Cody Kempt returned to the Bobcat football program Monday
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Kempt Returns to Bobcat Football Program, Pitre to Coach RBs
2/10/2014 5:09:00 PM | Football
Former MSU quarterback to mentor receivers
Cody Kempt showed Rob Ash a lot of good things when he was playing quarterback at Montana State from 2008-10, and even more when he wasn't. That's why Ash could barely contain his pleasure at making Kempt one of two new additions to the Bobcat football staff on Monday.
While Kempt returns to his alma mater as receivers coach from the University of Tennessee, Michael Pitre brings West Coast ties to the Bobcat program. The southern California product played at UCLA (2003-07), and after three years coaching in the prep ranks of his home state he has worked as an offensive graduate assistant at Colorado the past two seasons.
A three-year starting fullback for the Bruins, Pitre gained 82 yards on 22 carries and caught 36 passes for 327 yards. Pitre earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 10 honors twice, and one of his offensive coordinators at UCLA was Jim Svoboda, who held that position at MSU from 2007-09. He will coach running backs at MSU.
"I'm very excited about his experience in two areas," Ash said. "Having played running back at a very high level in college prepares him for this job, and at Colorado he was exposed to great coaching and mentoring. I'm also excited that he grew up and played and coached high school football in one of our primary recruiting areas, so he brings great connections and networking to our staff. Mike will be a great addition."
Kempt transferred to MSU from Oregon in 2008, and threw for 2,684 yards as a part-time starter during his first two seasons. As DeNarius McGhee's backup in 2010, Kempt played sparingly but showed what McGhee would later call "coaching brilliance" in mentoring the freshman to the first of two Big Sky MVP awards and a Big Sky Championship. "He helped me so much," McGhee said of Kempt's influence.
The son of a former Bobcat football player and track athlete, Kempt worked as an intern at MSU in 2011 then moved on to Cincinnati and Tennessee as an offensive grad assistant for one season each. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cody Kempt because of the class and character he showed as a player and the incredible amount of knowledge he has gained since leaving here," Ash said. "He has learned an immense amount of football and brings the intelligence and commitment he showed as a player to our coaching staff."
Ash indicated that the start date for both Pitre and Kempt are yet to be determined.
While Kempt returns to his alma mater as receivers coach from the University of Tennessee, Michael Pitre brings West Coast ties to the Bobcat program. The southern California product played at UCLA (2003-07), and after three years coaching in the prep ranks of his home state he has worked as an offensive graduate assistant at Colorado the past two seasons.
A three-year starting fullback for the Bruins, Pitre gained 82 yards on 22 carries and caught 36 passes for 327 yards. Pitre earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 10 honors twice, and one of his offensive coordinators at UCLA was Jim Svoboda, who held that position at MSU from 2007-09. He will coach running backs at MSU.
"I'm very excited about his experience in two areas," Ash said. "Having played running back at a very high level in college prepares him for this job, and at Colorado he was exposed to great coaching and mentoring. I'm also excited that he grew up and played and coached high school football in one of our primary recruiting areas, so he brings great connections and networking to our staff. Mike will be a great addition."
Kempt transferred to MSU from Oregon in 2008, and threw for 2,684 yards as a part-time starter during his first two seasons. As DeNarius McGhee's backup in 2010, Kempt played sparingly but showed what McGhee would later call "coaching brilliance" in mentoring the freshman to the first of two Big Sky MVP awards and a Big Sky Championship. "He helped me so much," McGhee said of Kempt's influence.
The son of a former Bobcat football player and track athlete, Kempt worked as an intern at MSU in 2011 then moved on to Cincinnati and Tennessee as an offensive grad assistant for one season each. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cody Kempt because of the class and character he showed as a player and the incredible amount of knowledge he has gained since leaving here," Ash said. "He has learned an immense amount of football and brings the intelligence and commitment he showed as a player to our coaching staff."
Ash indicated that the start date for both Pitre and Kempt are yet to be determined.
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