University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Jennings Joins Cajuns Coaching Staff
2/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003
LAFAYETTE – University of Louisiana at Lafayette head football coach Rickey Bustle announced Thursday the hiring of Clay Jennings, formerly the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Sam Houston State University, as the Ragin' Cajuns new secondary coach in charge of cornerbacks.
Jennings replaces Carey Bailey, who accepted the defensive line coaching position at Middle Tennessee last week, on Bustle's nine-man staff for the upcoming 2003 season.
His hiring is pending approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Trustees.
In other staff changes of note, Bustle announced that assistant head coach Gary Bartel, who will be in his fifth season and is now the senior member of the coaching staff, will move from coaching defensive backs to working with the free safeties and outside linebackers.
Second-year staff member Shawn Quinn, who coached the outside linebackers last season, will take over Bailey's duties as the defensive line coach.
Jennings played defensive line and special teams for the University of North Texas from 1992-95 and was a member of the Mean Green's first Division I-A squad in 1995 and the Southland Conference championship squad in 1994.
He had spent the past two seasons at SHSU in the capacity of secondary coach and recruiting coordinator.
While with the Bearcats in Huntsville, Texas, Jennings was responsible for coaching the defensive secondary and as recruiting coordinator was responsible for distributing recruiting areas, talent evaluations, planning visit weekends and walk-on recruiting. He recruited Houston, central Texas and the Dallas area for the Bearcats.
“He's a young, energetic coach who will bring lots of enthusiasm both to our coaching staff and players,” Bustle said. “I was impressed when we met with him and I believe that he is going to bring a wealth of experience to our secondary alongside Gary Bartel (safeties/outside linebackers).”
Jennings also had coaching stints at Southern Arkansas University (Feb. 2000-March 2001), Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa (March 1999-Feb. 2000) and Morehouse College in Atlanta (Jan. 1998-Feb. 1999) all as a secondary coach. After his playing career at NT, Jennings spent time as a graduate assistant for the Mean Green before moving on to Morehouse.
“Coach Bustle is a great guy and I am excited about the having the opportunity to work him and the entire staff,” Jennings said. “I do believe that this program is headed in the right direction and I am glad to be here and be a part of growing excitement of Ragin' Cajuns football. I'm leaving a good situation at Sam Houston, but I know I've stepped into a great one here (UL Lafayette).”
Bustle, his coaching staff and the Ragin' Cajuns will open spring practice on Saturday, March 15 at 2 p.m. The annual spring game will be held Saturday, April 12 at noon.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
