On Jan. 10, Eastern Michigan University head coach Chris Creighton announced a pair of additions to his coaching staff. Mike Hart stays on as the running backs coach while Jacob Kirkendall will continue as the director of football operations.
“It was obvious from our first meeting that Coach Hart had invested a lot into this program and cares about it deeply,” Creighton said on emueagles.com. “He wants to be at Eastern and after getting to know him I whole-heartedly wanted him to stay. He has all of the qualities that make a great college coach and those who know him well say he is an even better man. I am extremely excited and thankful that Mike is going to remain an Eagle.”
Hart enters his third season as the running backs coach at EMU and his fourth year overall in Ypsilanti. The University of Michigan football program’s all-time leading rusher spent the 2011 season as the Eagles’ offensive quality control assistant.
Prior to coming to EMU, the 27-year-old Hart spent three seasons in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts (2008-10) where he rushed for 264 yards on 71 attempts in 21 games.
Prior to the NFL, Hart set school records for carries (1,015) and rushing yards (5,040) at Michigan between 2004-07. A four-year starter for the Wolverines, Hart’s 41 career touchdowns rank third in U-M history. Additionally, he ranks fourth all-time in the Big Ten Conference in career rushes and yards gained, while ranking 11th in touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Kirkendall begins in his seventh year as the director of football operations for the Eastern Michigan University football team. His primary responsibilities include coordinating travel arrangements, high school recruiting visits, camps, speaking engagements and community outreach programs.
The 29-year-old Kirkendall spent the 2007 campaign as the director of football operations/video coordinator at Dartmouth College.
A native of Lucas, Ohio, Kirkendall graduated from Ohio University in 2007 with a degree in sport management.
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