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McFarland rejoins Co-Lin football staff
WESSON, Mississippi – With over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience Robert McFarland rejoins the Co-Lin coaching staff after serving as Louisiana Tech’s offensive line coach for six seasons. He previously served as the offensive line coach for Coach Glenn Davis for three seasons (2012-2014).
During his six seasons at LA Tech, McFarland has coached nine All-Conference USA selections (first or second team) including Kody Russey, Ethan Reed, O’Shea Dugas, Darrell Brown, Joseph Brunson and Jens Danielsen. During this time, the o-line has paved the way for four different 1,000-yard rushers and protected quarterbacks like Jeff Driskel (2015 C-USA Newcomer of the Year), Ryan Higgins (2016 C-USA Most Valuable Player), J’Mar Smith (2019 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year) and Luke Anthony (2020 C-USA Newcomer of the Year.
The Bulldogs produced a winning record in five seasons and been victorious in five bowl games with McFarland on staff, including a 2019 season that produced 10 wins for the first time since 1984. The 10th victory came in the 2019 Walk On’s Independence Bowl as the Bulldogs shut out the Miami Hurricanes, 14-0, in Shreveport. It was the first shutout in Independence Bowl history and the only shutout of the 2019 bowl season.
During his time at Co-Lin, McFarland served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for a prolific offense that reached the Mississippi Association of Community College Conference (MACCC) championship game behind a 62 percent passing rate with over 3,000 yards passing with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions by a sophomore quarterback.
In 2012, Co-Lin quarterback Chandler Rogers passed for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns in 12 games. In 2013, freshman quarterback Daniel Fitzwater posted 2,684 yards passing with 19 touchdowns in nine games.
McFarland has a long list of achievements and former players who competed in the National Football League. He served as offensive line coach for the United Football League’s (UFL) Sacramento Mountain Lions (2011) under head coach Dennis Green and the Florida Tuskers (2010) as the run game coordinator/tight end coach under head coach Jay Gruden. The Tuskers led the UFL in rushing and produced the league’s leading rusher.
He spent 2007-2008 as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for Iowa State University under then head coach Gene Chizik. He successfully rebuilt the Cyclone offensive line from scratch in 2007 and coordinated an offense that set several school and career records. In 2008, the Cyclone offense set a school record in passing yards per game, second all-time total passing yards, fifth all-time in total offense per game, sixth in total yards, and seventh in scoring. They set season single game school records in three categories. Most impressively, Iowa State cut its sacks allowed from 38 in 2006 to 17 and 2007, despite having only one returning starter on the offensive line.
Serving as head coach at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2005-2006, the Lumberjacks won twice as many conference games in 2006 than previous two years to finish tied for second place in the league. In his two years as the Lumberjacks’ head coach, McFarland coached two All-Americans and 26 All-Southland Conference players. In 2005, SFA had the No. 1 passing offense in the Southland Conference and in 2006, the Lumberjacks led the conference in total offense, total defense and scoring defense.
McFarland spent the 2004 season at East Carolina as the offensive line coach. Prior to that he spent four seasons as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Central Florida. During his stay at UCF, McFarland’s offensive unit was ranked 11th in the nation in total offense and sixth in the nation in pass offense that season averaging more than 436 yards of offense and 32 points per game in 2002.
His offensive units produced two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher in 2002, only the eighth time in NCAA history a team has accomplished that feat.
The Knights finished ninth in the nation among I-A teams in passing offense in 2001 and was 12th in the nation in passing offense in 2000. During his stay in Orlando, McFarland coached six student-athletes who went on to the NFL.
McFarland was the offensive line coach at Stephen F. Austin from 1991 through the 1999 season. During his earlier stint with the Lumberjacks, SFA claimed two NCAA playoff appearances and the 1999 Southland title. The ‘Jacks advanced to the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs in 1995. SFA led the league in rushing offense four times with McFarland’s offensive line leading the way. SFA also set single-season records for rushing yards (2,193 yards – 1993) and rushing touchdowns (30 – 1999) while McFarland was a Lumberjack assistant. Four of his former offensive linemen also went on to NFL camps.
He has made coaching stops at Kent State under Pete Cordelli, Notre Dame under Lou Holtz and Clemson University under Danny Ford. He has coached teams that have made appearances in the Citrus Bowl, Gator Bowl and Orange Bowl.
McFarland and his wife, Pam, are the parents of two adult children, Ashley (Micah) and Koy. They have two grandchildren, Brooke and Cannan.
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