MONTGOMERY – A wealth of experienced names with collegiate and professional coaching experience are part of the Alabama State University football coaching staff.
New ASU football coach Brian Jenkins has assembled a staff of assistants with more than 200 combined years of coaching experience.
Donald Hill-Eley – Associate Head Coach / tight ends; Mark Orlando – offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach, Prince Pearson – offensive line; James Joseph – running backs; Allen Suber – Assistant Head Coach / wide receivers; Ted Daisher – safeties, John Hendrick – special teams coordinator, Desmond Robinson, Director of Football Operations, Medgar Harrison, head strength and conditioning coach, and Jocelyn Riley, Special Assistant To Head Coach/Player Personnel.
Kevin Ramsey will maintain his role as defensive coordinator, and DeMarco McNeil will remain on staff as defensive line coach.
Hill-Eley comes to Alabama State after a one-year stint as wide receivers coach at Norfolk State. The long-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coach spent 13 seasons at Morgan State (2001-13). After his first season as offensive coordinator, Hill-Eley spent the final 12 as head coach and was named 2002 MEAC Coach of the year. His 59 wins rank third all-time in Bears’ history. Hill-Eley spent four seasons at Hampton (1997-2000) as offensive coordinator and pro liaison, helping the Pirates win an HBCU National Championship, two MEAC titles, and the 1999 Heritage Bowl. Hill-Eley spent four seasons in professional football in the Canadian Football League, first with the Baltimore Stallions (1994-95) as receivers coach before two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts as a guest coach (1996-97). Hill was on the staff of three straight Grey Cup championship teams (1995-97) during his time in the CFL. After graduating from Virginia Union, he entered the coaching ranks at his alma mater in 1991 before becoming a graduate assistant at Hampton in 1992.
Orlando begins his first season on the Hornet coaching staff after spending the last four seasons at SWAC member Prairie View. This is Orlando’s second stint with new ASU head football coach Brian Jenkins, as Orlando served in the same capacity at Bethune-Cookman in 2010 in helping the Wildcats to the MEAC title. Orlando spent two stints as offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach at Southern (1993-2001, 2004-09), helping the Jaguars win four SWAC titles and four HBCU national championships. In between Southern stints, Orlando spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Texas Southern (2002-03). Orlando, who played quarterback at Florida State (’75), began his coaching career at Lincoln High in Tallahassee (1976-77). He move into collegiate coaching at Florida A&M (1978-83), winning the inaugural Division I-AA National Championship in his first season. During his tenure at Tennessee State (1984-90), Orlando was running backs coach for the Tigers and was promoted to offensive coordinator in his final season. Orlando then spent two seasons at Winston-Salem State (1991-92).
Pearson joins the Hornet coaching staff after spending 11 seasons at Prairie View (2004-14) as offensive line/tight ends coach and run game coordinator, the last four seasons with current ASU offensive coordinator Mark Orlando. Last season, the Orlando-Pearson connection helped the Panthers rank second in the SWAC in both scoring (36.6 points per game) and total offense (460.3 yards per game). Pearson spent four seasons as offensive line coach at PV rival Texas Southern (2000-03) after working as head coach at Hallandale (Fla.) High School. Pearson entered collegiate coaching as defensive line coach at College of the Holy Cross (1997-98). Pearson, a product of the University of Minnesota, begin his coaching career at Boyd Anderson (Fla.) High as offensive coordinator (1993-96).
Joseph joins the Hornets after spending five years in the same capacity at Samford (2010-14), Memphis, (2007-09) and Troy (2004-06), while also serving as walk-on coordinator for the Trojans. Prior to getting into college coaching, Joseph coached at Auburn High. Joseph served as assistant head football coach and special teams’ coordinator. He was also head junior varsity baseball coach and assistant varsity basketball coach at Auburn High. A former gridiron standout for the Tigers, Joseph went on to play five seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (1991-94) and Cincinnati Bengals (1995). As a rookie, he led the Eagles in rushing, and one year later lead the team in special teams tackles.
Suber comes to the Hornet Family after 1 season as receivers coach at his alma mater Bethune-Cookman. It was his second stint at B-CU, having coached receivers and serving as the recruiting coordinator for the Wildcats from 2010-11. In between, Suber served two seasons as receivers coach/pro liaison at the University of Massachusetts. The former B-CU standout at quarterback spent time in professional football (2004-06) as a player with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans in the NFL, and Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. Suber entered the coaching ranks as offensive coordinator at Treasure Coast High School (2008-09).
Daisher comes to ASU after three seasons as University of Massachusetts. Daisher brings more than 35 years coaching experience in both the collegiate and professional ranks. The Western Michigan graduate entered coaching in 1979 as a graduate assistant at Illinois before spending five seasons at Northern Illinois (1980-84), first as receivers coach, and later as defensive line coach and special teams coordinator. Daisher then spent four seasons as linebackers coach at Eastern Michigan (1985-88) before moving a four-year tenure at Cincinnati (1989-92) as defensive line coach. He moved on to be D-Line coach at Army (1995-97), Indiana (1998), Army (1999) and Indiana (2000) before two seasons at East Carolina (2001-02). Daisher entered the pro ranks in 2004 with the Philadelphia, helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl as special teams quality control and assistant defensive line coach. After the two-year stint, Daisher spent the next four seasons as special teams coordinator for Oakland (2006), Cleveland (2007-08), and Philadelphia (2009). Daisher was the D-Line coach for Hartford of the United Football League (2010), before returning to college football as defensive backs coach at Bryant (2011) before his UMass stint.
Hendrick brings more than 30 years of coaching and playing experience to Alabama State. This is his second stint with the Hornets, serving as special teams / defensive ends coach in 2012-13. Last season, Hendrick coached special teams at SWAC member Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The coaching veteran spent the 2011 season as special teams/defensive line coach at Tulane, after spending the 2008-09 seasons at the University of South Florida in a similar capacity. Hendrick was the defensive coordinator at South Carolina State (2007), and before that was the head coach at Benedict College (2003-06). Hendrick, a Pittsburgh graduate, began his coaching career as an outside linebackers coach at Delaware State (1983) before spending two seasons at his alma mater (1984-85) coaching the offensive line before serving in the same capacity at Southern (1986). After two seasons coaching the offensive line at Texas A&M (1987-88), he then spent two seasons at LSU (1989-90) coaching tackles and tight ends. He entered the NFL coaching ranks in 1991 coaching the defensive line and special teams as part of the NFL Fellowship Program. After two seasons at Temple (1993-94) as Associate Head Coach / Defensive Line, Hendrick once again coached in the NFL Fellowship Program with the Philadelphia Eagles before an eight-year stint at Mississippi State (1995-2002), coaching defensive line and special teams.
Robinson joins the Alabama State staff after working two seasons at Pittsburgh as running backs coach and Director of Player Personnel. He brings more than 25 years coaching experience to his ASU role, including seasons as Assistant Athletic Director of Football Operations during a four-year stint at Syracuse (2006-09). Prior to the ‘Cuse, Robinson was head football coach and associate director of admissions at Westminister (2003-05). Robinson began his career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Pittsburgh, before coaching defensive linemen and serving as recruiting coordinator at Connecticut (1982-86). He then spent one season at Dartmouth (1987) before coaching four seasons at West Virginia as defensive line coach (1988-90) and running backs coach (1991). Robinson then was associate head coach / defensive line at Tulane (1992-94) before returning to West Virginia as running backs coach (1995-96). He later served in the same capacity at Notre Dame (1997-2001) before coaching in professional football with the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe as defensive line coach (2002).
Harrison comes to ASU after working four years in the same capacity at Bethune-Cookman. While overseeing the strength and conditioning program for all athletic programs, Harrison worked directly with the football and baseball programs, helping to five conference championships. Prior to B-CU, Harrison worked two seasons at the University of Tennessee as strength and conditioning coordinator for the nationally ranked swimming and diving teams. Harrison began his career at his alma mater, the University of Lafayette, working two seasons as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Riley joins the Alabama State University staff after working three years in the same capacity at Bethune-Cookman. She continues in her role from B-CU in assisting Jenkins with his daily schedule and internal administration of the football program.
Courtesy: Alabama State Athletics
