Everett Withers - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Everett Withers

Title:
Head Coach
Phone:
540-568-7125
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 201 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

Everett Withers just completed his second season as the head football coach at James Madison University.

In both years, Withers led the Dukes to back-to-back playoff appearances and combined to go 18-7, including a 12-4 mark in Colonial Athletic Association play. JMU won a share of the CAA championship in 2015, the first conference title since 2008, and finished third in 2014 after being a predicted to finish eighth.

Withers guided Madison to a school-record, 14-game regular-season win streak, as the team won its final seven games of the 2014 regular season and began 2015 with a 7-0 record, the best start of any JMU team in history. The Dukes also won 10 straight CAA contests between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, tying the program record (2007-08) for consecutive conference victories.

Following JMU's 7-0 start in 2015, ESPN announced it would be hosting its iconic live pregame show, College GameDay, on Oct. 24, 2015, from the Quad on JMU's campus. During the broadcast, Withers and the entire team made an appearance on set where Withers unveiled JMU's brand-new white helmets with a block M on one side and the player's number on the other.

Withers and his staff have built a new culture for JMU Football since his arrival, which has included a renovation project to the football locker room, visual upgrades to the football offices, three brand new uniforms (black, purple and white) and three new helmets (purple chrome, purple matte and white).

In his first two seasons, he coached quarterback Vad Lee, who will undoubtedly go down as one of the best to ever suit up for JMU. In just 21 career games, the signal caller tied the program's
passing touchdown record (51) while ranking second in total offense (7,292), third in passing yards
(5,652) and completions (446) and fifth in pass attempts (705).

He became the only player in Division I history (FBS and FCS) to pass and rush for 275 yards in the same game when he threw ?for 289 yards and ran for 276 more in JMU's 48-45 win at FBS foe SMU on Sept. 26. Lee is also the first player ever to win back-to-back Bill Dudley Awards (2014, 2015), honoring the top player in the state of Virginia, both at the FBS and FCS level.

In year two of the Withers era, JMU finished with a 9-3 record and was co-CAA champions with a 6-2 league mark. The Dukes earned the No. 5 national seed for the 2015 FCS playoffs and a first-round bye, as they hosted a home playoff game in December for the first time in seven years where they played Colgate.

The Dukes were one of the nation’s most prolific offenses in 2015 as it ranked second in both scoring (44.3) and total offense (528.8). They led FCS in third-down conversions (54%) while also ranking fourth in completion percentage (66.9%), seventh in rushing (273.8) and ninth in red-zone scoring (89.4%). JMU gained a program-record 6,345 yards in 2015 after rushing for 3,285 yards and passing for 3,060 yards.

JMU’s special teams saw a vast improvement in Withers’ second season, as it ranked seventh in kickoff returns (24.3) and 15th in net punting (37.7). The Dukes also ranked 11th with a pair of blocked punts.

Withers coached 10 Dukes to All-CAA accolades, including quarterback Vad Lee, who was named CAA Offensive Player of the Year after he led the country in total offense (375.5) and completion percentage (68.3%) while ranking third in point responsibility (21.8) and fifth in rush yards per carry (7.5). In just eight games, Lee passed for 2,190 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 814 yards and eight scores to finish his final season with 3,004 yards of total offense and 29 total touchdowns.

In his inaugural season at the helm, JMU posted a 9-4 overall record and went 6-2 in CAA play to finish third. The Dukes earned a spot in the 2014 NCAA FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2011 and hosted their opening-round game against Liberty.

The Dukes’ offense broke numerous school records in 2014 including total offense (6,300), passing yards (3,499), completions (286) and passing touchdowns (30). JMU produced the most prolific offense in the CAA with 484.6 yards per game, which ranked 10th in the country. The Dukes ranked 21st in FCS in both passing offense (269.2) and rushing offense (215.5) and boasted the 17th-best scoring team (35.7) in 2014.

Defensively, the Dukes ranked second in the country in turnover margin (+1.08), 12th in total fumble recoveries (14) and 13th in sacks per game (2.85). They also had one of their best seasons on record in terms of blocks, ranking sixth in total blocks (7), including a No. 3 ranking in blocked punts (4).

Madison had seven players earn All-CAA honors and senior safety Dean Marlowe was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game. Four players from his inaugural team signed free-agent contracts with National Football League teams: Marlowe (Panthers), Daniel Brown (Ravens), Sage Harold (Chiefs) and Brandon Lee (Seahawks).

A 28-year coaching veteran, Withers arrived in the Shenandoah Valley in January 2014 from Ohio State University, where he served as assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. During his time with the Buckeyes, he was a part of a school-record 24-game win streak and a 24-2 mark overall. In 2012, OSU compiled a perfect 12-0 record and finished No. 3 in the national rankings. The undefeated 2012 slate was only the sixth unbeaten/untied season in school history, during which Ohio State ranked second in the Big Ten with 14 interceptions, and all four starting defensive backs earned All-Big Ten Conference recognition.

During his career, Withers has split time between the collegiate and professional coaching ranks, having worked in NCAA Division I for 20 years and in the National Football League for seven seasons. Withers’ collegiate coaching resume includes 11 years as a defensive coordinator, with a vast majority of his time - 17 seasons - spent also coaching the defensive backfield.

Prior to accepting his position with Ohio State in December 2011, Withers spent four years at the University of North Carolina. He was promoted to interim head coach at the school in July 2011 and led the Tar Heels to a 7-6 overall record and a berth in the Independence Bowl against Missouri. His first defensive unit (in 2008) ranked eighth in the country with 20 interceptions, a number that was just one off the UNC single-season record. His 2009 defense was among the nation’s elite, ranking sixth in total defense, 10th against the run, 13th in scoring and 14th in pass defense. His 2010 unit ranked fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 30th nationally. Five players off that team were taken in the NFL draft, including first-round pick Robert Quinn. In his final season in 2011, the Tar Heels ranked 14th nationally against the run. Additionally, Withers’ UNC defenses picked off 71 passes in four seasons.

Coach Withers Family (clockwise from top) - Everett, Kara, Tia and Pierce — Withers Family (clockwise from top): Everett, Kara,
Tia and Pierce

Withers spent one year as defensive coordinator at the University of
Minnesota prior to his time at North Carolina. He also has been an assistant coach at the University of Texas (1998-2000; defensive backs), Louisville (1995-97; defensive coordinator/assistant head coach/defensive backs), Southern Mississippi (1992-93; defensive backs/assistant special teams), Tulane (1991; outside linebackers) and Austin Peay (1988-90; defensive coordinator/defensive backs; tight ends/special teams).

In the NFL, Withers spent six years (2001-06) as a defensive backs coach with the Tennessee Titans and then-head coach Jeff Fisher, who now holds the same position with the St. Louis Rams. During his tenure in Nashville, Withers was a part of an AFC South championship in 2002 and two playoff berths in 2002 and 2003. He coached All-AFC selections in Lance Schulters (2002) and Adam “Pacman” Jones (2005), as the Titans’ defense thrice ranked in the top five in the NFL in rushing yards against. While he was the defensive backs coach of the Titans, the squad ranked among the top-10 defenses in 2002. From 2002 to 2004, the Titans produced 57 interceptions, the best ever for a three-year span for the franchise, fourth best in the AFC and eighth best in the NFL. The Titans tallied 21 picks in 2004, with 16 coming from the Withers-coached secondary. Withers also spent the 1994 season with the New Orleans Saints as a defensive quality control coach.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Withers attended Appalachian State University and was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back. He served as team captain in 1984.

Withers and his wife, Kara, have a daughter, Tia, and a son, Pierce.

The Withers Head Coaching File

2011	North Carolina	7-6 (3-5 ACC)	Independence Bowl
2014	James Madison	9-4 (6-2 CAA)	FCS First Round
2015	James Madison	9-3 (6-2 CAA)	CAA Co-Champions, FCS Second Round