time position with the university's physical plant.
|
B.J. Coad joined the Tiger coaching staff in 2008 as an offensive line coach after wrapping a successful playing career in the Red & White.
Coad became a starter at offensive tackle in 2007 after spending his first three seasons as a key reserve. He earned four varsity letters for the Tigers. A native of Cincinnati, Coad is working to complete his Wittenberg degree in history.
Non-discriminatory Policy Web Use Policy & Disclaimer Privacy Policy
© 2007 Wittenberg University