Lincoln University announced some major changes with respect to its football program and athletic department hierarchy.
Josh Dean, who pulled double duty as the Lions’ head football coach and interim athletic director last season, has been promoted to associate athletic director for revenue generation and alumni engagement while assistant head football coach Frank Turner has been promoted to head coach.
Dean was named head coach in 2018 and finished with a 4-35 record in four seasons (the Lions didn’t play a 2020 schedule because of the COVID pandemic). Under Dean’s leadership, the Lions’ overall team GPA rose from 2.3 and 2.8, and one of his players, defensive back Kai “K.J.” Gray, is playing with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (Gray recorded his first professional interception June 13).
“I’m excited to welcome Josh into my administrative team,” Lions athletic director Harry Stinson III said in a statement. “His new role will create a new opportunity to engage our alumni, sponsors, and donors in ways we have not been able to do before. Josh’s connections and ability to connect with people will assist us in elevating our brand, while also developing more opportunities for revenue growth that will lead us into the new evolution of our department and creating a better experience for our student-athletes.”
Dean said that he looks forward “to working alongside our athletics director in our continued pursuit of championship excellence for our entire athletic department.”
“Last season, I worked diligently to uphold the mission of the University as the head football coach and interim athletic director,” said Dean. “Serving in these dual roles gave me an opportunity to advocate for the athletic department with the simultaneous needs of the administration, coaches, staff and student-athletes in mind.”
Turner, a former all-SIAC player at Albany State University, has worked with Dean at Lincoln and previously at Kentucky State as a defensive coordinator. As defensive line coach at Fort Valley State, he was part of a coaching staff that shaped the Wildcats into the top-ranked defense in all of NCAA Division II in 2010. As defensive line coach at Kentucky State, he helped the Thorobreds to two top 10 NCAA Division II rankings defensively in 2014 and 2015.
I truly believe that adversity develops character, and a man’s character determines his destiny,” said Turner. “Through adversity, we grow stronger. We are the first, and we are the standard. With tenacity, grit, and relentless pursuit of excellence, we will uphold the standard.”
The Frank Turner era will begin Thursday night, Aug. 31, when the Lions host Clarion University.
