WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Head Football Coach Chet Pobolish has announced that Ruzell McCoy, an All-American linebacker at SWOSU, is returning to his alma mater as the Bulldogs' new Defensive Line Coach.
 
"I feel like we have hit a home run with the hiring of Ruzell McCoy, being able to bring somebody on staff with a rich history at SWOSU from his All-American playing career," Pobolish said. "Since leaving Weatherford, he has developed into one of the bright young defensive coaches in small-college football, with coordinating experience and time coaching multiple different positions. We are very excited to be bringing Coach McCoy back home to western Oklahoma."
 
McCoy patrolled the field for the Bulldogs from 2005-08, recording 283 tackles and 44.5 tackles for loss, marks that both rank third at SWOSU in the NCAA Division II era. He was a two-time First Team All-Lone Star Conference selection and the North Division Linebacker of the Year after ranking second in the conference with 107 tackles during his senior season. That same year, McCoy was selected a First Team All-American by the Don Hansen Football Gazette and he went on to be named SWOSU's Male Athlete of the Year for the 2008-09 school year.
 
"I have always wanted to come back to SWOSU and coach here, so this is a homecoming for me," McCoy said. "The atmosphere around here is very supportive of the student-athletes and I appreciated the love I received during my time in Weatherford, both from the community and our administration. To be back at my alma mater as a part of the program in a coaching position is a dream come true!"
 
After graduation from SWOSU in 2010, McCoy began his coaching career alongside former Bulldog Head Coach Ryan Held at Highland Community College, where he served as the Scotties' Defensive Coordinator from 2012-2015. He then moved on to Coffeyville Community College as Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach during the 2016-17 seasons and coached last season as the Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at McPherson College. Most recently, McCoy was named the Defensive Coordinator at Ellsworth Community College in March.
 
A native of Frederick, Okla., McCoy holds two degrees from SWOSU, having completed a bachelor's degree in Parks & Recreation in 2009 before finishing a master's degree in Sports Management in 2010.