Bowling Green State University Athletics
Blackney Hires Two Assistants
January 12, 2000 | Football
December 22, 1999
BOWLING GREEN, OH -
Bowling Green State University Head Football Coach Gary Blackney has announced that two of the three vacancies on his staff have been filled. Joining the Falcon coaching staff are Tom Lichtenberg and former BGSU strength and conditioning coach Mike Ward. Coach Blackney has also announced that current assistant coach Dino Dawson will be given additional responsibilities.
Lichtenberg, 59, has a long history in college football and joins the Falcons as the offensive coordinator. Most recently, he served as the head football coach for five years at Ohio University after spending one season as the head coach at the University of Maine. Lichtenberg's resume also includes assistant coaching stints at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and Morehead State University, where he also served as head coach for two years. In addition, this will not be Lichtenberg's first opportunity to work with Gary Blackney, as he coached with Blackney at The Ohio State University from 1986-1988.
A 1962 graduate of the University of Louisville, Lichtenberg also has administrative experience in intercollegiate athletics. He served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations at Ohio University before he became the Assistant Dean for Development in the College of Health and Human Services at Ohio. For the past three years, Lichtenberg has served in either a development or teaching capacity.
"Tom is extremely excited to get back into coaching, and we are very lucky to have him," says Gary Blackney. "His experience speaks for itself. Tom's expertise and leadership skills will be very beneficial to our staff."
Mike Ward, 37, will assume the role of defensive line coach. Ward spent the last eight years as the strength and conditioning coach and director of the BGSU Athletic Fitness Center at Bowling Green. Ward worked with all 22 intercollegiate teams and was responsible for the maintenance and development of the $300,000 fitness center, a 5,800 square foot facility. He also served six years in a similar capacity at the University of Findlay where he also doubled as an assistant football coach.
A 1984 graduate of Georgetown College (KY), Ward served one year as both an assistant football coach and strength coordinator at his alma mater before moving on to UF. As an undergraduate at GC, Ward received second-team NAIA Division I All-America football honors as an offensive guard in 1983.
"Mike Ward is a very intense guy who brings a lot of enthusiasm and motivation to the table for our football team," says Gary Blackney. "The players have an enormous amount of respect for him, which should help with the transition. He has an excellent understanding of the game, and I have been very impressed by his work ethic."
Dino Dawson, 33, just finished his sixth season with the Falcons, four seasons of which he was the wide receivers coach. Blackney has recently given Dawson additional responsibilities as passing game coordinator.
"In the past few years, I have seen the wide receiver position make great strides under his guidance," says Blackney. "His knowledge of the passing game will help our team even more in this role."
