Statesmen to the 2000 Gulf South Conference and

Rick Rhoades • Head Coach
The Rhoades File
• Head Coach
• 4th Year at DSU
• 19-13 overall at DSU
• 59-41 overall record
• Central Missouri St.
Rick Rhoades enters his fourth
season as head coach at Delta State
University. He has compiled a record of
19-13 over the last three seasons at
DSU.
The Rhoades Era has seen great
change within the Statesmen football
program. Over the past three seasons,
the DSU offense has transformed from
an option-based attack to one of the
most potent passing attacks in college
football history. Since 2002, DSU has
averaged 517.9 yards per game and in
2003 led the NCAA in passing.
Rhoades came to Delta State in 2002
after a very successful stint as head
coach at Pelham High School and as an
administrator at Hoover High in Hoover,
Alabama.
During his first season the Statesmen
got off to an 0-4 start. However, the
Statesmen rallied to finish the year 4-7.
In 2003, the Statesmen entered the
season with high expectations and a
new offensive scheme. The “Delta
Force” offense has shattered virtually
every passing record in the books over
the last two years. The Statesmen
would finish the season 9-2 and a
national ranking as high as No.16.
Last season saw the Statesmen
endure tremendous hardship on the
field and off. “I have never had a year
like last season,” stated Rhoades. “No
matter the direction we turned, we faced
obstacles.”
The Statesmen had a number of
major injuries early in the season, a
number of Florida natives watched as
their families suffered through hurricane
damage and members of the coaching
staff suffered through great loss. “I
learned more about the human spirit than
ever before,” added Rhoades. “Our guys
fought it every week and when the horn
sounded we’re always ready.” Through it
all, DSU finished the year 6-4 and the
Statesmen posted another stellar offensive
year. This season the sky’s the limits.
Rhoades’ career includes some very
prominent stops along the way. Prior to
coming to DSU, the South Bend, Ind.,
native spent one season with the
Birmingham Bolts of the XFL as the
offensive line coach in 2001. Before
moving to the XFL, Rhoades coached at
Pelham High in Pelham, Ala. where he
posted a 41-19 record from 1996-2000
and led PHS to the state playoffs every
season.
During his tenure at Pelham he
coached Alabama quarterback Tyler
Watts, was named Shelby County
Coach of the Year in 1998, and was the
head coach of the Alabama North All-
Stars in 1999.
Rhoades coached the previous 17
seasons at the college level, where he
compiled a 40-28 record as a head coach.
His collegiate experience began as
offensive coordinator at the University of
North Alabama from 1979-1982. The 1981
UNA squad earned a top 10 national
ranking and led the Gulf South Conference
in total offense for the first time in school
history. Rhoades left North Alabama to
join the staff at intrastate rival Troy State,
where he served for five seasons. He
spent the 1983 and 1984 seasons as the
defensive coordinator. Troy State claimed
the 1984 NCAA Division II National
Championship with a win over North
Dakota State. Rhoades was named head
coach in 1985 when Chan Gailey
“Where Champions Play”
departed for the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
His 28-7-1 record as the Trojans’ leader
included the 1986 and 1987 GSC titles and
the 1987 NCAA Division II National
championship. He was named the GSC and
American Football Coaches Association
Regional Coach of the Year in 1986 and
the GSC and AFCA National Coach of the
Year in 1987. Active in professional
organizations, Rhoades served as chair of
the GSC Coaches Association and was a
member of the Kodak All-American
Selection Committee from 1986-87.
He spent one season as head coach
at Southern Illinois – Carbondale. Following
a 4-7 season, Rhoades returned south as
an assistant coach at the University of
Alabama in 1989. Alabama posted a 10-2
record, losing to eventual National
Champion Miami in the USF&G Sugar Bowl
in New Orleans, La.
Bill Curry departed Alabama and took
Rhoades with him to the University of
Kentucky, where he served as UK’s
offensive coordinator.
Following his stint at Kentucky,
Rhoades was the head coach at Nicholls
State University from 1993-1994. He left
NSU to become the linebackers coach at
Stephen F. Austin. SFA posted a 12-2
record and made the NCAA Division I-AA
Semifinals in 1995.
Rhoades received his undergraduate
degree in Education from Central Missouri
State in 1970. He earned a Master’s
Degree in Secondary Administration from
Troy State in 1975.
While earning his graduate degree,
Rhoades coached at Jeff Davis High in
Montgomery, Ala., from 1971-1975.
As defensive coordinator, JDHS went
10-1 and was the top ranked team in
Alabama in 1975. He left Jeff Davis and
moved to Mountain Brook High in 1976.
Rhoades was named 4A Coach of the Year
while leading MHS to a 14-0 record and
the Alabama State championship with a
14-0 record.
Rhoades is married to Elizabeth Ames.
They have two sons, Bobby, who is an
assistant coach at UCA and John Michael,
who is a pilot with US Airways.
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