2009 Coaching Staff
Gregg Baker
Head Coach
Education: Graduated in 1985 from Montgomery’s Carver High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University Montgomery in 1990.
Joined Staff: February 2008
Playing Career: Three-year starter for Davis Brock and Al Pickett at Carver High School. Selected as an Adidas /Sports Illustrated All- American in 1985. Received an athletic scholarship to Georgia Tech, where he played for Bill Curry.
Coaching History: Baker began his coaching career at Trinity Presbyterian School, where over his 13-year tenure he served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and junior high head coach. Following his stay at Trinity, Baker spent two years as the head coach at Georgia Washington Junior High School, compiling a 13-2 record and a city championship. In 2002 Baker was the offensive coordinator at Jeff Davis High School, helping the Vols to a state runner-up finish in 2002. In 2005 Baker spent a year as the offensive line coach at Prattville High School before being named the head coach at Alabama Christian Academy in 2006.
Family: Gregg has been married for 18 years to the former Dana Kirk of Montgomery, Ala.
Duane McWhorter
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Education: Graduated in 1979 from Montgomery’s Robert E. Lee High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Auburn University Montgomery in 1983 and a master’s degree in Health from Alabama State University in 1991.
Joined Staff: Spring 2009
Coaching History: McWhorter began his coaching career in 1980 with an eight-year stint as an assistant at Capitol Heights Junior High School. In 1988 he was the defensive coordinator at St. James High School and moved on to Jeff Davis High School the following year as a defensive line coach. He was promoted to the Volunteers’ defensive coordinator in 1998 and, after seven years as the coordinator, was named the school’s head football coach in 2005, a position he held for four seasons
Family: Duane has been married for 25 years to the former Patty Cooper. He and his wife have two children – Patrick, 20, and Shayla, 16. He is also a proud new grandfather to Audrey McWhorter.
Corey Fipps
Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Education: Graduated from Maxwell High School in Maxwell, Calif., in 2008. He received a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Harding University in 2004 and followed with a master’s degree with an emphasis in Kinesiology in 2008.
Joined Staff: Spring 2009
Playing Career: Fipps was a four-year letterman in football and basketball at Maxwell High School. He played three seasons at offensive tackle for Harding University from 2001-03 after transferring from Cabrillo Community College in Aptos, Calif.
Coaching History: Fipps was a graduate assistant at Harding University during the 2004 season. He then served as offensive coordinator at First Baptist Academy in Dallas, Texas, for two years beginning in 2005. He was most recently the offensive line coach at Harding in 2007 and 2008. In those two seasons the offensive line was the foundation of Harding's record-breaking offense. The Bison broke over 50 school records during the over that time and ranked second nationally in passing and eighth in total offense in the NCAA Division II during the 2008 season.
Family: Corey is married to the former Jennifer Weaver of Spartanburg, S.C. They have one daughter, Kensley Anleen.
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Dean Briggs
Linebackers
Education: Graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Ala., and received his bachelor’s degree in History from Troy University Montgomery.
Joined Staff: Spring 2007
Coaching History: Briggs began his coaching career at Evangel Christian Academy in 2002 where he worked with the offensive line and served as the defensive coordinator. In 2003 he worked with the offensive line and linebackers at Hooper Academy where he also coordinated the defense for the junior varsity program. Briggs returned to his previous role at Evangel Christian in 2004. In 2005 he became the head junior varsity coach and linebackers coach at Macon East Academy. This will be his third season at Faulkner, where last year he coached the NAIA’s leading tackler in Sean Thom.
Family: Dean and his wife Denise have six children – Joey, Andy, Rachel, Kelsey, Matthew and Ashley – and one grandchild – Reagan.
Charles Knapp
Operations Coordinator, Recruiting & Running Backs
Education: Graduated from Mosley High School in Panama City, Fla. He received a bachelor's degree in History from Faulkner University.
Joined Staff: Fall 2007
Playing History: Knapp was a four-year letterman at Mosley High School where he played linebacker and strong safety.
Coaching History: Knapp served as a volunteer coach in 1998 and 1999 at Alabama Christian Academy before joining the Faulkner staff in 2007. He assisted with the defensive backs in 2007 before moving to running backs last season. Prior to joining the football staff, Knapp worked in Faulkner’s admissions office for eight years.
Family: Charles and his wife Julie are the proud parents of two sons - Austin and Cooper.
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Cam Clark
Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
Education: Graduated from Calhoun High School in Calhoun, Ga. He received his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a minor in history from Harding University.
Joined Staff: Spring 2008
Playing History: Clark was a four-year letterman in high school football and track. He was an all-state quarterback his senior year and was the state champion in the triple jump. Clark also lettered four years in both football and track at Harding. Clark played cornerback and safety for the Bison.
Coaching History: Clark joined the staff in January of 2008 as the defensive backs coach. He made the switch to wide receivers last spring. He was also named the Eagles’ recruiting coordinator earlier this year.
Family: Cam is married to the former Dana Altman of Plano, Texas.
Chad Franklin
Defensive Line/Strength Coach
Education: Graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Ala., and received his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Faulkner University in 2007.
Joined Staff: Fall 2007
Playing History: Franklin lettered in baseball and football in high school. As a junior linebacker he helped lead the Huskies to the third round of the state playoffs. He played baseball at Faulkner for four years as a first baseman and was part of the team that finished second in the 2007 NCCAA World Series.
Coaching History: Franklin began his coaching career in 2007 at Faulkner, working with the defensive line. Last season he was a defensive backs coach before moving to outside linebackers in the spring
Family: Chad is the son of Dennis and Sandra Franklin.
Heath Stripling
Videographer & Team Chaplain/Outside Linebackers
Education: Graduated from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Ala., and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Faulkner University.
Joined Staff: January 2008
Playing History: Stripling lettered in football, wrestling and baseball at Pinson Valley. As a senior he helped lead the Indians football team to its first playoff berth in 18 years. He was an exceptional wrestler and he earned both all-state honors and an invitation to the nationals. Stripling played baseball at Faulkner for one year.
Family: Heath is the son of Dale and Becke Stripling.
Ryne Rials
Quarterbacks
Education: Graduated from South Montgomery County Academy in Grady, Alabama, and graduated last spring with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Faulkner University.
Joined Staff: Spring 2008
Playing History: Rials played football, basketball, baseball and ran track at South Montgomery. He currently holds the Alabama Independent Schools Association record for career touchdown passes with 83. He was named the AISA Back of the Year, the Alabama Sports Writers Association Private School Back of the Year and the Montgomery Advertiser’s AISA Player of the Year in 2003. Rials was also the recipient of the prestigious Jimmy Hitchcock Memorial Award for excellence in academics, athletics and Christian leadership. He spent the 2004-2005 seasons at Jacksonville State University and was a part of the OVC championship team his first year. Rials transferred to Faulkner for their inaugural season.
Coaching History: Since 2006 Rials has spent his summers coaching at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. He has also had experience working with quarterbacks, receivers and special teams at Elba High School in Elba, Ala. He is in his second year as the Eagles’ quarterback coach.
Family: Ryne is the son of Scott and Lisa Rials.
Donald Johnson
Offensive Line
Education: Graduated from Prattville High School in Prattville, Ala., and is currently pursuing a degree in Physical Education from Faulkner University.
Joined Staff: Spring 2008
Playing History: Johnson was a four-year letterman at Prattville High School, where he received all-state, all-county and all-metro honors as an offensive lineman.
Family: Donald is the son of Don and Shadel Johnson
Chandler Wright
Student Assistant
Cory Richardson
Student Assistant