Rockets Add Two Coaches and One Administrator to Football Staff
2/8/2010 12:01:00 PM | Football
TOLEDO - University of Toledo head coach Tim Beckman announced the appointment of two coaches and one administrator to the UT football staff.
Scott "Izzy" Isphording and Louis Ayeni have been added to the Rockets' coaching staff, while Glen Elarbee joins the football staff as the director of football operations. Isphording will be the quarterbacks coach, while Ayeni will coach the running backs.
"We are very fortunate to have Izzy, Louis and Glen join the Rocket family," said Beckman. "They are all great family men, great teachers and individuals who know what it takes to build a championship football program."
Beckman also said that Alex Golesh will move from running backs to tight ends coach, while maintaining his duties as recruiting coordinator.
Scott "Izzy" Isphording - Quarterbacks
Scott "Izzy" Isphording joins the Rockets' staff as the quarterbacks coach after spending last season as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio University. This past season, Isphording helped guide Ohio to a 9-5 record, a MAC East Division Championship and a berth in the Motor City Bowl. Isphording also has had assistant coaching stints at Eastern Michigan, Wittenberg, Colorado School of Mines and Fort Hays State.
"I recruited and coached against Izzy when he was at Eastern Michigan," said Beckman. "He has coordinator experience and is a great recruiter. He will be a great asset to our quarterbacks."
Isphording coached at Eastern Michigan from 2004-08, and was the offensive coordinator in his final two seasons there. In 2008, he led the Eagles to a school-record 5,010 total yards and topped the league in red-zone efficiency (88.7 pct.), red-zone touchdown efficiency (73.6 pct.) and time of possession (32:48). The Eagles also set single-game school records in total offense (637 vs. Indiana State), rushing yards (413 vs. Indiana State) and passing yards (516 vs. Central Michigan). Isphording mentored EMU quarterback Andy Schmitt, who set NCAA single-game records with 58 completions and 76 pass attempts without an interception vs. Temple. The following week Schmitt completed 58-of-80 passes in a 56-52 win over CMU. Schmitt earned Walter Camp Foundation National Player of the Week honors for his effort, the first-ever EMU player to claim the honor.
In 2007, Isphording directed an EMU offense that averaged 24.2 points and 337.5 yards per game. Under his tutelage, Schmitt ranked 51st in the national in pass efficiency at 130.86. The year before, Isphording oversaw a quarterback corps which averaged 276.2 yards a game. Individually, he saw Schmitt average 182.6 yards per game.
During the 2004 season, EMU piled up the yardage using the spread offense, finishing 21st in the nation in total offense, rolling up an average of 427.91 yards per game. The Eagles were also 33rd in the Division I-A ranks in scoring offense at 29.82 points a game. Under his direction, quarterback Matt Bohnet ranked sixth in the nation in total offense (293.7).
Prior to his post at EMU, Isphording served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wittenberg from 1998-2003. While at Wittenberg, Isphording also served as the head men's golf coach in 2002 and 2003 and was an assistant baseball coach from 1998-02. As the offensive coordinator, he helped Wittenberg win four North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championships while recording a 63-9 win-loss record. The football team made five appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs, making it to the regional finals three times and the regional semifinals twice. From 2001-2003, he also served as the assistant head coach. His 2002 and 2003 teams were ranked nationally in the NCAA Division III statistical report.
Prior to his Wittenberg coaching stint, Isphording was the quarterbacks and receivers coach at Colorado School of Mines (1996-98), and was the quarterbacks coach at Fort Hays State University (1994-96).
A four-year letterwinner as a quarterback at Hanover College, Isphording helped the offense rank third in the NCAA Division III ranks in 1992. During that '92 season, Isphording recorded 3,098 yards in passing offense, which was the sixth-best effort in Division III history.
A native of Cincinnati, OH, Isphording graduated from LaSalle High School in 1990 and went on to complete his bachelor's degree at Hanover College in 1994. He earned a master's degree in physical education at Fort Hays State in 1996. Isphording and his wife, Shelly, have one daughter, Erika.
Scott Isphording's Coaching History
Years School/Team Position
2010 Toledo Quarterbacks
2009 Ohio Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2008 Eastern Michigan Offensive Coordinator
2007 Eastern Michigan Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
2004-06 Eastern Michigan Quarterbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
2001-04 Wittenberg Assistant Head Coach
1998-03 Wittenberg Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
1996-97 Colorado School of Mines Quarterbacks/Receivers
1994-95 Fort Hays State Quarterbacks
Louis Ayeni - Running Backs
Louis Ayeni comes to Toledo from Northwestern, where he served as a graduate assistant for the past two seasons, working primarily with the offense. He will coach the running backs at UT.
"I got to know Lou in December when I went to Northwestern to watch them practice and prepare for their bowl game," said Beckman. "He's an outstanding young man who has a great background in running the kind of offense we want to run."
During his career at Northwestern from 1999-2003, Ayeni played running back before switching to safety prior to his senior season. He served as team captain in 2003 and 2004 and was a team representative to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2002-04. He graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in sociology.
Despite being limited his senior year by injury, Ayeni earned respect as one of the most feared hitters in the Big Ten Conference. In four games his senior year, he totaled 22 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In the 2003 season-opening win at Kansas, Ayeni was tabbed the team's defensive player of the game, his first game playing safety in college. Later that season he added "Player of the Game" and "Big Playmaker of the Game" accolades against Purdue and Wisconsin, respectively. As an offensive performer early in his career, Ayeni helped lead the Wildcats to a Big Ten Championship in 2000. As a true freshman in 1999, Ayeni led the team in kickoff return average and yardage, was third on the team in special teams tackles, and was the Wildcats second-leading rusher.
Ayeni played for Head Coach Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts as a safety for the 2004-05 season before joining the St. Louis Rams and Head Coach Mike Martz in 2005-06 as a linebacker.
A native of Woodbury, MN, Ayeni played his prep ball at Woodbury High School where he helped lead the Royals to their only state championship in 1998. He is the school's career leader in yards (3,504) and touchdowns (47). He ran for 2,112 yards and 34 touchdowns his senior season, both school records, and returned seven punts for 270 yards and three touchdowns.
Ayeni served as varsity defensive backs coach and varsity track and field coach from 2006-08 at his alma mater, Woodbury High School. Ayeni also participated in the Bill Walsh Coaching Internship with the Chicago Bears at their 2009 training camp.
Louis Ayeni's Coaching History
Years School/Team Position
2010 Toledo Running Backs
2008-09 Northwestern Graduate Assistant
Glen Elarbee - Director of Football Operations
Glen Elarbee joins the Toledo football program as the director of football operations. He will coordinate many of the day-to-day operations of the program. He previously served as the offensive graduate assistant at Oklahoma State for the past two seasons.
"Glen has an outstanding background in coaching at a national championship program in LSU, as well as at Oklahoma State where they went to two bowl games," said Beckman. "I worked with Glen at Oklahoma State. He knows what goes into making a football program successful. He will do a great job as our director of football operations."
Elarbee joined the OSU staff as the offensive graduate assistant coach in January 2008 after spending one season at LSU. During his time at LSU, he worked on the offensive side of the ball and was part of the 2008 BCS National Championship staff.
Prior to his time at LSU, Elarbee worked as the offensive line coach at East Central Community College in Decatur, MS, and also served as the recruiting coordinator for the program.
A native of Carrollton, GA, Elarbee played his prep career at Central High School and then signed to play football at Middle Tennessee State University. Elarbee earned All-Conference honors as a junior and senior. A four-year letterman from 1999 to 2002, he was a member of the Sun Belt Conference Championship team in 2001.
After completing his bachelor's degree in mathematics from MTSU in 2002, Elarbee joined the Blue Raiders staff as a graduate assistant and worked in that capacity for two years. He completed his master's degree in sport management at MTSU in 2004, then had a brief stint as the offensive line coach at Texas A&M-Commerce in the Spring of 2005. In June 2005, Elarbee rejoined the MTSU staff as a full time coach and worked with tight ends.
Elarbee is married to the former Holly Coatney.
