The Academy is designed to reinforce various aspects of securing, managing and excelling in head football coaching positions at the intercollegiate level.   The participants are current football coaches at NCAA colleges and universities who have up to eight years of experience coaching football.

The NCAA Diversity and Inclusion department administers the program, which prepares coaches for many of the situations and issues they will experience at the head coaching level through targeted program sessions and networking opportunities with current head coaches and athletics administrators.   The NCAA National Office does not have the authority to mandate hiring decisions at its member colleges and universities, but it provides the coaches with opportunities to further enhance their skills and exposes them to key decision makers at NCAA colleges and universities.

“We’re bringing 26 coaches to Indianapolis to reinforce specific areas of expertise that we know athletics directors and head coaches believe are critical when advancing through the coaching ranks,” said Charlotte Westerhaus, NCAA vice president for Diversity and Inclusion.    “The coaches already have the Xs and Os under their belt and they are familiar with many of the skill sets we place emphasis on during the program.   We’re simply going to enhance their skills by providing them with information and feedback from some of the most successful coaches and athletics administrators from around the nation during the various program sessions.”

The following are the football coaches invited to the 2009 NCAA Football Coaches Academy:

• Joel Beard, offensive coordinator, Minnesota State University Moorhead 
• Brian Bell, assistant coach/secondary, Minnesota State University Mankato
• Benny Boyd, assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator, Luther College
• Vincent Brown, assistant football coach, University of Richmond
• Ron Cook, former coach at American International College
• Kevin Downing, wide receivers/recruiting coordinator, Winston-Salem State University
• Darin Edwards, assistant football coach, Sacred Heart University
• Matthew Foster, assistant coach, North Central College
• Jermaine Gales, assistant football coach, Mars Hill College
• Michael Grant, assistant head coach/wide receivers, Western Michigan University
• Carlton Hall, assistant coach, Harvard University
• Aaron Harris, running back coach/assistant coach, University of Delaware
• Kefense Hynson, offensive coordinator/quarterback coach, Western Washington University
• Jerry Mack, Jr., assistant football coach/passing game coordinator, University of Central Arkansas
• Kenyatta McCoy, defensive back coach/recruiting & video coordinator, Kentucky State University
• Richard Mercado, wide receivers coach/special teams coordinator, SUNY-Maritime College
• Steven Neal, assistant football coach, Wayne State University
• Amish Patel, running backs coach, Davidson College
• Roderick Reed, defensive coordinator, Tennessee State University
• Antone Sewell, defensive backs coach, Prairie View A&M University
• Terry Sims, recruiting coordinator/special teams coordinator, Howard University
• Jared Smith, assistant football coach, Marshall University
• Chris Vaughn, recruiting coordinator, University of Mississippi
• Troy Walters, offensive coordinator/quarterback and wide receiver coach, Indiana State University
• Thaddaeus Ward, running back coach, Western Illinois University
• Jake Zweig, defensive line coach, University of Hampshire