Grass Announces Completion of Defensive Staff
3/13/2018 4:32:00 PM | Football
JACKSONVILLE – John Grass has completed his coaching staff for the 2018 season, adding new faces to fill three vacancies on the defensive side of the ball.
The fifth-year head coach announced this week the addition of new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Andrew Warwick, associate head coach and safeties coach Kelvin Sigler and new defensive ends coach Landius Wilkerson. The trio replaces co-defensive coordinators David Blackwell and Brandon Hall and defensive ends coach Nick Gentry, who each left to take a job at the FBS level.
"We are excited to add three great coaches to our staff, but even more important is that we are adding three good men to our program," Grass said after Tuesday morning's practice. "The kids are latching on to them, and I'm excited about the way they're fitting in. All three of them bring something a little different to the table, and it's going really good."
Warwick joined the staff prior to the start of spring practice, while Sigler and Wilkerson more recently completed the process to join the Gamecocks early in the spring schedule.
Grass also announced additional responsibilities for the two returning defensive assistants, William Green and Owen Kilgore. Green, the defensive line coach, will coordinate the team's run defense, while Kilgore will head up the Gamecocks' pass defense efforts.
Warwick comes to JSU from Clemson, where he spent the last six years in different capacities. He was most recently the Tigers' Director of Defensive Player Development, a position he held for the previous three seasons.
In 2013, he helped the Clemson defense to a top-25 finish in tackles for loss, sacks, total defense and scoring defense. The 2014 Tigers led the nation in total defense, while the 2015 group paced the country in tackles for loss.
He helped the No. 8 defense in the nation lead the 2016 Tigers to the National Championship, a unit that also finished third in tackles for loss and fourth in pass efficiency defense. Another ACC title followed in 2017, thanks to a defense that ranked fourth nationally in total defense, second in scoring defense, fourth in passing defense and fifth in sacks.
Warwick is a 2007 graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he was a three-year starter at tight end and wide out. He won the Mike Cross Award as the team's top receiver in 2006.
The native of Oklahoma City, Okla., began his coaching career in 2008, when he became the defensive backs coach at Thomas More College and helped it to a league title. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons at Central Oklahoma, where he coached defensive backs. In 2011, he coached at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.
Sigler comes to JSU from South Alabama, where he spent two seasons as the Jaguars' cornerbacks coach after a three-year stint at Northern Illinois.
In his first season at USA, Sigler led a Jaguar defense that not only ranked in the top 10 in the nation in pass defense but among the top five schools in the country in most improved scoring defense. His second season in 2017 saw the Jaguars rank 13th in red zone defense.
In his three seasons at NIU, Sigler worked with cornerbacks as NIU posted a 31-11 (73.8%) overall record and a 21-3 (87.5%) mark in the Mid-American Conference, earned three consecutive postseason bowl berths and claimed the 2014 league championship.
Prior to NIU, Sigler was on the 2012 defensive staff at Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide to a 13-1 record and a 42-14 win over Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game.
He went to Alabama after serving four seasons as the head coach at Blount High School in Prichard, Ala., where he led the Leopards to four-straight playoff appearances and the school's first 10-win season since 1998 in 2011. He also served as a high school coach at Bob Jones and Greensboro High Schools.
Sigler lettered for four years at Alabama from 1995-98, helping the program to a 10-3 mark as a sophomore; the Tide played in the Southeastern Conference championship game that fall before going on to beat Michigan in the Outback Bowl. He was also part of a squad that played in a bowl game his senior season, while Alabama went 8-3 his first year at the collegiate level. During his career, Sigler intercepted six passes, led the team in tackles as a junior and was one of five permanent team captains his senior year.
Wilkerson joins Grass' staff after a eight-year stint at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, where he most recently served as the Hawks' defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
During his eight seasons, Wilkerson helped two of his linemen earn All-American recognition. Defensive tackle D.J. Chappell became the first All-American in program history in 2012 and defensive tackle Heath McCray was named honorable mention All-American in 2015.
During the Hawks' first five seasons as members of the USA South Athletic Conference, Wilkerson's defensive line has produced one USA South Defensive Rookie if the Year (DeAnte' Griffith), six All-Conference performers and 17 Academic All-Conference selections. Wilkerson has also coached six NFF National Honor Society Achievement winners.
From 2015-2017, Wilkerson was part of the most successful three-year run in Huntingdon history as the Hawks won 28 games, three conference titles and their first NCAA playoff game.
Wilkerson earned his B.S. degree in Mathematics Education from Alabama State University, where he played football and ran track. He completed his M.A. degree in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Tech. He coached for five years at McMinn Central High where he coached both offensive and defensive linemen and served as assistant head coach.
At ASU, Wilkerson was a captain and an All-Conference lineman. A three-year starter on the offensive line, Wilkerson was a member of the 2004 SWAC championship team.
In high school, Wilkerson was a two-time All-State defensive lineman and was selected to play in the Tennessee East-West All-Star game.
The fifth-year head coach announced this week the addition of new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Andrew Warwick, associate head coach and safeties coach Kelvin Sigler and new defensive ends coach Landius Wilkerson. The trio replaces co-defensive coordinators David Blackwell and Brandon Hall and defensive ends coach Nick Gentry, who each left to take a job at the FBS level.
"We are excited to add three great coaches to our staff, but even more important is that we are adding three good men to our program," Grass said after Tuesday morning's practice. "The kids are latching on to them, and I'm excited about the way they're fitting in. All three of them bring something a little different to the table, and it's going really good."
Warwick joined the staff prior to the start of spring practice, while Sigler and Wilkerson more recently completed the process to join the Gamecocks early in the spring schedule.
Grass also announced additional responsibilities for the two returning defensive assistants, William Green and Owen Kilgore. Green, the defensive line coach, will coordinate the team's run defense, while Kilgore will head up the Gamecocks' pass defense efforts.
Warwick comes to JSU from Clemson, where he spent the last six years in different capacities. He was most recently the Tigers' Director of Defensive Player Development, a position he held for the previous three seasons.
In 2013, he helped the Clemson defense to a top-25 finish in tackles for loss, sacks, total defense and scoring defense. The 2014 Tigers led the nation in total defense, while the 2015 group paced the country in tackles for loss.
He helped the No. 8 defense in the nation lead the 2016 Tigers to the National Championship, a unit that also finished third in tackles for loss and fourth in pass efficiency defense. Another ACC title followed in 2017, thanks to a defense that ranked fourth nationally in total defense, second in scoring defense, fourth in passing defense and fifth in sacks.
Warwick is a 2007 graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he was a three-year starter at tight end and wide out. He won the Mike Cross Award as the team's top receiver in 2006.
The native of Oklahoma City, Okla., began his coaching career in 2008, when he became the defensive backs coach at Thomas More College and helped it to a league title. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons at Central Oklahoma, where he coached defensive backs. In 2011, he coached at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.
Sigler comes to JSU from South Alabama, where he spent two seasons as the Jaguars' cornerbacks coach after a three-year stint at Northern Illinois.
In his first season at USA, Sigler led a Jaguar defense that not only ranked in the top 10 in the nation in pass defense but among the top five schools in the country in most improved scoring defense. His second season in 2017 saw the Jaguars rank 13th in red zone defense.
In his three seasons at NIU, Sigler worked with cornerbacks as NIU posted a 31-11 (73.8%) overall record and a 21-3 (87.5%) mark in the Mid-American Conference, earned three consecutive postseason bowl berths and claimed the 2014 league championship.
Prior to NIU, Sigler was on the 2012 defensive staff at Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide to a 13-1 record and a 42-14 win over Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game.
He went to Alabama after serving four seasons as the head coach at Blount High School in Prichard, Ala., where he led the Leopards to four-straight playoff appearances and the school's first 10-win season since 1998 in 2011. He also served as a high school coach at Bob Jones and Greensboro High Schools.
Sigler lettered for four years at Alabama from 1995-98, helping the program to a 10-3 mark as a sophomore; the Tide played in the Southeastern Conference championship game that fall before going on to beat Michigan in the Outback Bowl. He was also part of a squad that played in a bowl game his senior season, while Alabama went 8-3 his first year at the collegiate level. During his career, Sigler intercepted six passes, led the team in tackles as a junior and was one of five permanent team captains his senior year.
Wilkerson joins Grass' staff after a eight-year stint at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, where he most recently served as the Hawks' defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
During his eight seasons, Wilkerson helped two of his linemen earn All-American recognition. Defensive tackle D.J. Chappell became the first All-American in program history in 2012 and defensive tackle Heath McCray was named honorable mention All-American in 2015.
During the Hawks' first five seasons as members of the USA South Athletic Conference, Wilkerson's defensive line has produced one USA South Defensive Rookie if the Year (DeAnte' Griffith), six All-Conference performers and 17 Academic All-Conference selections. Wilkerson has also coached six NFF National Honor Society Achievement winners.
From 2015-2017, Wilkerson was part of the most successful three-year run in Huntingdon history as the Hawks won 28 games, three conference titles and their first NCAA playoff game.
Wilkerson earned his B.S. degree in Mathematics Education from Alabama State University, where he played football and ran track. He completed his M.A. degree in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Tech. He coached for five years at McMinn Central High where he coached both offensive and defensive linemen and served as assistant head coach.
At ASU, Wilkerson was a captain and an All-Conference lineman. A three-year starter on the offensive line, Wilkerson was a member of the 2004 SWAC championship team.
In high school, Wilkerson was a two-time All-State defensive lineman and was selected to play in the Tennessee East-West All-Star game.
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