TOLEDO OH – Mike Bellamy and Hank Poteat have joined the coaching staff at the University of Toledo, head coach Jason Candle announced today.
 
            Bellamy, who will coach the wide receivers, comes to Toledo after spending last season at Mississippi State and the previous four campaigns at Illinois. Poteat was the cornerbacks coach at Kent State the past two seasons, and will handle the same position for the Rockets.
 
            "I am very excited about the addition of Hank Poteat and Mike Bellamy to our staff," said Candle, who finished his first full season as head coach with the 9-4 Rockets. "Both men bring instant credibility to their respective meeting rooms and will provide a necessary spark on the recruiting trail."
 
 
Mike Bellamy – Wide Receivers
 
Mike Bellamy joins the Rockets' coaching staff as the wide receivers coach. He comes to Toledo from Mississippi State where he spent the 2016 season as a quality control coach/analyst. Prior to that, he was at Illinois where he spent four seasons on the Fighting Illini staff (2012-15), including three as an assistant coach. He was promoted to wide receivers coach in February 2013 after serving one year as assistant director of player personnel and relations (2012).
 
"This is a perfect opportunity for me," said Bellamy. "From a career standpoint, it really was a no-brainer for me. Coach Candle is very highly regarded and has an outstanding reputation among college coaches. It was an easy choice for me and I hope the perfect choice for the Rockets. I'm very excited about the opportunity."
 
Under Bellamy's guidance, Illinois freshman receiver Mike Dudek burst onto the scene in 2014, as the newcomer posted a team-high 76 catches with six touchdowns and 1,038 yards, which broke Arrelious Benn's school record for receiving yards by a freshman (676 in 2007). He was named second-team All-Big Ten, first-team Freshman All-America by Scout.com and first-team True-Freshman All-America by ESPN.com and 247sports. Bellamy also coached current Green Bay Packer Geronimo Allison, who earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2015.
 
In 2013, Bellamy molded an unheralded group of receivers into one that helped Illinois record the most total passing yards in a season in school history (3,452) and third-most passing yards per game (287.7). He guided Steve Hull's transition from defensive back to receiver in Hull's final season, helping him rank in the top 10 in school history in season receiving yards (993), season touchdown catches (seven) and season 100-yard receiving games (five). Hull also was the nation's most prolific receiver over the final four weeks of the season, posting 653 yards and six touchdowns on 40 catches (16.3 ypc) during that span.
 
In his role with the Fighting Illini in 2012, Bellamy coordinated all former player events, assisted with on-campus recruiting and recruiting mailings, helped coordinate the annual Illinois high school coaching clinic and coordinated all functions with Block I, fraternities and sororities. He immediately served as a bridge between the coaching staff and former Illini players, coaches and staff across the country, building numerous relationships.
 
As a player at Illinois (1988-89), Bellamy was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten receiver in 1989. He recorded 59 receptions for 927 yards and eight TDs for the Illini that season, the fourth-most TD catches in a season in school history and the ninth-most receiving yards. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 459 yards, an average of 28.7 that ranks second in school history.
 
Bellamy stands second in Illini history in career kickoff return average at 26.4 yards per return, and his 170 kickoff return yards against Indiana on Nov. 18, 1989, remain the single-game school record. He was named one of the top 10 receivers in Illinois history in 2008 and was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame in 2007 for his achievements at the College of DuPage in suburban Chicago.
 
After earning a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Illinois in 1990, Bellamy was a second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1990 NFL Draft, playing two seasons for the team. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders from 1992-95 before playing for Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League in 1995-96, winning the World Bowl in 1996.
 
Bellamy came to Illinois after serving as the receivers and specialists coach at Clark-Atlanta University in 2011. Prior to that, was the passing game coordinator, receivers coach and specialists coach at Sprayberry High School from 2008-10. Bellamy has assisted at camps at Illinois, Virginia and Georgia State, as well as the 2010 and 2011 Under Armour Combine and the 2009 and 2010 Georgia High School All-Star game.
 
Following his playing career and before joining the coaching ranks, Bellamy and his wife, Tanya, built a successful business in the beauty industry in the Atlanta area. The couple has three children: Mike, McKenna and McKoy.
 
Mike Bellamy's Coaching Experience
2017          Toledo – Wide Receivers
2016          Mississippi State – Quality Control/Analyst
2013-15     Illinois - Wide Receivers
2012          Illinois - Assistant Director of Player Personnel and Relations
2011          Clark-Atlanta - Wide Receivers/Specialists
2008-10     Sprayberry High School - Passing Game Coordinator/Receivers/Specialists
 
 
Hank Poteat – Cornerbacks
 
Hank Poteat joins the Rockets' coaching staff as the cornerbacks coach. Poteat spent the last two seasons as the cornerbacks coach at Kent State.
 
"It's a great feeling for me to be joining the coaching staff at the University of Toledo," said Poteat. "This a great program with a winning tradition. I'm looking forward to working with Coach Candle. He has a great vision for what this program should be. I'm also looking forward to working with (defensive coordinator) Brian George again. We worked very well together at Kent State and I know we will continue that great relationship at Toledo."
 
Last season, Poteat coached a pair of All-MAC cornerbacks for the Golden Flashes. Senior Najee Murray made first-team All-MAC and was ninth in the nation in passes defended. Junior cornerback Jerrell Foster was 25th in the country in passes defended and made second-team All-MAC. In 2015, Poteat helped sophomore Demetrius Monday in a breakthrough year.  Monday intercepted six passes and was named first-team All-MAC.
 
During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Poteat was a defensive graduate assistant at Pitt, working with the cornerbacks.  The Panthers advanced to bowl games in both seasons.
 
A third-round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft, Poteat played for five NFL teams over 10 seasons.  He earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 2004 New England Patriots. As a rookie, Poteat had a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown that sparked a 24-3 Steelers' win over Washington in the final game played in Three Rivers Stadium.
 
Poteat began his coaching career working with the defensive backs at Kentucky Christian University for two seasons. He helped the Knights to a 7-4 finish in 2012.
 
A four-year letterwinner at Pitt (1996-99), Poteat was a cornerback and kick returner.  He led Pitt in interceptions in 1998 and 1999, earning All-Big East first-team honors in back-to-back seasons.  As a junior, he led the Big East and ranked fourth nationally with six interceptions. Poteat also holds Pitt records for both kick return yards in a season (764 in 1998) and a career (2,010).
 
Born in Philadelphia, Poteat spent his early childhood there before moving to Harrisburg. He was a three-sport standout at Harrisburg High, starring in football, basketball and track & field.
 
Poteat earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences from Pitt in 2011. He and his wife Jasmine have two daughters, Ariana and Sierra, and a son, Tre.
 
Hank Poteat's Coaching Experience
2017           Toledo – Cornerbacks
2015-16      Kent State – Cornerbacks
2013-14      Pittsburgh – Graduate Assistant
2011-12      Kentucky Christian - Cornerbacks