Butler Adds Three Football Coaches

Butler head football coach Jeff Voris put the finishing touches on his coaching staff for the upcoming season with the addition of three new assistants.  The sixth-year Butler coach announced the hiring of defensive tackles coach Colin Johnson, receivers coach Kenan Smith and running backs coach Andy Belluomini to complete his 2011 staff.

Johnson joins the Bulldogs after spending the past three seasons as a graduate assistant coach on the staff of (current Butler Associate Athletic Director) Bill Lynch at Indiana University.   He gained experience working with both the offensive unit and with the special teams during his three seasons at Indiana.  Johnson, who’s also assisted at Warren Central High School, Zionsville High School and Ball State, was a four-year football letterwinner at Ball State, where he earned his degree in 2003.

Smith served as a graduate assistant coach working with wide receivers at Anderson University last year.  He further served as a football operations summer intern at Ball State (2010).  The former Sacramento State football player was an assistant director of marketing and promotions at Michigan (2006-09), and he served internships at Michigan (2005-06) and with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (2002-05).  He was an all-conference wide receiver at Sacramento State and finished his career ranked in the school’s all-time “Top 10” in receptions.  Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Sacramento State in 2005 and a Masters in Business Administration degree from Anderson in 2012.

Belluomini is coming off one season on the coaching staff at Northwestern University, where he served as Offensive/Special Teams Quality Control.  He also served as a student assistant coach at Boise State, 2005-10.  He earned his degree from Boise State in 2010.

Voris also announced several responsibility changes for his returning staff members.  Offensive line coach Nick Tabaca will also serve as Co-Offensive Coordinator in 2011, assistant coach Nick Anderson, who worked with Butler’s cornerbacks last season, will take over as tight ends coach this season, and defensive ends coach Rob Noel will take on additional duties as assistant recruiting coordinator.  Former linebackers coach Joe Cheshire will continue as Co-Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator, but will have primary responsibility for Butler’s secondary this season, while former secondary coach Tim Cooper will continue as Co-Defensive Coordinator, but now will be in charge of the Bulldogs’ linebackers.

Butler will begin its 2011 football preseason camp on August 8.