Monarchs name former Tennessee assistant as wide receivers coach

NORFOLK — Former Tennessee assistant Kody Cook has been named Old Dominion’s wide receivers coach, head coach Ricky Rahne announced Thursday.

Cook, a former receiver and quarterback for Kansas State, replaces Mark Dupuis, who accepted a job as an offensive analyst at Penn State last month.

In two years as assistant wide receivers coach with the Volunteers, Cook helped Tennessee to an 11-2 record in 2022 and a win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. Last season, the Vols went 9-4 with a win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.

Before that, Cook worked at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas for four years in a variety of roles. He began as the wide receivers coach before working his way to the pass game coordinator and then co-offensive coordinator in his final two seasons.

Cook got his start in coaching after his playing career at Kansas State, and he was a student assistant with the Wildcats in 2016. He spent the 2017 season at Hutchinson, coaching the tight ends and inside receivers.

“Kody has proven across multiple levels of college football that he excels at building relationships with both current players and recruits,” Rahne said in a statement. “His work as a fundamental coach has helped to produce explosive offenses across many different years and schemes.”

A native of Louisburg, Kansas, Cook played for Hutchinson for two years before transferring to Kansas State. He began his career as a walk-on before playing in 26 games with the Wildcats and making 21 starts at receiver and one at quarterback.

Cook caught 47 passes for 663 yards and a touchdown, and also played three games at quarterback, including starting the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas in his final college game. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors as an all-purpose player and became just the third player in Big 12 history with 100-plus yards passing, rushing and receiving in the same season.

The Monarchs, coming off a 6-7 season that included an overtime loss to Western Kentucky in the Famous Toastery Bowl, open spring practice on March 12. The team will practice the allotted 15 times, with the culmination of spring practice the Priority Charity Bowl ODU Spring Game on April 13.

ODU played 11 one-score games last season, the most by a team since Division I football was formed in 1978. The Monarchs return 15 starters, including eight on offense, five on defense and two specialists.