Sunday, March 2, 2014

Slippery Rock Loses DB Coach/Recruiting Coordinator to Duquesne

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Former Slippery Rock University defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator Jason Makrinos was named Wednesday as co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Duquesne University.

While on The Rock staff, Makrinos helped the Green and White win Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division championships in 2011 and 2013 and earn a berth in last fall’s NCAA Division II national playoffs.

Makrinos coached six All-PSAC defensive backs, four all-region DBs and one All-American as a member of The Rock staff and played a major role in SRU earning a No. 1 national ranking in pass efficiency defense last fall.

The Rock’s graduate assistant from 2005-06, during which time he worked with the linebackers and defensive backs, Makrinos rejoined the SRU staff in April 2010.

The previous two seasons he served as defensive backs coach, assistant recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Prior to joining the Carnegie Mellon staff in 2008, Makrinos served as a graduate assistant at Division I Kent State University, where he worked with the defense.

A native of Pittsburgh, Makrinos began his coaching career in 2004 as a student assistant at his alma mater, Westminster College in New Wilmington, where he worked with the defensive line and helped with recruiting.

While a student-athlete at Westminster, Makrinos played on the defensive line for the Titans and earned the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Academic Honor Roll and Collegiate All-American Scholar Award.

Makrinos joined a Duquesne staff led by 10-year head coach Jerry Schmitt, who was Westminster’s head coach while Makrinos was a student-athlete.

A member of Schmitt’s first recruiting class at Westminster, Makrinos graduated from the school with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 2005 and completed a master’s degree in sports management from SRU in 2007.

Makrinos was the second Rock assistant coach to accept a new position since the completion of the 2013 season. Former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Phil Longo was named last month as OC at Sam Houston State University.

Plans for filling the vacancies on The Rock coaching staff created by the departures of Makrinos and Longo are being formulated, according to SRU athletic director Paul Lueken and Rock Head Football Coach George Mihalik, and will be announced once a decision has been made.

Written By:
Robert McComas
Slippery Rock SID

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