Birmingham Named UW-Stout Football Head Coach
MENOMONIE, Wis.--Clayt Birmingham has been named the UW-Stout head football coach. Birmingham will replace Duey Naatz, who was recently named the UW-Stout athletic director.
Birmingham has been with the Blue Devils for the past three seasons (2007, 2008, 2009) as the defensive coordinator. Birmingham's defense has gone from the eighth ranked defense in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) to second last season. Of 235 NCAA Division III teams, Stout's defense ranked 42nd in 2009.
"Clayt is a proven success as a defensive coordinator," said Naatz. "He is ready to take that next step in his professional career."
"I look at this being a smooth transition," Birmingham said. "I am excited about taking over and continuing down the road that has already been started."
"It has always been one of my goals to be a college head coach. When the opportunity knocked, I took it."
Birmingham, a former all-conference defensive back at UW-Stevens Point, has coached on the college level at Division I, II and III schools, as well as coached one summer professionally in Europe. In the summer of 2008, Birmingham traveled to Europe with USA Football on a Coaching Instructional Tour to European youth. In the summer of 2007, Birmingham was a member of the coaching staff for the US National Football team that competed at the World Championship of American Football in Japan and also was an assistant coach in the Aztec Bowl.
Birmingham coached five seasons (2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001) at Division II Emporia State in Kansas where he was the defensive coordinator and worked individually with the defensive line and defensive backs. Under Birmingham's direction, the Hornets defense allowed only 284.7 yards per game in 2003. The Hornets' defense ranked 17th nationally in 2003 and posted a record of 9-3, advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Birmingham spent two seasons at NCAA Division I Western Michigan, as the defensive secondary coach in 2004 and as a graduate assistant defensive coach in 2000. The 2000 Broncos were 9-3 and won the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. His duties included coaching the defensive secondary, film breakdown and defensive quality control.
In 1998-99, Birmingham was a graduate assistant receivers coach at Northern Michigan.
He spent the summer of 1998 as the head coach of Stockholm's Swedish National Championship team in the European Federation of American Football, leading the team to an 11-3 record.
Birmingham's first coaching experience was at his alma mater UW-Stevens Point from 1996-97 where he coached the secondary and outside linebackers, including the Detroit Lions 1999 sixth round draft pick Clint Kriewaldt.
A four year starter, Birmingham was a two-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) defensive back at UW-Stevens Point (1995, 1994). In 1994, Birmingham was the WIAC interceptions co-leader.
Birmingham is a native of Sturgeon Bay and a graduate of Southern Door High School.
UW-Stout finished the 2009 season at 8-2 overall, 5-2 in the WIAC. The 2010 season opens Friday, Sept. 3 at Black Hills, S.D., State. The Blue Devils host Jamestown College, Saturday, Sept. 11.
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