Since being named interim head football coach less than two months ago John Pennington has been a busy man.

He and the three returning assistant coaches involved with recruiting had to round up a recruiting class and convince those players that they should come to West Virginia State.

That resulted in a pair of junior college recruits in December and 18 signees on National Signing Day, February 1.

So when Pennington was announced as the new head coach last week filling the first three spots on his staff was an easy decision.

John Ashworth will be coach the offensive line, James Groce will continue to work with the defensive line, and Ricardo Figueroa will coach the tight ends.

"It was me and those three guys through the whole process," Pennington said. "They have done an incredible job, the four of us did what a 12 man staff would normally do."

Ryan Bailey is also returning to the staff.

"They love West Virginia State and want to be here," Pennington said of the group.

That is a common theme among not only the returning assistant coaches but also the new additions.

"I want people who want to be here and to build something special," Pennington said. "Not just people who are passing through."

He has almost finished filling the rest of the open positions.

Only the very important position of Defensive Coordinator is yet to be filled.

"I am taking my time," Pennington said. "I have some good candidates."

This week he announced that Quincy Wilson, Reed Williams, Travis Everhart, and Brian Novak are joining the football staff.

Coach Pennington is very familiar with each of them. Now fans can be also.

Here is a rundown on the newcomers to the staff so far.
 

• Quincy Wilson, Running Backs Coach, Strength and Conditioning Coordinator

"Quincy is a year older than me and we were together at WVU and developed a close bond as teammates, we won a Big East championship together," Pennington said. "We stayed in contact since then and talked about coaching together."

Wilson was co-recipient of the Kennedy Award given to the top high school football player in West Virginia as a senior at Weir High School. He went on to play at West Virginia University and led the Mountaineers in rushing as a senior. That year he was a third team All-American and first team All-Big East selection.

He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons but ended up with the Cincinnati Bengals and went on to play parts of four years in the NFL.

"Obviously he was a great football player," said Pennington. "But he is an even better man."

Wilson previously worked as Assistant Director of Football Operation at WVU for four years where he counseled players, helped out with community relations, and helped organize training camp.

A desire to start his coaching career led him to Glenville State last year where he also coached running backs.
 

• Reed Williams, Linebackers Coach, Academic Counselor

Williams is another former WVU player with both strong on and off field positives.

"He came to WVU the year after I left but I knew his older brother well," Pennington said. "He used to stay with us when he would come to visit."

Like Wilson he also had strong West Virginia high school credentials winning two state titles while at Moorefield High and being named defensive captain of the All-State team.

Williams was also class valedictorian, a National Honor Society member, and served on student council.

He started at linebacker for the Mountaineers and was named Defensive Player of the Game when WVU beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2007 season. Williams was also a two-time ESPN All-American.
In 2010 he was awarded the Red Brown Cup at WVU which is presented to the school's most outstanding all-around student-athlete.

"He was an Academic All-American and he's very passionate about helping these young men," Pennington said. "He has that 'it factor' in that he commands attention when he is in the room."

Williams previously spent a year as a graduate assistant to Rich Rodriguez at Arizona and a year on the academic staff at WVU.
 

• Travis Everhart, Assistant Head Coach, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator

"Our families know each other very well," Pennington said. "He wanted to come back to Charleston and I was happy he contacted me."

Everhart previously coached wide receivers, tight ends, fullbacks, and was special teams coordinator during three seasons at the University of Charleston. He helped the Golden Eagles make their first NCAA DII playoff appearance in 2015.

He served as head coach at Unioto High School in Chillicothe, Ohio, and has had a long coaching career in the college ranks.

Everhart began as running backs coach at his alma mater, Capital University. After that came stints at California University-Pa., Tiffin, and South Dakota Tech as a position coach.

He then became Offensive Coordinator at Louisburg College, Hiram College, WVU-Tech, and Point University. After that he spent time as Assistant Offensive Line Coach at DI Kent State.

As a collegiate player at Capital in Columbus, Ohio, Everhart received the program's Crusader Award given to the player who best represented the characteristics of what makes a champion both on and off the field.

"He was offensive coordinator at another school," Pennington said. "He has coached a lot of different places and he wanted to come back to Charleston."

Everhart's wife, Jenna, has been the women's basketball coach at WVU-Tech for the last six years.

The Frankfort, Ohio, native spent last season as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at NCAA DII Fort Valley State University in Georgia. The Wildcats won the Southern Athletic Intercollegiate Conference title in 2016.
 

• Brian Novak, Wide Receivers Coach, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach

The youngest of the new additions to the staff Novak completed a record setting collegiate playing career at Concord in 2016. Last fall he threw for 403 yards in a 52-45 loss to the Yellow Jackets in Institute.

A four-year starter he holds program records there for single season and career passing yards and for career touchdown passes.

Novak led the Mountain Lions to the MEC title and national semifinals in 2014 and was a first team All-MEC selection.

"He was a coach on the field," said Pennington, who was an assistant at Concord during part of Novak's career. "His dad is a high school football coach and he comes from a football family."