MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY Football 1980 TO NEWS MEDIA: This 1980 edition of Morehead State University's Foot­ ball Media Guide has been prepared to aid you in covering the Eagles and to provide information about our coaches athletes and University. If addi~ional material is needed'. please write or call the Sports Information Director at any time. PRESS INFORMATION PRESS PASSES -Passes for the working press are issued on an individual game basis by the Sports Information Director. Credentials should be requested as early as possible. Press personnel attending as guests are entitled to general admission seats outside the press box. Passes not furnished by return mail must be· picked up in person at Gate 4. One parking permit will be issued to each organization covering the game. BROADCAST-Permission for broadcast rights must be secured in advance from the Sports Information Director. Line installations are ordered by individual stations through their local telephone companies. Each station is allocated a broadcast booth and three press passes. PRESS BOX SEATING-The MSU press box is limited to accredited w riters, radio-television broadcasters, scouts and other designated officials. Only photographers and cameramen are permitted on the press box roof. Press box seating is assigned by the Sports Information Director. MSU supplies a play-by-play account at the end of each quarter and first half and final statistics. Telephones and free refreshments also are a va i I ab I e. A Xerox telecopier is on duty at each game. SCOUTING PASSES-Passes for scouts must be re­ quested in advance from the Sports Information Director. One seat is allocated to each organization requesting credentials. Table of Contents The Coaches . .. .. .. .. .. ... ..... ...... .. 2 The Eagles . ... ...... ........ ..... 12 The Roster and Opponents .. .... .. ......... 26 The University .. .... .... .. .. ..... 40 The Administration . ... .... .... .... .. .. 41 The Record Book ... .... .. .. .. .. .. 46 Morehead State University 1980 Football Schedule Sept. 6 Marshall Home 1 :30 Sept. 13 James Madison Home 1:30 Sept. 20 Open Sept. 27 Middle Tennessee State Away 8:30 Oct. 4 Murray State Home 1:30 Oct. 11 Austin Peay Away 8:30 Oct. 18 Youngstown State Away 7:30 Oct. 25 Tennessee Tech Home 2:00 (Homecoming) Nov. 1 Western Kentucky Home 1 :30 Nov. 8 Liberty Baptist Away 1 :30 Nov. 15 Kentucky State Home 1 :30 Nov. 22 Eastern Kentucky Away 1 :30 All Times Eastern HEAD COACH Tom Lichtenberg Following a 5-4-1 record in his opening season, one that saw his Eagles post a 3-2-1 record in the Ohio Valley Conference, Tom Lichtenberg is enthusiastic about the progress of his program. " We had some good athletes last season, and a lot of them have graduated. But we have had two good recruiting years, and I am looking forward to what the future has to offer." During the 1972 and 1973 seasons, Lichtenberg served as an MSU assistant under Roy Terry. After a five-year tenure at Iowa State he returned to assume the football coaching duties last season. The 39-year-old is a graduate of the University of Louisville and has previously had head coaching positions at William Mason High School in Mason, Ohio, and at Purcell High School in Cincinnati. During his five seasons at Iowa State he served in various capacities, including offensive coordinator for the Big-S's representative to the Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. "I wouldn't have come back here if I didn't have a love for Morehead State University. I know the people here want a football program, and when you want a football program, you want a winner. They didn't hire me to lose." Lichtenberg feels that the energy of the coaching staff has been a tremendous plus. " I've never been outworked by anyone. We" II probably make a few mistakes along the way, but we'll work hard to correct them. With the cooperation we are going to get, we might be on top of things sooner than people think." 2 Lichtenberg was encouraged by his second spring practice at MSU. " I feel we are a much more solid football team than at this point last season. Our fundamentals are much stronger, and we have experienced players and depth at a lot of key positions." Lichtenberg is enthusiastic about the Ohio Valley Conference. " It's really tough each week to go up against the likes of Eastern and Western and Tennessee Tech. People don't realize how tough the OVC is. With the addition of Akron and Youngstown, the league will be even stronger." The Eagle field boss, active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is married to the former Sue Ann Reding of Mayfield. They have five children. 3 MARSHALL BURDITTE Defensive Backs A rookie member of the MSU coaching staff this season is Marshall Burdette of Huntington, W . Va. Burdette comes to MSU from the defensive coordinator position at Parkersburg (W. Va.) High School. A two-time graduate of Marshall University, Burdette is a native of Mobile, Ala., and Is a graduate of Huntington East High School. He is married to the former Peggy Conrad of Huntington, W. Va. Lichtenberg: " Marshall adds a lot to our football program both on and off the field. He is enthusiastic and has an excellent knowledge of the game. "We know Marshall to be a class person who will be of tremendous value to us both during the season and in recruiting." 4 STAN HIXON Running Backs One of two new coaches on the Eagle staff this season is Stan Hixon of Lakeland, Fla. A graduate of Iowa State University where he played under Lichtenberg, Hixon comes to MSU from coaching positions at Dowling High School in Des Moines, Iowa, and most recently the University of Richmond. A three year letterman at Iowa State, Hixon is married to the former Becky Haughton of Waterloo, Iowa. Lichtenberg: "We are very pleased to have Stan join the staff. He is an outstanding individual with a good knowledge of the game. His primary responsibility will be the running backs, a position he is very familiar with." 5 VAN HOLLAWAY Defensive Coordinator A two-sport performer at Iowa State, Van Hollaway is one of two members of the coaching staff to make the move to MSU from Iowa State with Lichtenberg. The football program coordinator at ISU, Hollaway also served as defensive coordinator and later as head coach at Bethany College in Kansas. A football and track performer at Iowa State, he is married to the former Chris Gawith of Beloit, Kan. They have a son and daughter. Lichtenberg: "Van has a great amount of knowledge of the game. He has served as both a defensive coordinator and head coach on the college level, and that will help. "As defensive coordinator last season, Van did a super job, as three shut-outs might indicate." 6 TOM JONES Defensive Line The veteran on MSU's coaching staff is Tom Jones, a 1973 graduate of Western Kentucky University. A former head coach at Adair County High School and Lafayette (Tenn.) High School, he also served as assistant coach at Bullitt Central High School and as graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee. He is married to the former Mary Bess Manby of LaGrange. They have one daughter. Lichtenberg: "Tom did an outstanding job with our defensive line last season. Our defense was one of our strengths, and we hope it will continue to be this season." 7 STEVE LONEY Offensive Coordinator The other member of the Iowa State staff to accompany Lichtenberg to MSU is Steve Loney, a 1974 ISU graduate. A former football player and graduate assistant at Iowa State, Loney also served as offensive coordinator at Missouri Western College and as head coach at Leavenworth (Kan.) High School. Loney, who will also coach the offensive line, is married to the former Terri Lynn Davidson of Joplin, Mo. They have a son and a daughter. Lichtenberg: "Steve has held the position of offensive coordinator on the college level before, and we know he has great knowledge of the game. "We feel that our offensive line will be a team strength. With Steve's knowledge, they should be even better." 8 LESTER THARP Graduate Assistant Wide Receivers Lester Tharp joins the MSU staff after serving as an assistant coach at West Virginia Tech for five years. A graduate of West Virginia Tech, Tharp will serve this season as receiver coach. Lichtenberg: " Lester comes to us with a great deal of coaching experience on the college level. He will be handl ing a young group of wide receivers, so his experience will be extremely valuable." 9 BILLY JENKINS Graduate Assistant Defensive Ends One of the two graduate assistant coaches serving on the MSU staff this season is Billy Jenkins of Elizabethtown. A former head coach at North Hardin High School, he is also a former football player and graduate of the University of Kentucky. In charge of MSU defensive ends, Jenkins is married to the former Kathy Mahon of Vine Grove. They have one daughter. Lichtenberg: "We are very fortunate to have a coach of Billy's calibre join us for the upcoming season. He will be a big help in developing our young players." 10 KEN WRIGHT Head Trainer Ken Wright, 28, a native of Vevay, Ind., came to MSU in 1978 to serve as athletic trainer. Previously he served two years as assistant trainer at Ohio University. As head trainer he is responsible for the physical health of all MSU athletes. In addition to supervising pre-game and post-game training procedures, he also conducts various therapy programs for injured athletes.