Last updated July 25, 2018
Ricky Coon begins his fifth year as Southeast Missouri’s defensive line coach. Coon also serves as the Redhawks assistant head coach.
The defensive line had a big hand in helping the Redhawks lead the Ohio Valley Conference and rank sixth in the Football Championship Subdivision with 37 sacks.
During the 2016 campaign, the defensive line helped limit opponents to 138.5 rushing yards per game, third-fewest in the OVC. Southeast also boasted the league’s second-best red zone defense with the help of Coon’s unit.
In 2015, the defensive line again helped the Redhawks notch over 30 sacks (31), their third-most in a season in school history. Southeast finished second in the OVC in sacks behind national runner-up and league champion Jacksonville State that year.
Under Coon’s direction, Southeast’s defensive line has played a huge part in the Redhawks averaging 25 sacks and 73 tackles for loss per season over the last four years.
Coon spent the 2013 season as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Prior to that, he worked the 2012 campaign as defensive line coach at NCAA Division II Southwest Baptist University and gained six years of experience at the junior college level.
Coon was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Ellsworth Community College (2009-11), where 18 of his players received all-conference recognition and three were named National Junior College Athletic Association All-Americans.
He helped lead the Panthers to the 2009 NJCAA Region XI Championships, two Midwest Football Conference Playoff titles (2009, 2010) and two NJCAA bowl game appearances. In 2009, Coon’s defensive unit set a school record for fewest yards allowed in a bowl game.
Before his three-year stint at Ellsworth CC, Coon was the defensive coordinator and head strength and conditioning coordinator at Highland Community College from 2007-08. Coon’s defensive units finished among the NJCAA’s Top-20 teams each of his last two seasons and, statistically, were the best two defenses in school history. A total of seven defensive players received all-conference accolades during his two years.
Coon worked as academic coordinator and defensive line coach at NCAA Division II Northern State in 2006.
A native of Wichita, Kansas, Coon started his career as defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator at his alma mater, Bethel College.
He was a two-time all-conference defensive lineman at Dodge City Community College and Bethel College. Coon also had the privilege of playing two seasons of professional football in the Arena Football League for the Wichita Stealth (AF2) and Wichita Aviators (APFL).
Coon was hired at Southeast on Jan. 8, 2014. He previously worked with current Redhawks offensive line coach Ben Blake at Highland Community College during the spring of 2007.
Coon is married to the former Amanda Sanchez. Together they have four children, Taryn, Zane, Gunner and Bryson.
