Randy Butler - Football Coach - Troy University Athletics

Randy Butler

Title:
Defensive Ends Coach
Email:
rbutler54553@troy.edu
Phone:
3331

Randy Butler begins his third season as an assistant coach on the Troy University football staff, bringing 30 years of collegiate coaching experience with him.

In 2008 and 2009, Butler guided the development of two defensive ends who will spend the 2010 season in the NFL - Cameron Sheffield and Brandon Lang. Lang leaves Troy with the third most tackles for loss in school history with 38 and 10th most sacks with 23.5. Sheffield finished his career ranked 8th in Troy history with 28.5 TFL.

Butler came to Troy from Southern Miss, where he spent 17 of his 29 seasons as a college coach in various roles. During his time at Southern Miss, Butler spent seven seasons coaching tight ends and 10 years coaching defensive linemen. He also spent seven seasons as the assistant head coach, and three as the recruiting coordinator for the Golden Eagles.

In his final three seasons at Southern Miss, Butler coached three-time All-Conference USA selection Shawn Nelson, who had the three best years ever by a tight end in school history. He registered 35 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman, 36 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore and 33 catches for 455 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. He was named the New Orleans Bowl Most Valuable Player in 2005, posting six catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Butler also coached the tight end position at Southern Miss during the 1993 and 1994 seasons. In 1994, he coached former Golden Eagle standout Terry Hardy, who was later drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round and played several years in the National Football League.

In his nine years on the defensive side of the ball, Butler was an integral part of helping continue the tradition of Southern Miss defense. Butler's development of defensive lines during his tenure at Southern Miss helped further the long-time defensive tradition at the school. Butler spent the 2004 season retooling the defensive line after losing two standouts. The Golden Eagles finished 7-5 overall and defeated North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. That year, the defense finished second in Conference USA in scoring defense and third in total defense. He coached another defensive line in 2003 that helped the Golden Eagles win the Conference USA championship and a third trip to the Liberty Bowl. The defense finished 14th in the nation in scoring defense, 13th in pass efficiency defense and 23rd in total defense that season in winning the conference championship.

Butler graduated from Southern Miss in 1979 with his Bachelor's Degree, and received his Master's Degree in 1981. He was inducted into the Southern Miss Athletics Hall of Fame prior to the 1999 spring game. Butler entered the Wiregrass Athletic Hall of Fame in July 2008 Butler is married to the former Angela Smith, who is also a Southern Miss graduate. The couple has two children, Anna Leigh and Chelsea. The couple also has one granddaughter, Ellie.