CHARLESTON, S.C. – Lou Conte has been hired as The Citadel's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/B-Backs coach, head coach Brent Thompson announced Thursday.

"Lou is a valuable addition to our coaching staff," Coach Thompson said. "He and I have worked together for four years, and he understands how we want to operate on offense. He is a good coach who is familiar with our program and the cadet-athletes we have on offense after coaching here our first season. I am looking forward to seeing our offense continue to evolve and improve under the direction of Coach Conte."

Coach Conte returns to The Citadel, where he spent the 2014 season coaching A-Backs after three seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne working with Coach Thompson. Last season, Coach Conte served as quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Springfield College.

"I'm excited about returning to The Citadel and working for Coach Thompson," Coach Conte said. "His knowledge of the triple option and ability to create strong bonds within the team made me confident that the program is going to continue to be successful. The Citadel's reputation is second to none, and I can't wait to get started building on the foundation of last season's Southern Conference championship."

Operating a triple-option scheme at Springfield, Conte oversaw the development of second-team all-conference performer Jake Eglintine. The sophomore, who also was selected as Springfield's Offensive MVP, led the Pride with 1,089 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns and also passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns.

During the 2014 season, Conte's group rushed for more than 1,500 yards of The Citadel's No. 2-ranked rushing offense. All-Southern Conference Freshman Team honoree Cam Jackson rushed for 505 yards in eight games before being injured and was named National Freshman of the Week after accounting for 241 yards in the Bulldogs' win over Charlotte.

Prior to his time at The Citadel, Conte spent three seasons as running backs coach at Lenoir-Rhyne, where Coach Thompson was the offensive coordinator. In 2013, the Bears ranked first in Division II with an average of 370.9 yards per game and broke the NCAA record for all divisions with 5,563 total rushing yards. That season, Lenoir-Rhyne won 13 games and advanced to the Division II national championship game.

In 2012, Conte's running backs helped Lenoir-Rhyne finish second in Division II with a rushing average of 376.2 yards per game as Jarrod Spears and Isaiah Whitaker earned All-South Atlantic Conference accolades. In his first season with the Bears, the rushing game ranked third in the nation and Whitaker was named an all-conference performer.

Conte went to Lenoir-Rhyne after serving as defensive coordinator at Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, in 2010. There, he also was an assistant athletic director, sports information director, physical education teacher, junior varsity wrestling coach and assistant varsity lacrosse coach.

Conte's first coaching job was in 2005 as an assistant head coach at Maine Maritime Academy, where he also served as head men's lacrosse coach. He was a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2008 and 2009, where he helped Springfield win the ECAC Northeast Championship Bowl Game in 2009.

Conte played on the Springfield football team while in school, helping the Pride claim the Freedom Football Conference championship in 2002 and 2003 and the Eastern College Athletic Conference title in 2004. That year, Springfield ranked No. 1 in the East Region and No. 4 nationally.

A native of Agawam, Massachusetts, Conte earned two degrees at Springfield. He completed his bachelor's degree in 2004 and his Master's degree in 2010. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the American Football Coaches Association and United States Lacrosse. 

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