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Norfolk
State names Pete Adrian as new football coach
January 19, 2005
Norfolk, Va . — Norfolk State University
President Dr. Marie V. McDemmond and Acting
Athletics Director Marty Miller announced
Wednesday the hiring of Pete Adrian as the
university’s new head football coach. Adrian, who becomes
the 16th head coach in Spartan football history, replaces
Willie Gillus, whose contract was terminated in December.
“I’m happy to announce Pete Adrian as the next
football coach here at Norfolk State University. He has experience
at the Division I and Division II levels as well as at the
pro level. He brings the expertise to turn the Spartans into
a winner,” Dr. McDemmond said. “The thing that
impressed me most with coach Adrian is his positive attitude
to say ‘Let’s get started right now, and we can
win.’ ”
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Pete Adrian |
Adrian has more than 30 years of coaching experience at the
collegiate level. He served seven seasons as defensive coordinator
at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Fla., from 1997-2000
and 2002-04. Included in that stint were a Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference title in 2002 and the Wildcats’ first two
NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances (2002, 2003). His defenses
have ranked in the top 15 in I-AA in total defense in three
of the past four seasons and have produced numerous professional
players, such as current Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back
and 2002 Buck Buchanan Award winner Rashean Mathis.
“I’m happy to be here. I want to thank the administration
and the search committee for having confidence in me,” Adrian
said. “I believe that NSU is a gold mine waiting to happen.
People around this conference have asked me why NSU isn’t
winning, and I don’t know why we can’t make it
happen. We’re going to win here, and hopefully a lot
quicker than people think.”
Adrian’s resume also includes stints at West Virginia,
Rhode Island and Idaho State as well as with the XFL’s
Chicago Enforcers, and head coaching stints at Division II
Bloomsburg (Pa.) University and Deltona (Fla.) High School.
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