photo courtesy of Todd Wetmore, Liberty University sports information
H.T. Kinney, who has coached championship teams at every stop in his career, is joining the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater program as the football team's quarterback coach and recruiting coordinator.
"I've known H.T. for a number of years," UW-W head coach
Lance Leipold said. "He brings a wide range of experience and knowledge to our staff. He has coached all the positions on the offensive side of the ball. And he was a player in this league, understands how competitive our league is, that everyone has strengths top to bottom. He's from Illinois and still has contacts there, so he will be a benefit to our recruiting there," Leipold added.
"I'm really thrilled," said Kinney. "I've known Lance since we quarterbacked against each other in the (then) WSUC. I've been getting calls and texts from coaches telling me what a great opportunity this is, that I am going to be part of a nationally prominent program. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to compete for a championship."
Kinney is coming from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia where he was the run game coordinator as well as position coach for tight ends and fullbacks in 2010 and 2011. Prior to that he coached at Nichols State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where he started as the running backs coach (2003-2004), moved up to offensive coordinator (2004-2005) and ended up as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2006-2009). He was running backs coach at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Kinney's first stint at Liberty encompassed 1993-1999. During that span he coached defensive ends, special teams, tight ends, running backs, and the offensive line at various times. In 1991-1992 he served as the secondary coach and assistant special teams coach at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York, following a year in Italy as the head coach of the Tolentino Orange Blades. Kinney's coaching career began at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, where his assignment was linebackers and assisting with the special teams for the 1988 and 1989 seasons.
"My coaching resume is all over the map," Kinney noted. "I guess my strength is the diversity of my experience, working with every kind of offense there is."
Kinney played his college football at UW-Platteville from 1984 to 1987, earning Second Team All-WIAC honors in 1985 under head coach George Chryst. Leipold was the All-WIAC Second Team quarterback in 1986.
Kinney has helped create winning teams at each of his stops. Liberty won the Big South Conference championship in 2010. Nichols State won the Southland Conference title in 2005, earning a berth in the NCAA IAA playoffs, and Hofstra made it into the NCAA IAA playoffs in 2000 and 2001. Hofstra also won the Atlantic 10 championship in 2001. While Kinney was at Wagner the Seahawks won the 1992 Liberty Conference title, and the 1988 and 1989 Monmouth football team won the Midwest Conference Southern Division crown. Even the team he coached in Italy in 1991, the Tolentino Orange Blades, won their league championship.
"H.T. has been with successful programs every place he's been and at several levels, even as a coordinator, on teams that won championships," Leipold noted, "so we know he brings a lot to our program."
UW-Whitewater has gone 72-3 in Leipold's five years as head coach. The Warhawks have won a record seven consecutive WIAC championships, earned a berth in the NCAA III championship each of those years, and advanced through the playoffs to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III title game in Salem, Virginia, all seven years. UW-W has won the last three NCAA III championships, and four in the last five years. Leipold has directed the Warhawks to 45 consecutive victories, the longest active winning streak in college football at any level, and the fifth longest streak in NCAA football history, at any level.
For additional information: Lance Leipold, UW-W coach, 262-472-1453 or leipoldl@uww.edu
