With the start of this fall football season came a plethora of new coaches.
The new coaching staff includes Bert Bathiany ‘09 (linebackers), Chris Curtis (tight ends), K.B. Justus (wide receivers), Todd Londot (running backs), Doug Pryor ‘04 (defensive line), and Ryan Stewart (cornerbacks). The Denisonian had the opportunity to learn a bit more about some of these individuals.
Coach Bert Bathiany grew up in northern Kentucky in a small town called Fort Thomas. He came to Denison and played football for the Big Red, graduating in 2009.
Coach Bathiany is very passionate about Denison sports and loves to support all the teams here at Denison. He works with the football team on strength and conditioning, and also specifically with the linebackers.
“I always wanted to have a positive influence on young men and that turned into young athletes,” Bathiany explained. “I like to help athletes physically mature and become better at their craft, also to increase their intangibles, to increase their competitive drive, their team work, their accountability.”
Bathiany believes fundamental work with linebackers are important because, as he explains, “if you can do the small things then they help you do the big things”.
Coach Chris Curtis grew up in Great Falls, Montana. During his senior year of high school his family moved to Connecticut, where they currently reside.
In college, Curtis walked on to the football team at Utah State. Ever since, he has wanted to be around the game and he loves to work with players.
Curtis is passionate about seeing athletes improve. He loves going through the drills with the players and seeing them utilize the drill work during the games. He works with the running backs, full backs and tight ends, not only keeping them in shape, but with their endurance and the skills they need to be successful.
He is moved by how the students can be athletes and have so many extra-curricular activities.
Coach Ryan Stewart is from Knox, Indiana. He served in the army in both in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He was on a parachute team called the Golden Knights (where he had 4,680 jumps). He got to intern and coach at Boise State for 4 years and has always worked with defense and signaled plays.
Steward moved back to Indiana and coached at Valparaiso University after his time in Boise, coaching there for two years.
Later on, he was a graduate coaching intern at Ohio State. OSU put his name out after two years, and Denison contacted him where he was offered a job.
He has been very passionate about coaching his whole life, because even while in the army he still coached local teams. He is working with young secondaries and particularly loves how the players are mature and respectful.
Coach Todd Londot grew up in Utica, Ohio and attended Miami University of Ohio.
He has another job outside of coaching as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for SOAAR, located in Newark, Ohio. Londot actually played 3 seasons with the New York Giants, though his career was cut short after an injury, prompting him to move back to Newark in 2008.
He works with Running Backs, Tight Ends, and Full Backs, helping them to improve technique and knowledge of the game. He really loves how Denison invests in their sports teams by providing amazing facilities and he loves the people he works with because they genuinely love being at Denison.
Coach K.B. Jutus is from Lancaster, Ohio. He coaches football because he has a huge love for the game; he feels if you cannot play anymore you may as well coach.
His family all has coaching experience and his father still coaches at the college level. He is passionate about teaching students the game and sharing experiences that can better help them as athletes.
He works with the Wide Receivers and he feels that each week they are developing a new strategy for the specific team.
Coach Doug Pryor is from Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Denison in 2004 and played football for the Big Red.
He coaches for “the love [of] the game. I am passionate about the game because I feel football and sports in general teach you how to overcome adversity,” he explained.
As the defensive line coach, he currently stresses pass rush moves and players being aggressive up front. He really loves the landscape of Denison and loves the energy at the night games so far this season.