Kent Austin is new OC

[OleMissPike]

Will be announced at 1pm ET

Former UM star Austin to return as offensive coordinator | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/SPORTS030103/80116025/1287/SPORTS)

[Cianne]

Ole Miss Completes Football Staff With Former Rebel Kent Austin - OleMissSports.com—Official Web Site of University of Mississippi Athletics (http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=1369630)

OXFORD, Miss. – Head Coach Houston Nutt completed his first Ole Miss football staff here Wednesday by announcing the selection of Rebel great Kent Austin as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The appointment is pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.

A record-setting Rebel quarterback from 1981-85, Austin spent 15 seasons in the Canadian Football League and won championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

“There's nothing like hiring a quarterback coach who has played the position, especially at his alma mater,” Nutt said. “Kent Austin is a great character person and an excellent fundamental teacher. One of the first things you notice is his passion for coaching quarterbacks. With his knowledge and his expertise in coaching quarterbacks and the passing game, Kent will be a tremendous asset to our program.”

“I am extremely excited and feel tremendously privileged to join Coach Nutt and his staff at Ole Miss,” said Austin. “Houston is not only a great coach, but more importantly an outstanding person. I will work with diligence and passion to honor the trust that he has placed in me and will do whatever is asked to contribute positively to the program and to build into the lives of young men. This is wonderful blessing for my family who share in my excitement about coming home.”

As a rookie head coach for Saskatchewan this past season, Austin guided the Roughriders to the Grey Cup Championship, beating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19. Prior to that, Austin served as the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts from 2004-06 and helped coach the Argos to a Grey Cup title in 2004. He began his coaching career in 2003 as the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Renegades.

Austin played 10 seasons in the CFL and retired in 1996 as the league’s ninth all-time passer with 36,030 yards. His 57.6 yard completion average is third best, and he remains one of only four players to pass for more than 6,000 yards in a single season.

In 1989, Austin led Saskatchewan to a Grey Cup crown as a player, passing for 474 yards and receiving the MVP trophy in the victory over Hamilton. He went on to claim his second Grey Cup ring in 1994, when he quarterbacked the British Columbia Lions to the championship.

Prior to appearing in the CFL with the Roughriders in 1987, Austin spent a season with the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL after he was their 12th round selection in the 1986 Draft.

An Ole Miss letterwinner from 1981-85, Austin still ranks among the school’s all-time passing leaders. He is second in career completions (566) and attempts (981), third in passing yards (6,184) and 200-yard games (11), and fourth in passing touchdowns (31) and total offense (1,252). In 1982, Austin completed 18-of-19 passes in the win over Tulane and connected on 15 straight attempts against Tennessee.

A three-time pick for the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week award, Austin was an Academic All-SEC selection in 1982-85, and also received the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award in 1985 and the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 1986. He was inducted into the University of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

A native of Brentwood, Tenn., Austin and his wife Shelley have three children – Kendall, Kassidy and Wesley.

[NiKka]

very good hire.... i'm very pleased with this staff
he will help Jevan and the other quarterbacks out immensely

[bbqit]

This was the hire I really really really wanted. I stayed quiet about it so I wouldn't jinx it. He seems to be one of those people who is sucessful at whatever he tries. Ok, ya can tell I am happy about this.

[Noah.Dreams]

Quite a hire! I didn't realize Austin was the head coach of the Grey Cup champ.... what type of offense did he run?

As a rookie head coach for Saskatchewan this past season, Austin guided the Roughriders to the Grey Cup Championship, beating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19. Prior to that, Austin served as the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts from 2004-06 and helped coach the Argos to a Grey Cup title in 2004. He began his coaching career in 2003 as the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Renegades..

[Cianne]

I guess you can say the spread offense? His QB, which was a defensive back for years in the CFL before Austin took over, threw for over 4,000 yards and ran for 800+.