MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Most of Neal Brown’s new coaching staff is foreign to West Virginia, but his tenth and final hire is as tied to the program’s past as one can get.
Travis Trickett, the son of former WVU assistant coach Rick Trickett and the brother of former Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett, will join Brown’s staff as an offensive assistant. The school made an official announcement on Monday afternoon.
“Travis has West Virginia roots, comes from a Mountaineer family and started his coaching career here in Morgantown,” Brown said in an official school release. “He brings years of experience with him from various stops, including several years as an offensive coordinator, and has proven to be successful at developing players and as a recruiter.”
Trickett replaces tight ends coach Dan Gerberry, who was the last holdover from Dana Holgorsen’s coaching staff.
Trickett spent the past two seasons as Georgia State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Prior to that, Trickett spent a year as Charlie Partridge’s offensive coordinator at Florida Atlantic. Trickett’s first five years as a full-time assistant coach were at FCS Samford, the final three of which were spent as offensive coordinator.
Trickett’s roots are in West Virginia, though.
He served as a graduate assistant for the two most prominent coaches who were born and raised the state – Nick Saban at Alabama and Jimbo Fisher at Florida State. Trickett is also a 2003 Morgantown High and 2007 WVU graduate who served as a volunteer undergraduate assistant on Rich Rodriguez’s coaching staff.
“I’m very excited to return home to West Virginia and be a part of coach Neal Brown’s staff,” Trickett said. “I have a lot of respect for coach Brown and the success he has had during his career. This place is special to my family and I, and this is a great opportunity to come back and assist coach Brown in developing young men on and off the field. I look forward to being on the Mountaineer coaching staff again.”
Trickett’s dad Rick served as WVU’s offensive line coach from 2001-07 and was also a Mountaineers assistant coach from 1978-79. Younger brother Clint was WVU’s starting quarterback in 2013 and 2014.