ANDERSON, S.C. – With National Signing Day two weeks away, Anderson University head football coach Bobby Lamb on Wednesday announced the addition of three experienced assistant coaches to his staff.
Brett Hickman, who will be the Trojans' Defensive Coordinator and Inside Linebackers Coach, began serving as a volunteer last fall and joined the coaching staff a little less than three weeks ago.
Jordan Marshall has been named Running Backs Coach, while James Thurn will serve as the Offensive Line Coach for the Trojans. The duo have also hit the ground running and are preparing for Feb. 1.
"I am excited to welcome Brett, his wife Sara and their two boys Jack and Henry to the Trojan Family, said Lamb. "Brett will provide our staff tons of experience having served at the NCAA Division I, FCS, Division II, and at the high school levels. He also brings great knowledge in different areas from being a head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator."
Hickman joined the staff after spending four years as the head football coach at West Brunswick High School in coastal North Carolina. He led his high school alma mater to a 24-17 record after inheriting a program that had recorded just three winning seasons in the previous 18 seasons, with 2019 marking the first 10-win season for the Trojans since 1997. They also led the state of North Carolina in total defense and recorded five shutout victories, while setting the school record for points allowed, shutouts and rushing yards allowed.
The Trojans followed up by going 6-2 during the covid-shortened 2020 campaign with the school's first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2003.
Hickman spent five seasons (2013-17) at NCAA Division 1 FCS Gardner-Webb in a variety of roles, including Special Teams Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs/Tight Ends and Outside Linebackers Coach, while mentoring three All-Big South performers.
From 2009-2012, Hickman served at North Greenville in a variety of roles, including Defensive Coordinator (2012) and Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator (2009-2011), with the 2011 Crusaders' squad advancing to the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals and finishing with a stellar 11-2 record.
Hickman was a Defensive Staff Assistant for three seasons (2006-2008) at NCAA Division 1 FBS East Carolina, with the Pirates playing in bowl games in all three seasons and winning the 2008 Conference USA Championship.
His father, Richard "Yogi" Hickman, was a legendary prep coach in North Carolina and retired as the winningest head coach at two different eastern North Carolina High Schools.
Hickman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from East Carolina.
He is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coaches Ministry and is married to the former Sara Veale. The couple has two sons, Henry (7) and Jack (3).
"Sara, our boys and I are absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Anderson University community and be a part of the foundation of Trojan football, said Hickman. "Over the past four months working with Coach Lamb, it is apparent that Anderson University - under the leadership of Dr. Whitaker, Bert Epting, and our esteemed faculty and staff, will provide student-athletes a championship experience in a Christ-Centered environment. It is an honor and incredible responsibility to lead our defense onto the field in Fall of 2024. Go Trojans!"
Marshall joins the Trojan staff after serving last year on the Methodist University coaching staff as Wide Receivers Coach and Social Media Coordinator.
"I'm excited to welcome Jordan and his wife Jayla to the Trojan family," added Lamb. "Jordan was a member of our first team at Mercer and played an integral part in the early success of our program. He was also elected team captain by his peers. His leadership ability will be pivotal in starting our football program."
Prior to joining the Monarchs, Marshall had been on the staff at Mercer as the Director of On-Campus Recruiting during his second stint in Middle Georgia and before returning to his alma mater for his second stint with the Bears, Marshall spent one season with Columbia University football team as the Assistant Director of Player Personnel. Previously, Marshall served a short stint as a recruiting graduate assistant at Troy.
While in Macon, Marshall served as Visual Media Coordinator and as a varsity football coach at First Presbyterian Day School for two years.
A 2016 Mercer graduate, Marshall earned a degree in Business Administration with a minor in photography. A three-year football letterman, Marshall served as the team's captain, was named the team's Player of the Year and earned three straight team Community Service awards for his volunteer work. He started 26 career games as a wide receiver, caught 34 passes for 486 yards, scored six receiving touchdowns and made 26 tackles on special teams with the Black and Orange.
Marshall is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteered as both a reader at L.H. Williams Elementary School and with Backpack Ministries, a food packing organization.
A Powder Springs, Ga., native, Marshall attended Hillgrove High School, where he was an All-County selection in football. As a wide receiver, Marshall set football school records for longest punt return, longest touchdown and most reception yards in a single season and career.
"I am excited to be a helping hand in the building process of Anderson football!" said Marshall. "Coach Lamb is the perfect man for the job and I learned so much from playing for him. I am looking forward to being on his team again and getting to work."
Thurn arrives in the Electric City after serving in a variety of roles at North Greenville University over the past two year, most recently as the Offensive Line Coach for the Crusaders.
"I'm excited to welcome James, his wife Jenna and their two daughters Harper and Ryleigh to the Trojan Family," said Lamb. "James brings a wealth of knowledge to Trojan football having served as a head football coach, offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach. His contacts throughout the state of South Carolina will allow us to recruit the best student-athletes as we continue to build this program."
During his time in Tigerville, Thurn coached an offensive line that blocked for Corey Watkins, the Gulf South's leading rusher last season, who totaled 1,079 yards for the season while averaging 107.9 yards per game and six yards per rush, en route to becoming the first running back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for North Greenville since 2016. Thurn also guided Lewis McBeth to All-Gulf South accolades, becoming the first offensive lineman in school history to capture all-conference accolades.
Thurn served as the head of the team's Player Leadership Council and was responsible for all positional meetings, positional schematic install, positional drill work and was also in charge of the Field Goal/Point After squad. He assisted with all aspects of game planning and was responsible for overseeing equipment orders and travel plans, while also coaching tight ends and outside linebackers while with the Crusaders.
He arrived at North Greenville following a three-year stint as the Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator at Blue Ridge High School. Thurn began his coaching career at Westside High School in Anderson, working with the tight ends before being promoted to offensive coordinator after two seasons. Under Coach Thurn the Rams set or tied seven school records on the offensive side of the ball and notched a region championship in 2016.
Thurn played his prep football at Wren High School and played collegiately at North Greenville. In 2010 the former right tackle was voted a team captain and helped lead the Crusaders to a Victory Bowl Championship, while earning First-Team All-Independent honors. He graduated from North Greenville in 2010 with a degree in Broadcast Media and earned his master's degree in Athletic Administration from Concordia-Nebraska in 2018.
"My family and I are excited about coming to Anderson University," said Thurn. "We are thankful to Coach Lamb, Dr. Epting and Dr. Whitaker for the opportunity to be a part of building a special football program at AU. I am ready to get to work and join the Trojan family."
The Trojans' inaugural season is slated to begin in 2024.
