COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH JEFF MONKEN “I am thrilled to accept the head coaching position at West Point,” said Monken. “Not only is the United MILLIKIN, 1989 States Military Academy one of the most prestigious FIRST SEASON AT ARMY academic institutions in the world, it boasts one of the nation’s richest, most historic traditions in all of 5TH season OVERALL (38-16; .704) college football. I am anxious to get started...meet our players, put our coaching staff in place, and begin eff Monken was named Army’s 37th individual head coach preparations for the 2014 football season. “There are so many people I would like to thank for Jon Dec. 24, 2014. Army Director of Intercollegiate Athletics this tremendous opportunity, starting with Director of Boo Corrigan and U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Athletics Boo Corrigan and our Superintendent, Gen. Gen. Robert Caslen conducted a thorough national search Bob Caslen,” continued Monken. “I am honored and before selecting Monken. humbled by their trust in me to lead the West Point football program. I have had the privilege of serving as a coach for several outstanding institutions and am “We were fortunate to have an excellent pool of Jeff’s enthusiasm, desire to succeed and tremendous thankful to all of the student-athletes, coaches, and candidates to consider,” said Corrigan. “We were very track record of success.” administrators with whom I have worked. Because of impressed with each of the individuals we interviewed. Monken spent the last four seasons as head coach their commitment, dedication, and loyalty, this oppor- There was tremendous interest in the position nation- at Georgia Southern after learning the triple-option of- tunity to serve at West Point has been afforded to me. ally and we felt there were several very qualified candi- fense under one of the nation’s premier option propo- More than anyone else, I want to thank the men and dates, but throughout the process Jeff separated him- nents, Paul Johnson, during assistant coaching stints women who have served and continue to serve our na- self from the others. His passion, energy and strong at Navy and Georgia Tech. tion in the United States Army. I am proud to be your experience in turning around a program immediately During his four seasons at Georgia Southern, head football coach. “ helped him rise to the top of our list. Monken authored a 38-16 mark and spearheaded the Monken and Johnson are the only coaches in school “We want a successful head coach who understands programs transition to the elite Football Bowl Subdivi- history to win at least 10 games in each of their first the challenges of working at a service academy, one sion level from the Football Championship Subdivision three seasons. who could help us win immediately and one who un- (FCS) ranks. “Jeff Monken is an outstanding football coach. He is derstands the importance of West Point’s mission. We Georgia Southern, which will join the Sun Belt Con- a tireless worker who will do the right things to build a found that in Jeff,” said Corrigan. ference in 2014, was a member of the FCS and qualified program and he will be a great leader,” said Johnson. “Jeff has been highly successful at every stop he for the NCAA playoffs in all three eligible seasons un- “Jeff was a loyal assistant coach for me for many has made both on the field and off. We expect him to der Monken, advancing to the national semifinals each years and I’m excited for him and this opportunity.” experience that same level of success at West Point. year while posting double-digit victory totals. A finalist for the 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the We could not be more excited to have Jeff , his wife Monken guided tradition-rich Georgia Southern to Year award, Monken guided Georgia Southern to 10 Beth, and their three daughters join the West Point some of the biggest wins in school history, with the wins his first season, 11 his second and10 in his third. family and lead our football program.” Said Caslen, “Jeff most memorable arguably a 26-20 victory at Florida His 2013 squad posted a 7-4 mark, including the stun- will help us to build leaders of character on and off the in November at the vaunted “Swamp.” Despite that ning, season-ending upset of Florida in Gainesville. football field and is the perfect choice to lead our foot- headline-grabbing victory, Georgia Southern was not Under Monken’s guidance, Georgia Southern was ball program. As a former player, I am excited about eligible for the FCS playoffs this season due to its tran- one of the top rushing teams at the FCS level, claim- sitional status. ing the NCAA rushing title in 2012 at 399.36 yards per contest. Walter Payton Award candidate Jerick McKin- non and running back Dominique Swope established the NCAA record for rushing yards by teammates with 3,063. Monken coached a lengthy list of all-stars, includ- ing the school’s highest-ever National Football League draft choice, safety J.J. Wilcox, a third-round selection of the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. In 2011, Georgia Southern was ranked No. 1 in both FCS polls for seven weeks and stopped Wofford, 31-10, to win its ninth Southern Conference championship. Five players were named All-America, Brent Russell was selected Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Monken earned conference Coach of the Year plaudits and Swope was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. Home playoff wins against Old Dominion and Maine were part of the Eagles’ memo- rable 11-3 campaign. Monken got off to a great start in his first year as Georgia Southern’s head coach, knocking off top- ranked and previously unbeaten Appalachian State as part of a 10-5 season. Georgia Southern ended the sea- son with three straight wins to qualify for the postsea- son and registered three playoff victories to advance to the national semifinals. In addition to the success on the field, Monken helped Georgia Southern reemerge academically with WWW.GOARMYSPORTS.COM // @ARMY_FOOTBALL 48 COACHING STAFF THE MONKEN FILE Year at Army: 1st Career Year: 5th Hometown: Joliet, Ill. Family: wife, Beth; daughters, Isabelle, Amelia and Evangeline EDUCATION B.A., Millikin, 1989 M. Ed., Hawai’i, 1991 COACHING EXPERIENCE Army, Dec. 26, 2013-Present Head Coach Georgia Southern, 2010-13 Head Coach (38-16) 2013: 7-4; Transition year to FBS and Sun Belt 2012: 10-4 FCS Semifinals; 6-2 1st (SoCon) the team’s cumulative grade point average ranking as Odierno, West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bob 2011: 11-3 FCS Semifinals; 7-1 1st (SoCon) the highest in school history in each of his first two Caslen, and all those who assisted in this process,” 2010: 10-5 FCS Semifinals; 5-3 3rd (SoCon) seasons. Not only was Georgia Southern successful in added Corrigan. “We were able to move swiftly but Georgia Southern Highlights the classroom and on the football field under Monken, judiciously thanks to the help of many and I feel very Four winning seasons but the players and staff were part of several commu- good about the result of our search. I am very confi- ► Three FCS Playoff appearances nity service programs and local events. dent that we have identified the perfect choice to lead ► Monken was named Georgia Southern’s head coach our cadet-athletes and achieve the level of success we ► Three NCAA Semifinals appearances in November of 2009, continuing a family history of strongly desire for our football program.” ► Two Southern Conference championships football coaches. Jeff’s father, Mike, and a dozen family A native of Joliet, Ill, Monken played wide receiver ► 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Finalist members have coached at the high school, collegiate for four years and earned two varsity letters in track ► 2011 Southern Conference Coach of the Year or professional levels. and field while earning his bachelor’s degree from ► 12 All-Americans in four years Monken’s first head coaching job came after accu- Millikin University in 1989. He was inducted into the mulating 20 years of experience as an assistant, 13 of school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in October and collected Georgia Tech, 2008-09 them with his mentor Johnson. Monken coached slot- his master’s degree from Hawai’i in 1991. Slotbacks/Special Teams Coordinator backs at Georgia Southern from 1997 to 2001 before Monken and his wife Beth have three daughters, joining Johnson first at Navy and then Georgia Tech. Isabelle, Amelia and Evangeline. Navy, 2002-07 As an assistant coach at Georgia Southern, Monken Slotbacks, Special Teams Coordinator (2006-07) was part of two NCAA FCS National Championship squads (1999 and 2000) and five straight playoff Georgia Southern, 1997-2001 teams. Georgia Southern was among the top-five rush- Slotbacks ing teams in all five seasons and twice led the nation in rushing. Four out of five seasons, the Eagles ranked Concordia (Ill.), 1996 in the top-15 in scoring as well. Offensive Line After serving as an assistant at Georgia Southern, Monken accepted a position on Johnson’s coaching Morton (Ill.) H.S., 1995 staff at Navy. Monken not only mentored slotbacks, he Head Coach later added special teams coordinator duties. In Annapolis, Monken helped the Midshipmen to Buffalo, 1992-94 five straight Commander in Chief trophies and five consecutive bowl appearances, including a 10-win sea- Wide Receivers/Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator son in 2004. Following his time at Navy, Monken moved to Georgia Tech where for two seasons he served as Arizona State, 1991 slotbacks coach and special teams coordinator.