Coaching Staff
Head Coach/Defensive
Coordinator:
David Ward
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 David
Ward begins his third season at ICC. Coach Ward is a native
of Carlisle, Arkansas. After high school, Coach Ward attended and played
football at the University of Central Arkansas. Coach Ward then joined the
United States Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina. He suffered a major knee injury while on duty that ended his
military career. After about eleven months of rehabilitation, Coach Ward took an
assistant coaching job at Marion County High School in Lebanon County,
Kentucky.
Shortly after this, Coach Ward met the love of his life and married
Airman first class Toni L. Faulkner-Ward of the United States Air Force.
Only being married a month, the Wards were stationed in Grand Forks, North
Dakota, where David continued coaching football at Grand Forks Central High
School
Less
than a year went by when Coach Ward was offered his first college coaching
job at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. While at Crookston, he aided
the Golden Eagles development during their transition from NAIA to a
conference title contender in NCAA Division II.
After three seasons with the Golden Eagles, Coach Ward was offered what
appeared to be the challenge of a lifetime. Rainy River Community College in
Minnesota decided to start a football program and chose Ward as the coach to
get things started. Coach Ward was offered the job on June 30th,
2001, with the season only a month and fifteen days away.
In
those 45 days, Coach Ward signed 45 players. The first year in the
conference, Rainy River was supposed to be the doormat of the Minnesota
Community College Conference but ended up going 4-5 in the inaugural season.
During Ward’s second season at Rainy River, he led them to a 6-3 record
missing the playoffs and a bowl game by one loss. The combined margin of
victory in those three losses was only 20 points.
The
two years at RRCC Coach Ward’s teams were briefly ranked in the top 20
nationally. He coached 10 second team All-Conference players, 8 first team
All-Conference players and one All-American. Coach Ward had individual
players ranked in the top ten in almost every statistical category with both
single season scorer and interception leader as number one in the country in
2002.
Coach Ward resides in Independence with his wife Toni, son Mitchell, 8,
daughter Chloe, 6, son Gage, 4 and a 1 year-old son and Independence native
Gunner.
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Defensive
Coordinator: Elzie Anderson
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Linebackers
Coach: Roger Kelsey
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Roger
Kelsey begins his first season with the Pirates. He
holds two degrees from the University of Arkansas (BSE in
Kinesiology & MAT in Physical Education). He comes to ICC
from Texas College in Tyler, Texas where, as an Assistant
Coach, he coached the offensive line/tight ends from
2003-2006.
Prior to
Texas College, Coach Kelsey was an assistant coach during
the 2002 season at Gallup High School in Gallup, New Mexico.
Before
going to Gallup, Kelsey was an assistant coach at
Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena,
Mississippi during the 2001 season.
During
2000 and 1999, Coach Kelsey was in the high school ranks at
Rogers High School (AR) and Southside High School (AR)
respectively.
During
1997-1998, Kelsey was a student assistant at New Mexico
State University
Coach
Kelsey is retired from the United States Army where he
served proudly from 1974 until 1994.
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Offensive Line
Coach: Jermaine Porter
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Jermaine Porter comes to Independence C.C. after a one
year stint at Louisburg J.C. in North Carolina. As offensive
line coach for the Hurricanes, Porter's first year team
allowed only one sack for every 24 pass attempts and blocked
for 1800 rushing yards.
In 2004,
Porter spent one year as assistant offensive line coach for
Division II Wingate University. He assisted in implementing
a multitude of run and pass formations in a West Coast Style
offense. He also coached a left tackle to second team
ALL-SAC. At both schools, he was responsible for game tape
exchange and tape breakdown as well as recruiting the state
of Ohio and Florida. Porter also spent the spring of 2004
volunteering at his alma mater, the University of Akron.
Prior to his collegiate coaching days, Porter spent four
years coaching middle and high school football in East
Cleveland, Ohio.
Porter
graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in
Elementary Education. He was a three year starter for the
Zips at tight-end, earning a letter each year. A native of
Wickliffe, Ohio, Porter (34) has three children, Mariah (9),
Elijah (7), and Nathaniel (6).
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Wide Receivers: Matt Mueller
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| Defensive
Backs: Anthony Randle
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