Football: Coaching Staff

Fran Schwenk Head Football/Quarterback Coach E-Mail: schwenkf@william.jewell.edu 816-781-7700 ext. 5290

Fran Schwenk is entering his third season as the head coach at William Jewell College. Schwenk earned a bachelor of science and master’s degrees at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, where he was a four-year letterman and earned outstanding running back honors during the 1968 season. He coached at several schools in Missouri, establishing winning programs at Eastgate Junior High school in Kansas City, Rock Port High School and Clinton High School before becoming defensive backs coach at Missouri Western in St. Joseph in 1980.

Schwenk had served as head football coach, athletic director and associate professor of physical education at Doane College in Crete, Neb., since 1984. He was the first coach in the college’s history to reach the 100-win mark in 2001. Schwenk’s overall record at Doane was 123-88-3.

In addition to his football coaching duties, Schwenk serves as assistant athletics director and instructor in physical education.

Schwenk’s professional memberships include the Nebraska High School Activities Association, American Football Coaches Association and the NAIA Football Association. He served as president of the NAIA Football Association from 2002-2004.

He was named the State College Coach of the Year by the Omaha World Herald in 1997 and was the Lincoln Journal-Star’s Nebraska State College Coach of the Year in 1993.

Coach Schwenk has taken his teams for international competition in New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. Schwenk and his wife, Sue, have three daughters: Hillory, Brandy and Aubrey.

Shawn Weigel
Offensive Coordinator
weigels@william.jewell.edu
816-781-7700
Coach Weigel has spent the last two seasons as the defensive secondary and special teams coordinator at Jewell. Prior to coaching at the College, Weigel served as head coach for the Seinajoki Crocodiles in the European Football League, as quarterbacks and receivers coach at West Texas A&M University, and as defensive coordinator at Colorado School of Mines.

Weigel played under current Cardinal coach Fran Schwenk while he attended Doane College from 1989-92, where Schwenk was head coach prior to coming to William Jewell in 2005.

A native of McCook, Nebraska, Weigel earned bachelor degrees in Sociology and also in Sports Management and Physical Education from Doane College in Crete, Neb., in 1992. Weigel went on to earn his masters of science degree in Health and Physical Education from Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas in December of 1996.


Jerod Kruse
Defensive Coordinator
krusej@william.jewell.edu

Jerod Kruse, a 7-year veteran football coach, has been named as the new defensive coordinator and physical education instructor at William Jewell College.

Coach Kruse spent last season as the defensive secondary coordinator at Baker, where he helped the Wildcats move from #8 in 2006 to a #3 ranking in 2007 in total pass defense in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Prior to coaching at Baker, Kruse served as secondary coordinator for Emporia State University, an NCAA Division II school.

A native of Marysville, Kan., Kruse earned his bachelor’s degree in social science from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan., in 2000. Kruse went on to earn his master’s of science degree in health and physical education from Emporia State in 2007.

John Strada
Wide Recievers
Strada will be starting second season as the Wide Receiver/Video Coordinator. Strada, a native of Gladstone, Mo. earned his degree in Business from William Jewell College in 2006 after a standout career for the Cardinals.

John is the son of John and Antoinette Strada.

Karl Zubeck
Defensive Line/Video Coordinator
Coach Zubeck is in his fourth season with the Cardinals.  This year he moves to the defensive side of the ball and will coach the defensive line.  Zubeck comes to Jewell after a successful college career at Baker University, where he was an All-Conference performer.  He recieved his degree in History from Baker in 2004.  Zubeck resides in Liberty.

Dave Paffenroth
Linebackers
Dave Paffenroth, a former standout Division I player and a coach in several college programs, has joined the William Jewell College football coaching staff.

This will be a sort of homecoming for Paffenroth who served as defensive line coach for the Cardinals back in 1992.

Paffenroth, who was a standout at Middle Linebacker at Penn State University, will coach the Cards' linebackers. He joins the Jewell staff after serving as Offensive Coordinator the last three seasons at Bacone College. He coached the offensive line at Missouri Western from 1993-96 and then moved on to coach the offensive line at Southern Illinois from 1998-2000.

Penn State won their first national championship in 1983 with Paffenroth as their starting middle linebacker. He was then signed as a free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs and played for 2 years before leaving the professional ranks due to injury.


Equipment Manager - Joe Rogers

Football Trainer-