By Tim Stried
March 11, 2003

When it came time for the Bluffton College athletics department to seek a new head football coach, the search committee didn't have to look very far. Greg Brooks, who has served as Bluffton's offensive coordinator for the past 23 seasons, has been named the 11th head football coach in the 86-year history of BC football.

Brooks takes over for longtime head coach Carlin Carpenter, who announced his retirement on January 17 after 24 seasons and a school-record 103 wins. Brooks coached alongside Carpenter in each of those 24 seasons except Carpenter's inaugural campaign in 1979.

Prior to Brooks' arrival at Bluffton in 1980, the Beaver football program had a total of seven seasons averaging more than 300 yards per game in total offense. Since Brooks has been calling the plays, however, the Beavers have accomplished that feat 15 times, including five seasons where BC averaged more than 400 yards per game. Brooks has directed the top six scoring squads in BC history and helped lead BC to the NAIA national playoffs in 1987 and 1988 and to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title in 2000.

A native of Albany, Ohio, near Athens, Brooks was recruited out of Alexander H.S. by Carpenter, who was then an assistant at Ohio University, to play quarterback for the Bobcats. Brooks played four years at OU and graduated in 1977 before heading to Marshall University where he completed his Master's degree and served as a graduate assistant coach.

Since he arrived at Bluffton, Brooks has also served as the head baseball coach, where he racked up a school-record 276 wins in 22 seasons. Brooks gave up that position in January to serve as director of football operations in the wake of Carpenter's retirement announcement. Brooks will continue to serve as an assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation at Bluffton.