2021 35 Under 35 Participants Announced By AFCA
December 7, 2020
The AFCA is pleased to announce the selections for its 2021 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. This year’s class was chosen from a field of over 150 high-quality applicants.
The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance. Due to the 2021 Convention being moved to the AFCA Digital library, the 2021 AFCA 35 Under 35 representatives will get to take part in the program at the 2022 AFCA Convention.
Members of the AFCA 2021 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute receive a stipend to assist with expenses incurred while attending the AFCA Convention. They will be published in the bi-monthly AFCA Magazine, AFCA Insider weekly email blast, and/or have their articles and videos added to the AFCA Educational Library. Additionally, participants will be placed on the AFCA Foundation Committee and become a part of a prestigious network of rising coaches in the profession along with many other great benefits.
RELATED ARTICLE: How To Apply For AFCA 35 Under 35 Program
In order to be eligible, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1986, and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, two-year college full-time assistant or head coach, or NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or five-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant’s choosing back in the summer.
Those interested in applying for next year’s class, submissions for the AFCA 2022 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute will run from July 1st to July 31st, 2021.
Congratulations to the 2021 Class!
Name: Cortney Braswell
School: Appalachian State University
Position: Outside Linebackers
Name: Braxton Weldon
School: Itasca Community College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Robby Discher
School: University Of Louisiana-Lafayette
Position: Special Teams Coordinator
Name: Declan Doyle
School: New Orleans Saints
Position: TE/OL
Name: Zac Etheridge
School: University Of Houston
Position: Cornerbacks
Name: Will Finley
School: Waldorf University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Jake Griedl
School: Marshall High School (TX)
Position: Head Coach
Name: Bush Hamdan
School: University Of Missouri
Position: QB/WR
Name: Justin Hamilton
School: Virginia Tech
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Ben Hammer
School: Rock Island High School (IL)
Position: Head Coach
Name: Corey Hetherman
School: James Madison University
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Shane Hunter
School: University Of Virginia
Position: Inside Linebackers
Name: Joshua Jones
School: University Of South Alabama
Position: Cornerbacks
Name: Anthony Jones Jr.
School: University Of Memphis
Position: Running Backs
Name: GJ Kinne
School:University Of Hawaii
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Kyle Krantz
School: University Of South Carolina
Position: Special Teams Coordinator/DB
Name: Tre Lamb
School: Gardner-Webb University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Josh Linam
School: Jacksonville State University
Position: Linebackers
Name: Ryan MaHaffey
School: University Of Northern Iowa
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Jason Miran
School: Bucknell University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Adam Morris
School: Campbell University
Position: Offensive Pass Game Coordinator
Name: Reilly Murphy
School: Lake Erie College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Dave Plungas
School: Robert Morris University
Position: Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Name: Matt Powledge
School: Baylor University
Position: Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties
Name: Cris Reisert
School: Tiffin University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Garret Riley
School: Southern Methodist University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Jimmy Robertson
School: Fairleigh Dickinson University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Joe Sloan
School: Louisiana Tech University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Aaron Smetanka
School: Saint Vincent College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Phil Trautwein
School: Penn State University
Position: Offensive Line
Name: Danny Verpaele
School: Kennesaw State University
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Ryan Walters
School: The University Of Missouri
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Brian Ware
School: Grambling State University
Position: Defensive Backs
Name: Rod West
School: University Of Richmond
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Cortez Whiting
School: Osbourn High School (VA)
Position: Head Coach
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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The AFCA is pleased to announce the selections for its 2021 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. This year’s class was chosen from a field of over 150 high-quality applicants.
The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance. Due to the 2021 Convention being moved to the AFCA Digital library, the 2021 AFCA 35 Under 35 representatives will get to take part in the program at the 2022 AFCA Convention.
Members of the AFCA 2021 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute receive a stipend to assist with expenses incurred while attending the AFCA Convention. They will be published in the bi-monthly AFCA Magazine, AFCA Insider weekly email blast, and/or have their articles and videos added to the AFCA Educational Library. Additionally, participants will be placed on the AFCA Foundation Committee and become a part of a prestigious network of rising coaches in the profession along with many other great benefits.
RELATED ARTICLE: How To Apply For AFCA 35 Under 35 Program
In order to be eligible, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1986, and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, two-year college full-time assistant or head coach, or NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or five-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant’s choosing back in the summer.
Those interested in applying for next year’s class, submissions for the AFCA 2022 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute will run from July 1st to July 31st, 2021.
Congratulations to the 2021 Class!
Name: Cortney Braswell
School: Appalachian State University
Position: Outside Linebackers
Name: Braxton Weldon
School: Itasca Community College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Robby Discher
School: University Of Louisiana-Lafayette
Position: Special Teams Coordinator
Name: Declan Doyle
School: New Orleans Saints
Position: TE/OL
Name: Zac Etheridge
School: University Of Houston
Position: Cornerbacks
Name: Will Finley
School: Waldorf University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Jake Griedl
School: Marshall High School (TX)
Position: Head Coach
Name: Bush Hamdan
School: University Of Missouri
Position: QB/WR
Name: Justin Hamilton
School: Virginia Tech
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Ben Hammer
School: Rock Island High School (IL)
Position: Head Coach
Name: Corey Hetherman
School: James Madison University
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Shane Hunter
School: University Of Virginia
Position: Inside Linebackers
Name: Joshua Jones
School: University Of South Alabama
Position: Cornerbacks
Name: Anthony Jones Jr.
School: University Of Memphis
Position: Running Backs
Name: GJ Kinne
School:University Of Hawaii
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Kyle Krantz
School: University Of South Carolina
Position: Special Teams Coordinator/DB
Name: Tre Lamb
School: Gardner-Webb University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Josh Linam
School: Jacksonville State University
Position: Linebackers
Name: Ryan MaHaffey
School: University Of Northern Iowa
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Jason Miran
School: Bucknell University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Adam Morris
School: Campbell University
Position: Offensive Pass Game Coordinator
Name: Reilly Murphy
School: Lake Erie College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Dave Plungas
School: Robert Morris University
Position: Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Name: Matt Powledge
School: Baylor University
Position: Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties
Name: Cris Reisert
School: Tiffin University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Garret Riley
School: Southern Methodist University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Jimmy Robertson
School: Fairleigh Dickinson University
Position: Head Coach
Name: Joe Sloan
School: Louisiana Tech University
Position: Offensive Coordinator
Name: Aaron Smetanka
School: Saint Vincent College
Position: Head Coach
Name: Phil Trautwein
School: Penn State University
Position: Offensive Line
Name: Danny Verpaele
School: Kennesaw State University
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Ryan Walters
School: The University Of Missouri
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Brian Ware
School: Grambling State University
Position: Defensive Backs
Name: Rod West
School: University Of Richmond
Position: Defensive Coordinator
Name: Cortez Whiting
School: Osbourn High School (VA)
Position: Head Coach
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
