LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Football Head Coach Danny Rocco announced three additions to his 2023 staff on Tuesday, adding Bryan Stinespring, Rich Yahner and Pat Brown to the Keydet football staff.

Stinespring joins VMI as the associate head football coach and offensive assistant, Yahner will take over the play calling duties as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and Brown will work in the secondary with Bill Parker.

No stranger to the Lexington area, Stinespring holds over 30 years of coaching experience including two years as a part of Coach Rocco's staff at Delaware and over 26 years in a variety of roles at Virginia Tech including 11 seasons as the offensive coordinator. A native of Clifton Forge and graduate of JMU, Stinespring's time at Virginia Tech was preceded by stops at Lexington High School and Patrick Henry High (Roanoke) before Frank Beamer brought him to Blacksburg. After his tenure at Virginia Tech, Stinespring returned to his alma mater, helping the Dukes reach back-to-back FCS National Title games in 2016 and 2017. At Delaware, Stinespring coached the offensive line and tight ends as the Blue Hens reached the FCS Semifinals in the spring season of 2020-21, staying with Rocco for the fall 2021 campaign. Most recently, Stinespring returned to his roots, serving as the Activities Director for Alleghany County Public Schools and Alleghany Highlands Public Schools this past year.

"Bryan is an outstanding football coach and an even better person," Rocco said. "Coach Stinespring and I first coached and recruited against each other during my time at The University of Virginia when Bryan was coaching at Virginia Tech. We also competed against each other when we were both coaching in the highly competitive CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) Conference. He has great history and an outstanding reputation in the state of Virginia. Coach Stinespring has a great respect for the high school coaches and programs throughout the state of Virginia, with a special appreciation for those coaches and programs in southwest Virginia. He brings an energy and enthusiasm to his work as well as providing a wide range of position versatility as a football coach. Coach Stinespring is a great hire for our football program as well as for our Institution."

Similar to Stinespring, Yahner re-joins Coach Rocco after three seasons as the linebackers coach for Delaware. A veteran who has coached at all levels of college football, Yahner is a Penn State graduate and has mutual connection with Coach Rocco from their respective times at Penn State and Virginia, prior to working together at Delaware. Yahner's impact on the Delaware defense was immediate, helping Blue Hens reach the FCS Semifinals in the 2020-21 spring season, with Yahner's linebackers aiding a CAA defense that held opponents to a league-low 14.4 points per game and a league-best 118.4 yards per game on the ground. Prior to joining Rocco in Delaware, Yahner coached four All-Patriot League performers at Lafayette after stops at San Diego Mesa Community College and Seton Hill University. Breaking into the coaching ranks at Clarion in 1999, Yahner was a graduate assistant at Virginia (2006-09) and later Penn State (2011-13), helping head the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record as head coach Bill O'Brien would be named the Bear Bryant Maxwell Football Club and ESPN National Coach of the Year.

"Rich is an outstanding football coach who brings both a level of technical expertise as well as a high level of attention to detail to his work." Rocco said of Yahner. "Coach Yahner's resume covers a wide range of experiences at a variety of different universities. Rich and I have shared common experiences having both coached at Penn State as well as at The University of Virginia. We both worked together for the first time at The University of Delaware, where Rich was our Linebacker coach for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Rich brings a great work ethic and a detailed approach to the workplace on a daily basis. I am excited to announce Coach Yahner as our Defensive Coordinator and Linebacker Coach."

An Atlanta, Georgia, native, Brown comes to VMI after serving as the defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach for Widener College. Joining Widener in 2020 before being elevated to coordinator this past season, Brown played tight end for Greensboro College where he was a USA South Academic Team honoree, graduating with his bachelor's degree in exercise and sport studies in 2012. In 2020, Brown was also selected for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching for the Chicago Bears. In his first year at Widener, Brown helped the Widener defense allow nearly 70 less yards per game in the air than the defense did in 2019. Prior to Widener, Brown has made stops at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Catawba College and Millersville University, overseeing defensive backs and special teams along the way.

"Pat is a very talented coach who has developed a reputation as being both an outstanding teacher as well as an accomplished recruiter" Rocco said. "Coach Brown has experienced a wide range of coaching opportunities over his career which have prepared him well for this opportunity at VMI. Pat has coached both the corners and the safeties, as well as having experience coaching special teams. His experiences last season at Widener as its defensive coordinator have allowed him to continue to add value as an assistant coach. We are excited to announce the hiring of Coach Brown as our newest addition to our defensive staff."