BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb officially announced his 2020 football staff on Monday, an energetic collection of coaching talent that will hit the field for spring practice on March 15.

"We are excited with this staff. I've been impressed with their energy and work ethic since we started this process in late December and January," said Lamb, who will enter his first season as a college head coach on Thursday, September 3 vs. Limestone. "One of my first tasks in charge of this program was to secure the resources to attract top quality football coaches – and high character football coaches. That has been a success. We are proud of this staff and their potential to make a huge impact on our program, this campus and community.

"Each of these coaches have either played at the Division I FBS or FCS level and, more importantly, each have championship experience as either a player or coach."

With Lamb filling the offensive coordinator role himself, the most important hire came with defensive coordinator Josh Reardon. The pair worked together previously at Mercer.

Reardon, who played collegiately at Central Michigan, spent the past two seasons at Eastern Kentucky and helped the Colonels finish among the best defensive units nationally in 2018 and 2019. Reardon also has coaching stops at UConn (2014-2016), Notre Dame (2012-2013), Holy Cross (2011), Sacred Heart (2008-10) and his alma mater as a graduate assistant (2006-07).

Also on the defensive staff will be Taylor Hennigan (corners), Michael Gray (linebackers), Jamere Hogue (defensive line) and Billy Kirkendall (defensive assistant). 

Henningan, who will also serve as the special teams coordinator for the Runnin' Bulldogs, played at Tennessee Tech and most recently served as an assistant coach at his alma mater. The son of former Tennessee Tech head coach Mike Hennigan, the younger Hennigan also has coaching experience on the high school level. In addition to his on-field duties, Henningan will also coordinate Gardner-Webb's walk-on program – which has gotten off to a strong start under his early watch.

Gray joined the Runnin' Bulldogs in mid-January after serving as a graduate assistant coach at nearby NC State. The Jacksonville, Fla., native worked with the Wolfpack's linebackers during his time in Raleigh. Gray also has a year under his belt as an intern at Western Kentucky. He played collegiately at Mercer, collecting 180 tackles as a safety and linebacker.

Hogue was a heavily sought after coach following a successful stint at Tusculum on the Division II level, and his choice to join the Runnin' Bulldogs for the 2020 season provides a big boost to the defensive line.

The Morristown, Tenn., native spent three seasons with the Pioneers and spent two years prior to that in the same conference at Brevard College. Prior to entering the coaching profession, Hogue starred on the defensive line at Tennessee Tech as a teammate of current GWU head coach Tre Lamb and corners coach Taylor Hennigan. The trio helped the Golden Eagles to the 2011 OVC title.

Kirkendall will serve in a variety of roles with Gardner-Webb's defense and provides excellent analytics support after serving as a defensive quality control coach at Eastern Kentucky in 2019. He served in a similar capacity at Division II Florida Tech in 2018 following a playing career at Olivet College on the Division III level.

Gardner-Webb's offensive staff is also complete, with Dominique Davenport (running backs), Taylor Lamb (quarterbacks), Kelsey Pope (receivers), Jake Thornton (offensive line) and Jordan Miller (graduate assistant/tight ends) forming an innovative group to power the Runnin' Bulldogs on that side of the ball.

Davenport is no stranger to the Big South Conference, having starred at former member Coastal Carolina under Coach David Bennett. The first-team All-Big South safety actually scored a touchdown for the Chanticleers in an overtime win over Gardner-Webb in 2010 in Spangler Stadium.

As a coach, Davenport gained valuable experience coaching running backs at Tennessee Tech for the past two seasons, where he helped implement Lamb's high octane scheme. The Bonaire, Ga., native also has prior experience at Division I FCS Mercer and in the high school ranks at First Coast (Fla.) High.

Lamb, the younger cousin of head coach Tre Lamb and the son of former Furman and Mercer head coach Bobby Lamb, is no stranger to the sport of football – or extreme success in the sport. A third generation football coach, Lamb spent the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina.

As a college quarterback himself, Lamb won 37 games over four years at Appalachian State, leading the Mountaineers to a pair of Sun Belt titles and beginning a tradition of bowl wins for that program. He passed for 9,763 yards and 90 touchdowns, while rushing for 2,008 yards and 23 more scores. Lamb is also the career leader in Sun Belt history in pass efficiency rating.

Pope is another talented coach who joined the program after learning Lamb's offensive scheme at Tennessee Tech. This past season, Pope had two receivers catch 40+ balls and saw freshman Metrius Fleming earn second-team All-OVC honors. He inherits a very talented group in Boiling Springs and has previous coaching experience at Shorter and Ohio Northern.

Pope played collegiately at Samford and finished as the program's career leader in receptions with 250. He caught a school-record 17 balls at The Citadel in 2011 and was a three time All-SoCon selection. Following his career in Birmingham, Ala., Pope signed a free agent deal with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals in 2014.

Thornton was another key hire for Lamb and enters the 2020 season with a burgeoning reputation as one of the top young offensive line coaches in the FCS ranks. Thornton served in the same role at Tennessee Tech and gained important experience as a graduate assistant on a National Championship staff at the University of Alabama in 2017. Thornton also coached at his alma mater, Western Carolina.

As a player, Thornton was a two-time All-SoCon choice on the offensive line for the Catamounts, earning first-team honors in 2014. He started 33 consecutive games for WCU. A native of nearby Toccoa, Ga., Thornton is the grandson of Pro Football Hall of Fame and former NFL standout Billy Shaw.

Miller is in his second season with the program, having served as a graduate assistant in 2019 with the offense. He will continue in that role in 2020, coaching the team's tight ends and also handling video coordinator duties. The Fort Mill, S.C., native is a graduate of North Greenville University.

Gardner-Webb also added two valuable administrative positions within the program, with Tyler Dell and James Francis coming on board.

Dell, who comes to Gardner-Webb from Tennessee Tech, served as a graduate assistant with the Golden Eagles. He will serve as Director of Player Personnel at Gardner-Webb and has already made a major impact during the offseason.

Francis is the most recent addition to the staff, also coming to Boiling Springs from Cookeville, Tenn. Francis will serve as Gardner-Webb's Director of Football Operations, assisting the program in a variety of daily roles in addition to serving as liaison to several important areas within the athletics department.

Gardner-Webb will open spring practice on Sunday, March 15, and will hold the Red/Black Spring Game on Saturday, April 4 in Spangler Stadium.