Dec. 7, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford head football coach Pat Sullivan announced the first three additions to his coaching staff Thursday morning.

Sullivan has hired Steve Brickey as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator working with the quarterbacks and Ross Robinson as an offensive assistant, his specific assignment will be announced later. Sullivan also announced he will retain defensive line coach Ross Newton from the previous coaching staff.

Brickey comes to Samford from Missouri State where he served as offensive coordinator last season.

Prior to his time at Missouri State, Brickey served as assistant offensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois in 2005, working with the quarterbacks. He helped the Panthers to the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference championship.

Before working at EIU, Brickey spent the 2004 season as the offensive coordinator at Indiana State, and the team set a school record for passing yards in a season. The stint with Indiana State was his third, as Brickey was an assistant at the school from 1978 to 1985, and in 1992, when he was offensive coordinator.

Brickey was an assistant coach at Iowa State from 2000-03. He helped ISU to its first back-to-back bowl games in 23 years. He coached the quarterbacks all four years at ISU, and he served as the team's offensive coordinator in 2002 and 2003.

Brickey was the offensive coordinator at North Texas from 1998-99.

He served as an assistant coach under Sullivan at TCU from 1993-97. He was responsible for recruiting and signing current San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. At TCU, he coached wide receivers in 1993, and then coached quarterbacks from 1994-97.

While at TCU, the Horned Frogs had their first back-to-back winning seasons in 36 years, and they tied for their first Southwest Conference Championship in 35 years in 1994. Brickey coached quarterback Matt Knake, who was voted the Southwest Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and set single-season school passing records for total yards and touchdown passes.

Brickey has also served as an assistant coach at the University of Texas (1987-91) and Texas Tech (1986), helping the Red Raiders to their first bowl game in 10 years.

Brickey, a native of Affton, Mo., graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Physical Education in 1976, and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1976-77.

Brickey and his wife, Patti, have three sons, Chris, John and Mike.

"I am extremely excited about the first coaches we are bringing to Samford," Sullivan said. "Steve Brickey is coming as offensive coordinator. I had the good fortune to work with Steve at TCU, where not only was he an outstanding coach, but also an outstanding recruiter. But, more importantly, he is a fine, family person and I can't wait for Steve and Patti to get here."

Robinson comes to Samford after working the past seven seasons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

In his last five seasons at UAB, Robinson served as the team's recruiting coordinator. Rivals.com ranked UAB's 2005 and 2006 recruiting classes second best among Conference USA schools. Rivals.com also rated Robinson as the No. 2 recruiter nationally among "non-BCS" school.

While at UAB, Robinson coached safeties (2006), running backs (2003-05) and wide receivers (2002). In 2000 and 2001, Robinson served as a graduate assistant on the UAB staff, assisting with the defense. The 2000 Blazers ranked 11th in the nation in total defense.

Prior to coming to UAB, Robinson spent the 1999 season as the wide receivers coach at the University of West Alabama.

Before his stint at West Alabama, Robinson served on the staff at Auburn University. Robinson spent the 1998 season coaching defensive backs, assisting defensive coordinator Bill Oliver. In 1996 and 1997, Robinson worked under Auburn offensive coordinator Tommy Bowden, now the head coach at Clemson.

In his time at Auburn, the Tigers played in the 1996 Independence Bowl and the 1997 Peach Bowl. The 1997 Auburn team won the Southeastern Conference Western Division championship.

The native of Headland, Ala., is a 1999 graduate of Auburn with a degree in secondary mathematics. He is married to the former Jeri Bowdon from Trussville, Ala.

"I am excited about having Ross Robinson join us," Sullivan said. "I have been working with Ross for the last seven years, and he is a tireless worker. He is good on either side of the ball, and he will be working on offense for us. We are excited to have he and Jeri join our Samford family. Not only is he an outstanding coach, he is an outstanding recruiter, and one of the things I do know is his relationship with his players will be second to none."

Newton begins his second season on the Samford coaching staff, spending last season working with a much-improved defensive line.

Prior to returning to his alma mater last season, Newton spent the 2005 season as a graduate assistant for the defense at UAB.

Newton was a member of the Samford football team from 2000 to 2003. As a Bulldog, he registered 143 tackles and eight sacks. He was selected a team captain in his senior year in 2003. As a senior, Newton also won the Kenny Morgan Leadership Award.

Newton, a native of Homewood, Ala., played high school football for his father, Bob Newton, at Homewood High School.

Newton graduated from Samford in 2004 with a B.A. in history and a minor in political science. Newton received his master's from UAB last summer.

"The coach we are retaining from the previous staff is Ross Newton," Sullivan said. "I have had the pleasure of knowing Ross for a long time, I even tried to recruit him a few years ago. Not only was he an outstanding player here at Samford, but he came to UAB and was a graduate assistant for two years and now he has been back here coaching. He is as fine a young coach as there is and we are excited about having him."