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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Cutcliffe Recommends Three Assistants to Staff
6/21/1999 | Football
December 7, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe has recommended the hiring of Marion Hobby, Kurt Roper and Jerry Colquitt to the Rebel football staff. The recommendations, made on Monday, are pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. Art Kaufman will remain on the Rebel football staff, Cutcliffe also announced on Monday.
"I am very excited and proud to have these men join our staff here at Ole Miss," said Cutcliffe, who was hired as the Rebel head coach on Dec. 2. "These men are quality coaches and quality people. They are coaches who will make the Ole Miss family proud."
Kaufman, who served as the Rebels' defensive coordinator the last four years (1995-98), will remain in the same post under Cutcliffe. During the last four seasons, Kaufman has helped lead the Rebels to three winning seasons in 1995 (6-5), 1997 (8-4) and 1998 (6-5) and consecutive bowl appearances in 1997 (Motor City) and 1998 (Independence). Kaufman also served on the Ole Miss football staff as the outside linebackers coach from 1988-91.
"I am thrilled to have a man and a coach of the caliber of Art," said Cutcliffe. "I am thankful that he has chosen to remain committed to this year's team and to also be a part of the Ole Miss program's future."
Prior to his current stint at Ole Miss, Kaufman was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 1992-94. Kaufman's first Louisiana Tech defense ranked fourth in NCAA Division I. During his first tenure at Ole Miss, Kaufman helped guide the Rebels to back-to-back bowl appearances in 1989 (Liberty) and 1991 (Gator). Before his first stint on the Rebel staff, Kaufman served as an assistant at Northwestern State for five seasons. Kaufman is a 1980 graduate of Arkansas-Monticello.
Hobby and Roper join the Rebel staff as assistant coaches. A 1989 graduate of Tennessee, Hobby has served as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Volunteer football program since February 1998. Prior to his stint at Tennessee, Hobby was a member of the football staff at Southwestern Louisiana from 1996-98. He served as the head strength and conditioning coach from June 1996 through July 1997, and as defensive tackles coach from July 1997 through February 1998. Hobby also coached defensive tackles at Tennessee-Martin from 1995-96. Before his time in the coaching ranks, Hobby played for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings (1990) and New England Patriots (1990-93). A native of Irondale, Ala., Hobby played defensive end for the Volunteers from 1985-89.
Roper comes to Ole Miss from Tennessee, where he has served as a graduate assistant coach since 1996. During his time at Tennessee, Roper assisted with the Volunteers' defense, working specifically with the kicking game and secondary. He earned his master's degree in Sports Administration from Tennessee this year. Prior to his time at Tennessee, Roper served as a graduate assistant for one year (1995-96) at Mississippi State. A 1995 graduate of Rice University, Roper played both quarterback and defensive back for the Owls and earned three letters.
Colquitt joins the Rebel staff as Director of Recruiting. A 1996 graduate of Tennessee, Colquitt has served the past three years (1996-98) as a graduate assistant for the Volunteer football program. This past summer, Colquitt also worked as an intern in the Green Bay Packers player personnel office. Prior to joining the Tennessee staff, Colquitt had professional football stints with the NFL's Carolina Panthers (1995) and NFL Europe's Frankfurt Galaxy (1997). During his playing career at Tennessee, Colquitt saw action in 21 games at quarterback as a freshman, sophomore and junior. In his senior year, Colquitt started the first game of the season versus UCLA, but suffered a season-ending injury in the contest which ended his collegiate career. In his three years of action as a reserve quarterback, Colquitt completed 36 of his 60 pass attempts for 454 yards and five touchdowns.
The Rebels finished the 1998 regular season with a 6-5 record. Ole Miss received an invitation to play in the Independence Bowl and will meet Texas Tech (7-4) on Dec. 31 in Shreveport, La.