Football

Kent Riddle is in his second year with the Mean Green as the Special Teams and Tight Ends coach.

In 2011, the Riddle led special teams produced a school record 1,094 kickoff return yards from Brelan Chancellor, who was an honorable mention all-conference player. It is the first 1,000-yard kick return season ever produced in school history.

Punter Will Atterberry was nominated for the Ray Guy Award as he led the Sun Belt Conference in punting at 43.5 yards a kick. Atterberry was a first-team all-conference pick, his first career selection. Atterberry also ranked tied for 8^th in the nation with 26 punts inside the 20-yard line. Atterberry's 43.5 yards a kick was the best average at North Texas since 1997.

He was previously at Colorado, Boise State, Army, and Oregon State. At Boise State, Riddle, was the running backs and special teams coach for five seasons. Many of his special team units finished regularly in the NCAA top 25, as the kickoff return team was in the top 21 all five years and the punt return team placed in the top 18 the last four seasons.

And over the course of his five years, precision reigned in the kicking game, as BSU kickers converted 96.8 percent of their PAT kicks (330-of-341) and 73.1 percent of their field goal tries (68-of-93).

At Colorado he coached two All-American's, placekicker Mason Crosby and punter Matt DiLallo. In 2007, however, Colorado was one of just of just six schools in the nation to rank in the top half in all five special team categories: net punting, punt returns, kickoff returns, punt return defense and kickoff return defense.

In 2005, Boise State ranked 12th in the nation in kickoff returns (24.2), anchored by Lee Marks, who was 10th nationally as an individual (27.9, 1 TD). The Broncos were also 18th in punt returns (12.8), with Quinton Jones second in the country with a gaudy 20.9 yards per return, including three scores. The coverage units were exceptional as well; BSU was 17th in punt return defense (5.9) and 29th in kickoff return defense (18.7).

Riddle coached placekicker Tyler Jones at Boise State to an All-American season and a spot as one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award in 2004. In 2003, the Broncos ranked 15th in the country in both kickoff and punt returns, following up a 2002 campaign when both finished 13th in the NCAA.

The Broncos also led the WAC in punt returns and kickoff coverage, allowing just 17.0 yards per return. In 2001, David Mikell was seventh in the nation in kickoff returns (28.4, 1 TD), leading the team to a 19th place national ranking.

In his first three seasons at Boise State, the Broncos produced a 1,000-yard rusher every year. In 2003, David Mikell earned honorable mention all-WAC honors after rushing for 1,142 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2002, Brock Forsey was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year, as he rushed for 1,611 yards (11th in the NCAA), and led the nation in scoring with 26 touchdowns. In his first year, 2001, Forsey was a first-team all-WAC performer after gaining 1,207 yards.

Riddle had moved on to Boise State after serving as an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy for six seasons. At Army, his first full-time coaching position, he coached the fullbacks for his four seasons there (1995-98), and then switched to special teams coach and recruiting coordinator for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

He worked his first five years there under head coach Bob Sutton, and was retained when Todd Berry was named coach in 2000.  In 1996, he helped coach Army to its only 10-win season in history, as the Black Knights went 10-2, including a loss to Auburn in the Independence Bowl.

Prior to joining the Army staff, Riddle began his coaching career in 1991 as a student assistant football coach at Oregon State University. In 1992, he was promoted to a graduate assistant position with the Beavers, first working one year as the video G.A. before working as the offensive grad assistant in both 1993 and 1994, helping tutor the running backs while also being in charge of preparation for the defensive scout team.

He earned his bachelor's degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management from Oregon State in 1992, after completing his playing career for the Beavers, as he played quarterback for coach Dave Kragthorpe.

He is married to the former Camaren Matlock, and the couple has one son and one daughter.