Murray State University Athletics
Racers Name Therrell Defensive Coordinator
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Murray State head coach Joe Pannunzio has named former United States Military Academy (Army) assistant coach Dennis Therrell as his defensive coordinator heading into the 2004 season.
Therrell, a veteran coach with 25 years coaching experience, was named the Racers' defensive coordinator prior to the start of spring football on March 24. He comes to MSU after spending the last four seasons as defensive coordinator at Army.
"I'm excited to have Coach Therrell join our staff because his philosophy of how to play defense is what I was looking for," Pannunzio said of Therrell's hiring a few weeks ago. "He has a great understanding of the game and is an excellent teacher on the field. I've seen our defense make great strides in just the short time he's been here."
Pannunzio said he wanted someone who would bring an aggressive, attacking style to the Racer program. The kind of defense which Virginia Tech has played en route to national prominence under former MSU head coach Frank Beamer.
He found that person in the form of Therrell, who travelled to Blacksburg, Va., several years ago to learn the defense from the Virginia Tech coaching staff. Therrell said Pannunzio told him, "this is what I want to do on defense, so go get it done.
"It's an attacking defense or, when you're not attacking, makes the opponent think you are," said Therrell. "A lot of it is based on taking the offensive coordinator out of the equation and putting the pressure on the quarterback."
Prior to his stint at Army, Therrell was the defensive coordinator at Illinois State from 1997-2000, helping the Redbirds to the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA semifinals. He was the head coach at Lock Haven University from 1990-1995. He also has served as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State and the University of Tennessee.
A native of Pikeville, Tenn., Therrell played collegiately at Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee Tech, helping lead the Golden Eagles to the 1975 OVC championship.
Therrell takes over a defense which was first in pass defense and second in total defense in the OVC a year ago, but also gave up 28.2 ppg to rank sixth among the league's eight teams.
"We have some very good talent and they've been working hard in the spring," said Therrell. "We're going to make mistakes, but we're trying not to make the same mistakes twice. It's a learning process for them now, and probably through summer camp, but we're hoping that by the time the season starts we can just turn them loose and let them play."
Murray State will continue spring workouts this weekend and three days next week before wrapping up on Sunday, April 18.
