Wilson rounds out staff
Feb. 9, 2011
Jemal Singleton, Brett Diersen and Brandon Shelby have joined Indiana Head Football Coach Kevin Wilson's coaching staff, Wilson announced this week. Wilson's full-time coaching staff is now complete.
Singleton will serve as the team's running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Diersen will coach the defensive ends and Shelby will handle the cornerbacks.
"I really like what we are getting with Jemal," Wilson said. "I like his background and have a great appreciation for what he did at the Air Force Academy. Jemal is coming from an academically-oriented and tough-minded environment. His kids are mentally strong and when looking at his rushing attacks through the years, the numbers certainly speak for themselves.
"Doug Mallory and Mike Ekeler recommended Brett initially, and he will be in sync with those guys coming from the exact system they are going to implement. We are excited to welcome Brett from Nebraska. He has a strong special teams background and will be a good compliment to Mark Hagen there and on the defensive line."
"I have a great relationship with Brandon from his playing days at Oklahoma and think very highly of him as a person and a coach. He had a great high school career, a great college career and is off to a great start in his coaching career. Brandon places a great focus on academics, is very intelligent and has a tremendous future in this business."
Below is a look at Indiana's coaching staff:
Defense
Doug Mallory - Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Mike Ekeler - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Mark Hagen - Defensive Tackles/Special Teams Coordinator
Brett Diersen - Defensive Ends
Brandon Shelby - Cornerbacks
Offense
Kevin Johns - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Rod Smith - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Greg Frey - Offensive Line
Jemal Singleton- Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Below are short biographies on Jemal Singleton, Brett Diersen and Brandon Shelby:
Jemal Singleton
Jemal Singleton -- Running Backs/Recruiting CoordinatorSingleton was on the coaching staff at the United States Air Force Academy the last eight seasons and played at the Academy from 1995-98. He served as the Falcons running backs coach since 2006 and the team's running game coordinator since 2007. During his tenure, Air Force won the conference rushing title and ranked in the top 10 nationally each season. In 2010, the Falcons ranked second in the country with 306.5 rushing yards per game. Asher Clark became the 13th player in the program's history to reach 1,000 yards with 1,031. The team's 3,985 rushing yards marked the second-best total in Mountain West Conference history and the team's 41 rushing touchdowns shared a MWC record.
Singleton is a 1999 graduate of the Academy where he earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences. While at the Academy, the team won 10 or more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history during his junior and senior campaigns. A co-captain of the 1998 squad, Singleton was a three-year letterwinner at halfback and was an honorable mention All-WAC selection his senior year.
Singleton began his Air Force and coaching career at the USAFA Prep School in 2000. The son of a retired Air Force sergeant, Singleton was born in Incirlik, Turkey. He graduated from Taft High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a three-year letterman and all-state honoree. Singleton and his wife, Jennifer, have one daughter, Morgan.
Brett Diersen
Diersen spent the last three seasons as a defensive line and special teams intern at the University of Nebraska. He also assisted with the program's strength and conditioning program. The Cornhuskers enjoyed three straight bowl appearances during his tenure, including victories in the 2009 Gator Bowl and the 2009 Holiday Bowl.
Prior to his stint in Lincoln, Diersen coached the defensive line at Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2007. He was the defensive coordinator, defensive line coach and defensive backs coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout from 2004-06. Diersen also served as the program's recruiting coordinator and assistant strength and conditioning coach. From 2001-03, Diersen oversaw the defensive line, outside linebackers and was the special teams coordinator at the University of Dubuque.
He got his start in coaching at Wisconsin-Stout as an offensive and defensive graduate assistant from 1998-00. The program advanced to the NCAADivision III postseason in his final year. Diersen enjoyed a successful playing career (1994-98) at Huron (S.D.) University. He was a three-year all-conference defensive end and a four-year Dean's List student. Diersen earned his bachelor's degree from Huron in 1998 and a master's degree in education from Wisconsin-Stout in 2005.
"This is without question a great opportunity. Coach Wilson has put together a great staff, and I could not turn this offer down," Diersen said. "I am familiar with Doug Mallory, Mike Ekeler and their defensive system and look forward to building this program into something special."
Brandon Shelby -- Cornerbacks
Brandon Shelby
Shelby served as the cornerbacks coach at the University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2010. Prior to his stint with ULM, he spent the 2009 campaign as secondary coach at Portland State University and the 2008 season as defensive backs coach at the University of San Diego. The Toreros posted a 9-2 mark in 2008 and three of Shelby's players earned all-conference honors. Under his guidance, Al-Rilwan Adeyemi was named Pioneer League Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. Shelby began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, as a defensive assistant in 2006. The Sooners won the Big 12 Championship and went on to play in the Fiesta Bowl that season. Shelby then spent one season as a graduate assistant at the University Arizona before moving on to San Diego. He was a standout defensive back at Oklahoma, where he participated in a pair of BCS National Championship Games and three straight BCS bowl games. As a four-year letterman (2001-04), he earned All-Big 12 honors and Academic All-Big 12 honors. Shelby graduated from Oklahoma with a bachelor's degree in business management in 2004 and with a master's in human relations in 2005.
"I am really excited to join Coach Wilson," Shelby said. "He watched me grow up as a young player and to get the opportunity to join his staff is exciting. There is a great nucleus at IUand it is going to be fun to turn things around."
