Morris Announces Staff Promotions for 2024
3/5/2024 4:00:00 PM | Football
Additional changes for 2024 coaching staff
DENTON, Texas – With spring practices underway, UNT head football coach Eric Morris has announced multiple staffing promotions within his program in advance of the 2024 season.
D'Andre Payne has been promoted to cornerbacks coach after spending the 2023 season with the Mean Green as a defensive analyst.
Payne previously worked four years on the coaching staff at Iowa State with Defensive Coordinator Matt Caponi. As part of Payne's move, Caponi will shift to focusing on the entire defense.
Additionally, Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Drew Svoboda will add leadership of the tight ends to his responsibilities. He previously coached tight ends at Alabama in 2021 and mentored the running backs/fullbacks at Rice from 2018-20.
In 2023, Svoboda guided UNT's special teams to a strong season. Kicker Noah Rauschenberg had one of the best seasons for a kicker in program history after hitting 16 of his 19 field goal attempts and making good on all 46 of his extra-point attempts. Svoboda also coached a unit that boasted the nation's best kickoff coverage allowing only 11.2 yards per return, with only five kickoffs returned all season.
Bryan Kegans was one of Morris' first hires joining the department as UNT's Director of Strength and Conditioning in December 2022. He will add the title of Assistant Head Coach in 2024 as he enters his 19th year in coaching. He oversees all of UNT's strength and conditioning efforts across 16 sports.
Patrick Cobbs returns the UNT staff for his sixth season with the running backs and will take on the role of Run Game Coordinator for 2024. Last season, Cobbs mentored his second 1,000-yard rusher as the Mean Green led The American averaging 5.11 yards per carry. UNT finished No. 22 in FBS in rushing with an average of 191.2 yards per game.
Off the field, Josh Kirkland has been promoted to General Manager and Senior Offensive Assistant. He served as Director of Player Personnel in 2023 following stints as head coach at both New Mexico Highlands and Southwestern Oklahoma State. Ethan Russo has been elevated to Director of Scouting following one season as Assistant Director of Player Personnel. He was Director of Player Personnel at UNLV in 2022.
Morris also previously announced hires of Cutter Leftwich as Offensive Line coach and Brian Odom as Linebackers coach.
The Mean Green open the 2024 season August 31 at South Alabama.
--GMG--
