KentStateReport.com - Hazell adds duties to McMichael's plate

February 29, 2012

KSU Athletics Communications

KENT, Ohio - After spending his first year on head coach Darrell Hazell's staff guiding Kent State's tight ends, assistant coach Dave McMichael recently added special teams coordinator to his duties.

A 37-year veteran of the college football ranks, McMichael joined Hazell's staff last March, after serving as West Virginia's tight ends coach and co-special teams coordinator in 2010.

"I thought Dave's knowledge on special teams -being the special teams coordinator at the University of Connecticut -- would bring a lot of value to our staff," Hazell said. "I think his knowledge of special teams and his insight will help us improve in that area."

Several assistant coaches will continue to take on certain coaching roles with the special teams unit, while McMichael is expected to oversee the process.

"The special teams unit coaches working alongside of him can bounce ideas off of him and he'll have the final say," Hazell said.

In his first year with the Flashes, McMichael oversaw the development of senior tight end Justin Thompson. After being limited offensively throughout his college career, Thompson flourished under McMichael-finishing tied for the team lead in catches with 32 on the season.

Sandwiched in-between his two tenures in Morgantown, McMichael spent nine years at Connecticut, first as the offensive tackles coach from 2001-04, before moving to tight ends coach. He also served as the Huskies' special teams coordinator from 2001-04.

Prior to 2001, McMichael spent the previous 18 seasons as an assistant coach at West Virginia under Hall of Fame head coach Don Nehlen, where he coached the offensive tackles and tight ends.

While at West Virginia, the Mountaineers played in 11 bowl games and were ranked in the AP Top 25 six times. He was a coach for two WVU teams that played for the national championship (1988 and 1993). The Mountaineers also captured the 1993 Big East Championship during his tenure, advancing to the Sugar Bowl after an undefeated regular season.

McMichael has directly coached 11 NFL signees and has worked with five All-Americans. He also coached at Southern Illinois and Muskingum.

McMichael graduated from Bowling Green in 1974, where he also earned a master's degree in 1977. He is a native of Kettering, Ohio, and was inducted into the Fairmont High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

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