Kyle Purkey takes over as the Bridgewater defensive coordinator ahead of the 2024 season after serving as the special teams coordinator for two seasons and five years as the linebackers coach.
In 2023, Purkey's special teams stood out once again as one of the best in the region with the kick return unit ranking ninth in Division III with nearly 25 yards per return. The unit returned Brendan Robinson who claimed All-ODAC honors and was among the top five in the country with two kick returns for touchdowns and over 850 yards of total kick return yards. Fifth year long snapper Blake Ashley became the program's first to earn a spot on the AFCA First Team All-America listing since 2019 after rounding out his career snapping for a pair of All-Americans.
The linebacking corps featured Aaron Nice who led the conference and ranked in the top 20 with 20.5 tackles for loss and claimed first team All-ODACÂ and all-region accolades with 108 total tackles on the year. Nice also led the ODAC and was sixth in Division III with three fumble recoveries. In addition, fifth year linebacker Shawn Harris earned a spot on the second team All-ODAC listing.
Under Purkey's guidance in 2022, the special teams unit at Bridgewater shined as one of the best in the nation as Jack Hendren earned All-America honors and Garrett Graves repeated all-region laurels and garnered the TD Club of Richmond's Specialist of the Year award and the State Special Teams Player of the Year following a pair of historic seasons for the program. In addition, Robinson ended the year as an NCAA Statistical Champion in kickoff return average, while the team also led all of Division III in the category.
Adding on to the numerous accolades from the special teams side of the ball, freshman linebacker Nice sported one of the finest statistical seasons in the program's history as he shattered an ODAC record with 6.5 sacks in a game, breaking the team's sack and TFL single-game marks, as well. He was just the second player in team history to finish with at least 10.0 sacks and claimed State Defensive Rookie of the Year honors at the conclusion of the season.
In 2021, Purkey mentored a linebacking corps that included a pair of All-ODAC performers, Brett Tharp and Nazeer Jordan. In addition to first team All-ODAC honors, Tharp garnered first team all-state and third team all-region accolades after beginning the year on the D3football.com preseason All-America listing, while Jordan earned second team All-ODAC honors. He finished inside the top 10 in Division III with 116 tackles and became just the second player in team history to record at least 20 total tackles in a single game. Jordan ended the season with 80 tackles, which was second on the team and sixth in the conference.Â
Under Purkey's tutelage, the Eagles' Graves set career highs in every category on his way to D3football.com All-America honors and first team all-region honors. Graves averaged over 40 yards per punt, which led the ODAC and ranked inside the top 15 in Division III, and launched eight punts over 50 yards with two kicks of 60 yards.
Purkey's linebacking group in 2020-21 also included Tharp, who earned D3football.com First Team All-American, VaSID All-State and All-ODAC selections after leading the conference in tackles, while linebacker/defensive backs Shawn Harris and Dustin Green also made All-State and All-Conference lists.
Bridgewater football returned to the NCAA tournament in 2019, going 10-1 and clinching the ODAC championship at home vs. Randolph-Macon. The Eagles hosted a first round tournament game and were ranked #20 in the postseason polls.
A dominating linebacker crew that featured four All-ODAC selections was led by Re'Shaun Myers- a first team AFCA All-American and the State and ODAC Player of the Year, plus the TD Club of Richmond's Lanier Award winner. He was joined by fellow backer Gary Ramey Jr. as a first team All-State selection.
Purkey comes to Bridgewater from Maine Maritime Academy where he was the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach. The team improved significantly in his one season there in total defense, rushing defense and points allowed. He also recruited nationally, with responsibilities in 10 states spread across the country.
The previous year he was a defensive/special teams quality control assistant with his alma mater JMU, as the Dukes made it to the 2017 FCS national championship game. He analyzed the special teams self-scout and assisted with coaching safeties.
Purkey was an assistant coach at McDaniel College from 2015 through the spring of 2017, starting as running backs coach and ending as special teams coordinator/linebackers coach.
He was also the assistant special teams coordinator/intern wide receivers coach with JMU in 2014, helping the Dukes reach the FCS playoffs, and an assistant wide receivers coach at Stevenson University in 2013.
Purkey graduated from JMU with a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching education, and completed his master’s degree in exercise science and physical education from McDaniel.
