EKU Connection

Eastern Kentucky University President Joann Glasser, Athletic Director Mark Sandy and head football coach Danny Hope were in Corbin Saturday to promote their current tour “Feel The Energy”.
Along with promoting the tour around the Commonwealth it was a homecoming of sorts for assistant coaches Steve Bird and Shane Sams. Both have been added to the EKU coaching staff this season.
Alan Onkst of the Corbin Redhound Varsity Club, served as emcee for the evening and opened by mentioning the commitment EKU has made to this area. “Just this year we dedicated a new EKU facility on the Corbin by-pass,” said Onkst.
“EKU and Corbin have a very common thread,” said Onkst. “And, that is athletics.”
Onkst noted that Corbin and EKU have even closer ties with legendary coach Roy Kidd being a Corbin High School graduate. “Corbin can also lay claim that two of Eastern’s 56 All-American are from Corbin and played for the Redhounds. Coach Kidd and coach Steven Bird. And, today we are also proud of the fact that have two native sons from Corbin on the football staff and Eastern Kentucky University. Coach Steve Bird and coach Shane Sams,” said Onkst.
Hope, who is a 1981 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, will begin his third year at EKU. He played for coach Roy Kidd and started on the offensive line and was a part of the first EKU team to win the national title in 1979.
The former Colonel has guided Eastern to two runner-up finishes in the Ohio Valley Conference. He is 13-10 in two seasons with the Colonels but an impressive 12-4 in the OVC.
Hope has been on the staff of several big name schools such as Louisville, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Purdue before coming back to EKU. He has helped lead teams to eight bowl games including the Rose Bowl and Sun Bowl.
Hope thanked the community for supporting EKU football over the past and talked about his visits to Redhound Territory – Corbin.
“I’m excited about the potential in this area and I certainly want to establish an Eastern Kentucky University command post in this Corbin area,” said Hope. “I am very honored to be here.”
“I don’t know any people in the college football Hall of Fame other than the people from Corbin,” said Hope in naming off some of the Corbin notables like coach Kidd, Frank Selvy, the Bird Family and Bob Terrill, an All-American at Georgetown.
“We have five rallies going all across the state and this is the first one,” said Hope. “This is the right place to start.”
“First of all, I am very excited about being able to hire and add to our Corbin connection two new guys to the staff,” said Hope. “Shane Sams, who played at Corbin High School and UK and went to the Alabama Sports Academy and was recently the right-hand man to the head coach at the University of West Virginia. I found a way to steal him from them and bring him to Eastern. He has a new role after returning to the Bluegrass to become an on the field position coach. He is going to help us with our place kickers, punters and also be a defensive assistant and double as our football operations director. We are really excited to have him with us.”
Sams will be a graduate assistant on the field after serving as a GA at West Virginia, the 2004 Big East champions who also played in the Toyota Gator Bowl.
The other Corbin connection is Steve Bird. “I am very very lucky and very opportunistic to have a chance to get Steve back with the Colonels,” said Hope. “He is an ex-teammate, an EKU great, an All-American. It’s funny how things work out. I think it’s destiny that he comes at a time it’s important. He is a guy that absolutely bleeds maroon and has a great 1-A background. He can do a lot of things that will make a difference for us,” said Hope.
“I am proud to have him on our staff,” added Hope.
Bird will coach the tight ends at Eastern Kentucky University where he will have the services of junior tight end Patrick Bugg, who ranked second along all Colonels with 29 receptions. Bird heads to EKU after being at West Virginia the last four years.
Glasser spoke briefly to the large group on hand at David’s Steak House. “Everytime we come to Corbin we just get a warm greeting from our alumni, the business community and all the elected local folks,” Glasser said.
She applauded the fact the new Corbin facility was filled to capacity. “We have over 1,100 students, it’s the largest of our off-campus facilities.”
“My first high school commencement speech in Kentucky was at Corbin High School,” said Glasser. “I have lots of memories of Corbin and they will continue to grow in the years to come.”
“One of the first decisions I had to make when I came to Eastern Kentucky University was to find a replacement for Roy Kidd,” Glasser said. “They are not going to come any tougher than that. How in the world do you ever find a person that can walk in the footsteps of Roy Kidd. I knew it was going to be next to impossible.”
“Well, I have to told you that one of the best decisions, if not one of the best, decisions I have made since I have been at Eastern as President was hiring Danny Hope as coach of the EKU Colonels,” she said.
“I have had the privilege and the pleasure of watching him day in and day out with this football program. He is the right person at the right time for the future of Eastern football,” said Glasser. “I do not regret that decision one day of my life. I watch him work. There is no more tireless worker, he’s got passion and energy for this program.”
“He has high expectations for these young men inside the classroom as well as outside the classroom,” said Glasser. “He has a great schedule this year. I am just pump and can not wait for the season to start.”
“We need your support,” she added. “We need your support by coming to the games, our first game the home opener is against Appy State, Saturday, September 3.”