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Powers returns to WCU as defensive coordinator
 Don Powers, a former Western Carolina football player and assistant coach, is returning to the program as defensive coordinator.
He replaces Geoff Collins, who accepted the newly created position of director of player personnel at Georgia Tech.
Coach Kent Briggs also announced the departure of assistant head coach/run game coordinator/offensive line coach Matt Rhule, who is going to Temple as linebacker coach.
“Coach Powers joining our program will make a huge impact,” Briggs said. “His experience, personality and love for Western Carolina brings a lot to the football program as well as the university. He is a Catamount and always will be a Catamount. Every Catamount, present and past, is excited to have Coach Powers back.”
As defensive coordinator from 1974 through 1983, Powers was associated with Western’s most prolific teams and coached some of the greatest players in school history. After playing four years as an outside linebacker and earning NAIA all-district honors three times, Powers joined Coach Bob Waters’ staff in 1969 as a graduate assistant. He became a full time assistant the following season, working with linebackers, a post he held until 1974 when he was named defensive coordinator.
The 1974 team finished fourth in the nation in Division II scoring defense by allowing 87 points in 11 games. Five times from 1976-83, Western ranked among the NCAA leaders in pass defense. In his final season at WCU, Powers helped the Cats reach the NCAA I-AA championship game.
Powers, who has been in private business since 2000, served 12 years at Citadel, including the last five as head coach after seven years as defensive coordinator.
A Lincolnton product, Powers also has served as an assistant coach at East Carolina and Western Kentucky.
He graduated cum laude from Western in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in science and education. The following year, he earned his masters in education from WCU.
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