Inside the Headset – NAIA Regional Coach of the Year Panel
January 26, 2023
This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring our NAIA regional coaches’ discussion. The coaches recap their seasons, and the team’s culture, and reflect on some influential leaders in their life.
The regional selections for NAIA are:
Region 1: Mike Jasper, Bethel University (Tenn.) Mike Jasper recently led his Bethel Wildcats to an 11-1 record and a berth in the NAIA playoffs. Coach Jasper is a graduate of Bethel and was the first-ever Wildcat drafted to the NFL in 2011 when selected by the Buffalo Bills. He spent three years in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Region 2: Jordan Langs, Indiana Wesleyan University Jordan Langs had successful stops at previous institutions such as Indiana Wesleyan University (NAIA), Head Coach [2016-2022] and Wheaton College (NCAA DIII), Defensive Coordinator/DB’s [2012-2016]. Coach Langs was previously named the 2021 & 2022 Mideast League Coach of the Year. Coach Langs recently took an assistant coaching job at Iowa State as the Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs coach.
Region 3: Joe Woodley, Grand View University Joe Woodley recently completed his 15th year with the Vikings and his fourth year as head coach. Prior to being head coach, he was the offensive and defensive coordinator. Woodley has been instrumental in the Vikings’ success since the program’s inception in 2008. In 2013, Grand View finished 6-0 in the MSFA Midwest, 14-0 overall and won the NAIA National Football Championship.
Region 4: Matt McCarty, Northwestern College Matt McCarty finished his seventh season as the Red Raiders’ head coach. McCarty was the team’s defensive coordinator for 11 years and served as assistant head coach from 2012 to 2015. He has led the Northwestern football program to two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football Championship Series (FCS) semifinals three times (2020, 2021, 2022). He has made one NAIA FCS National Championship game appearance (2020). McCarty led the Northwestern football program to their first NAIA national title in 2022 since the 1983 season.
Region 5: Troy Purcell, Carroll College (Mont.) Troy Purcell became the 21st football coach at Carroll College on Dec. 7, 2018 and most recently led the Fighting Saints to the program’s 45th conference championship. The 2022 Fighting Saints won their final five games of the regular season, culminating with a 21-6 win over College of Idaho to secure a share of the Frontier title, and the conference auto-bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series. Carroll finished the season as the No. 16 ranked team in the final NAIA Coaches’ Poll. Purcell was named the 2022 Frontier Conference Coach of the Year.
1:15 Season Recap
2:30 Positive Effect of Players Returning
6:00 Maintaining Culture through Adversity
8:00 Influential Mentors
14:15 Conclusion
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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This week on Inside the Headset, we are featuring our NAIA regional coaches’ discussion. The coaches recap their seasons, and the team’s culture, and reflect on some influential leaders in their life.
The regional selections for NAIA are:
Region 1: Mike Jasper, Bethel University (Tenn.) Mike Jasper recently led his Bethel Wildcats to an 11-1 record and a berth in the NAIA playoffs. Coach Jasper is a graduate of Bethel and was the first-ever Wildcat drafted to the NFL in 2011 when selected by the Buffalo Bills. He spent three years in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Region 2: Jordan Langs, Indiana Wesleyan University Jordan Langs had successful stops at previous institutions such as Indiana Wesleyan University (NAIA), Head Coach [2016-2022] and Wheaton College (NCAA DIII), Defensive Coordinator/DB’s [2012-2016]. Coach Langs was previously named the 2021 & 2022 Mideast League Coach of the Year. Coach Langs recently took an assistant coaching job at Iowa State as the Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs coach.
Region 3: Joe Woodley, Grand View University Joe Woodley recently completed his 15th year with the Vikings and his fourth year as head coach. Prior to being head coach, he was the offensive and defensive coordinator. Woodley has been instrumental in the Vikings’ success since the program’s inception in 2008. In 2013, Grand View finished 6-0 in the MSFA Midwest, 14-0 overall and won the NAIA National Football Championship.
Region 4: Matt McCarty, Northwestern College Matt McCarty finished his seventh season as the Red Raiders’ head coach. McCarty was the team’s defensive coordinator for 11 years and served as assistant head coach from 2012 to 2015. He has led the Northwestern football program to two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football Championship Series (FCS) semifinals three times (2020, 2021, 2022). He has made one NAIA FCS National Championship game appearance (2020). McCarty led the Northwestern football program to their first NAIA national title in 2022 since the 1983 season.
Region 5: Troy Purcell, Carroll College (Mont.) Troy Purcell became the 21st football coach at Carroll College on Dec. 7, 2018 and most recently led the Fighting Saints to the program’s 45th conference championship. The 2022 Fighting Saints won their final five games of the regular season, culminating with a 21-6 win over College of Idaho to secure a share of the Frontier title, and the conference auto-bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series. Carroll finished the season as the No. 16 ranked team in the final NAIA Coaches’ Poll. Purcell was named the 2022 Frontier Conference Coach of the Year.
1:15 Season Recap
2:30 Positive Effect of Players Returning
6:00 Maintaining Culture through Adversity
8:00 Influential Mentors
14:15 Conclusion
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.
