Jan. 22, 2010
Experienced Coordinator Rick Kravitz Set to Take Over Defense
Youngstown -- Head Football Coach Eric Wolford announced on Friday that Rick Kravitz, who has 20 years experience as a defensive coordinator, will fill that role for the Penguins. A highly-respected defensive mind, Kravitz has spent the past 10 years at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. He will also serve as the Penguins' linebackers coach.
Wolford and Kravitz coached together when the University of South Florida program was in its formation stages.
"Rick has always coached an aggressive style of defense that constantly makes the offense feel pressure," Wolford said. "His style of defense will be one our players enjoy and will suit our program perfectly. He brings over 20 years of recruiting experience in the state of Florida. Rick has coached at all levels and we are very excited to have someone of his caliber be part of our coaching family."
A native of St. Petersburg, Fla., he will be the program's key recruiter in the Sunshine State. He has recruited the area for the past 20 years for various schools and has many contacts in Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties. He has also recruited the Tampa-St. Pete area during his career.
Kravitz spent the past two seasons at Western Michigan coaching the Broncos' safeties for coach Bill Cubit. During the 2008 season, free safety Louis Delmas earned first-team All-MAC honors and was selected 33rd overall in the NFL Draft. Delmas had 111 tackles and four interceptions as the Broncos finished the season 9-4 advancing to the Texas Bowl. WMU was 5-7 in 2009.
Prior to his two-year stint at Western Michigan, Kravitz served as the defensive coordinator for Tommy West. The Tigers won seven games during the 2007 campaign and played in the New Orleans Bowl.
In 2006, Kravitz joined Chuck Amato's staff at N.C. State. He served as the safeties coach and special teams coordinator for the Wolfpack. During the year NCSU ranked 13th nationally in passing defense and 36th in total defense.
Kravitz had an impressive 10-year run as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida. While with the program, Kravitz served in capacities as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. The Bulls were an FCS Independent from 1997 through 2000 before making the jump to the FBS level in 2001.
The defensive coordinator from the inception of USF football, Kravitz added assistant head coach to his title in 2001, the same season he switched his emphasis to the secondary after coaching the linebackers in his first four seasons.
Prior to joining the staff at South Florida he spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for West Alabama.
He was the defensive coordinator at Florida A&M for Coach Ken Riley from 1986-93 on the FCS level. He coached six All-Americans and had 10 players drafted into the NFL. The Rattlers had six winning seasons and shared the MEAC title in 1988.