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Football Brings on Trio of New Defensive Coaches

MSU Athletics

The program's all-time tackle leader, a former Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and an individual who mentored a two-time first-team all-conference performer describe the resumes of Morehead State's three newest football defensive coaches.

Dan Gooch (outside linebackers), Andrew Soucy (defensive line) and DJ White (cornerbacks) have joined head coach Rob Tenyer's staff.

Gooch, who still holds four Morehead State records 30 years later, returns to the sidelines for the Eagles after serving as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in 1988 and 1989 before a highly successful head ad assistant coaching career at high schools in Kentucky.

The former Hancock (Ky.) County High School standout holds MSU records for career tackles (398), tackles and defensive plays in a season (172 in 1980) and single-game defensive plays (30 in 1982).

Gooch was head coach at Montgomery County High School in nearby Mt. Sterling from 2005-2015 where he amassed a 150-121 record.

Prior to his stint with the MCHS Indians, Gooch led Apollo High School in Owensboro, Ky., where he ranks as the school's all-time wins leader. Gooch also served as head football coach at Muhlenburg (Ky.) South High School from 1992-94 and was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Muhlenburg North in 1990 and 1991.

Prior to his first position at Morehead State, Gooch started his coaching career with positions at Kentucky Wesleyan, Peru (Neb.) State and Princeton (Ky.) High School.

As a player, Gooch was named First-Team All-OVC in 1980 and Second-Team All-Conference in 1982. He was inducted into MSU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He went on to play professionally for the Jacksonville Bulls and Birmingham Stallions in the USFL.

As a coach, Gooch is a nine-time district/conference Coach of the Year accolade winner and was inducted into Apollo's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Gooch earned his bachelor's degree in physical education and health from Morehead State in 1983 and earned a Master's Degree in physical recreation and education from MSU in 1991.

Soucy, who comes to the Eagles after a stint as an assistant coach at Pikeville (Ky.), was the 2010 OVC Defensive Player of the Year at Eastern Kentucky.

Soucy, a defensive tackle, was also named an Associated Press Third-Team All-American in 2010 and was a two-time (2009 and 2010) First-Team All-OVC performer.

At Pikeville as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator, Soucy helped the Bears to a pair of winning seasons. The defensive unit recorded more than 50 tackles for loss all five seasons.

Prior to UPIKE, Soucy held coaching positions at Dunbar High School in Lexington, Ky., And Madison Central High School in Richmond, Ky.

The native of Woodstock, Ga., earned his bachelor's degree in fire safety engineering technology from EKU in 2011. He earned a Master's Degree in Business and Healthcare Administration from UPIKE in 2017.

White comes to Morehead State following a two-year stint as inside linebackers coach at Wagner College on Staten Island. He worked alongside current MSU defensive coordinator Tony Brinson at Wagner.

White helped Santoni Graham earn two First-Team All-Northeast Conference honors.

Prior to his spot at Wagner, White was the inside linebackers coach at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla, during the 2017 season. Alongside his job there, he also served as a physical education paraprofessional at Metrowest Elementary in Orlando, Fla.

White was a standout at Apopka (Fla.) High School, where he was the nation's No. 43 prep school prospect before embarking on his collegiate career. He played at UAB, where he was named to the 2009 Conference USA All-Freshmen Team.

He earned his bachelor's degree from UAB in 2013.

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