Skip To Main Content

Indiana State University Athletics

Three Football Assistant Coaches Retained By Trent Miles

Football ISU Athletics

Three Football Assistant Coaches Retained By Trent Miles

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - First-year Indiana State head football coach Trent Miles has announced the retention of three assistant coaches as he continues to put together his first coaching staff. Edmund Jones, Kyle Caskey and Tim Smith will return to the Sycamore sidelines under Miles.

Jones enters his second season with the Sycamores football program and will coach the secondary for the second consecutive year. Last season Jones led a defensive secondary that placed safety Darius Middlebrooks on the Gateway's All-Newcomer squad and saw corner Ryan Patrick earn Gateway All-Academic honors.

He came to ISU from Dayton, Ohio, where worked for the Downtown YMCA as a site administrator and teacher for the before and after school programs. During this time he also was an assistant football coach at Trotwood-Madison High School in Ohio, where his team finished 7-4 in 2006 and advanced to the Division II Ohio State Playoffs.

Jones also recently spent time as an assistant football coach at Washington University (Mo.) in 2005. In 2003, he was the cornerbacks coach at San Jose State University.

From 2000-2003, Jones worked as the defensive backs and tight ends coach at Eastern Illinois under legendary head coach Bob Spoo. In 2003, the Panthers finished with an 8-4 overall record and won the Ohio Valley Conference while also appearing in the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs.

The Panthers likewise won the 2002 OVC Championship as he coached numerous All-Americans at both the safety and cornerback positions. Jones also was on staff when the Panthers advanced to the 2000 NCAA Playoffs as well.

In between stints at Eastern Illinois, Jones was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Toronto Phantoms of the Arena Football League. The Phantoms won their conference championship in 2001 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the league playoffs. Prior to working with the Phantoms, Jones was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach of the New England Sea Wolves, also of the AFL.

During the 1999 campaign, Jones worked as the outside linebackers coach of American International College, helping that program post a school-best 10-2 record and led the nation in forced turnovers as well as turnover margin.

In 1998, Jones was the wide receivers coach at Western Illinois University, when the Leathernecks finished with an 11-3 record, won the Gateway and advanced to the semi-finals of the NCAA Playoffs.
Jones has also spent time at Bellville-Althoff Catholic High School; the St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Stampede.

In 1995, Jones was the head football coach at East St. Louis High School, where he led the team to a 9-2 record and the South West Conference Championship a well as a berth into the IHSA Class 5A Semifinals.
In 1994, Jones was the defensive backs coach at Central State University, where they compiled a 9-2 record and advanced to the IHSA Class 5A State Quarterfinals.

Jones received his B.A. in Political Science from Central State in 1987. He has four children; a son Travonn (USMC); Ryan (NIU); E.J. (Minnesota) and a daughter, Julia (graduate of SIU).

Caskey, who spent the 2007 season working with the defensive line, is moving back over to the offensive side of the ball to work with the tight ends. He will remain the program's recruiting coordinator for the second consecutive season.

He worked in 2006 as the program's tight ends coach as well as video coordinator.

Caskey came to Indiana State after two seasons as a member of the football staff at Louisiana-Monroe. He joined the ULM staff in 2004 as the defensive graduate assistant and worked with Coach Bob Trott and the safeties. In 2005, he worked with Coach Vince Okruch and the linebackers.

Caskey was a two-sport student-athlete at Texas A&M from 1997-2002. He spent two seasons on the A&M football team as a tight end before turning his complete focus to track and field.

The Aggies participated in the Cotton and Sugar Bowls during his time on the squad, as well as winning the Big XII Championship in 1998.

Caskey was a two-time All-Big XII Discus Throws in 2000 & 2001. He also earned All-Big XII Academic honors in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

After earning a pair of degrees at A&M, a Bachelor's in Industrial Distribution (2002) and a Masters' in Agribusiness (2004), Caskey coached one spring at Temple (Texas) High School. He went on to complete his second Master's degree, in Instructional Technology, in 2006.

Caskey is married to the former Kayla Eppinette of Start, La., and the couple currently resides in Terre Haute.

Finally, Smith will continue to work with the program as a graduate assistant on the offensive side of the ball after having worked in the defensive backfield last season. Smith came to ISU from North Carolina Tech Prep School where he was a secondary coach and special teams' coordinator in 2006.

Prior to working at NC Tech, he was the cornerbacks coach at Northern State in 2005, where his squad led the NSIC in passing defense. His unit finished second overall in the league in scoring and yards.

During the 2004 campaign, Smith was the assistant linebackers and strong safety coach at Fort Valley State. He also served as the team's defensive film coordinator during that season.

A 2004 graduate of Charleston Southern, Smith started 30-of-35 games at the cornerback and safety positions. He recorded 155 total tackles, including 28 tackles for loss. He posted six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a pair of sacks.

At CSU, Smith was a team captain in 2003, while also being named to the All-Big South Defensive Team during that same season. He took home a trio of Palmetto Touchdown Club Player of the Week Awards.

Smith began his career as a special teams player and free safety at Liberty University in 1999.

A native of Jonesville, S.C., Smith is the father of a three-year daughter Nate' Smith.

Trent Miles staff now consists of Shannon Jackson (defensive coordinator/defensive line); Troy Johnson (linebackers/special teams); Ted Unbehagen (offensive line); Kyle Caskey (tight ends/recruiting coordinator); Edmund Jones (secondary); and Tim Smith (offensive graduate assistant).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Darius Middlebrooks

#20 Darius Middlebrooks

DB
5' 11"
Sophomore
Ryan Patrick

#1 Ryan Patrick

WR
5' 10"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Darius Middlebrooks

#20 Darius Middlebrooks

5' 11"
Sophomore
DB
Ryan Patrick

#1 Ryan Patrick

5' 10"
Senior
WR