Florida Tech Welcomes Two New Assistant Football Coaches Joe Stockton and David Stuckman

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech head football coach Steve Englehart has announced two additions to the Panther coaching staff in Joe Stockton and David Stuckman.

Stockton will take over the reigns as FIT’s wide receivers coach, while Stuckman will head up the Panthers’ corps of safeties.

“Both of these coaches that we have hired first and foremost are great people and really care about the student-athlete,” said Englehart.

“More so than just being great coaches they care about what the kids are doing off the field and in the classroom.”

Stockton has spent the past three seasons at Limestone College, helping launch a Saints’ squad that began competition during the 2014 season. He was LC’s wide receiver coach and special teams coordinator from 2013-2014 before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2015.

Prior to landing in the Palmetto State, Stockton was the assistant recruiting coordinator and offensive line coach at NAIA Campbellsville University from 2008-2012.

In 2008, his line cleared the way for First-Team All-American Greg Fountain, the NAIA’s national leader in rushing with 1,726 yards and, three years later, helped Wayne Coffee post 1,352 rushing yards to finish fourth in the nation in that category. His units also helped produce four All-Conference running backs.

Additionally, Stockton was the head coach of the Tigers’ track and field team, producing 10 NCCAA National Champions, 10 NAIA All-Americans, 15 Mid-South Conference Champions, the MSC Male and Female Freshmen of the Year as well as the league’s Most Valuable Performer. In 2011, he was named the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

Stockton began his collegiate coaching career at Division III Susquehanna University, where he served as the wide receivers coach, junior varsity head coach and offensive coordinator from 2006-2008. He got his start in the coaching ranks at the High School level, serving as offensive coordinator at North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Kentucky.

Stockton was a standout wide receiver at Western Kentucky University from 1994-1997, earning multiple All-American honors and setting numerous Hilltoppers program records. He is also the NCAA FCS record holder with 467 all-purpose yards against Austin Peay on September 16, 1995.

“Coach Stockton has had a lot of experience,” continued Englehart.

“He has been an offensive coordinator in the past. His last several jobs have been in that role so he brings a lot of experience with game planning. Not only will he coach the wide receivers to their highest potential that they can reach but also really help Coach Martin and myself within the game planning for the offense.”

Stuckman comes to the Space Coast following a one-year stint as a defensive graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech. During his lone year with the Bulldogs, he worked closely with LTU’s defensive backs including safety Xavier Woods, who ranked ninth in FBS with six interceptions for a school-record 230 return yards.

Stuckman came to Ruston, Louisiana after spending the 2014 season as a graduate assistant at Division II Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas, working with the Mustang’s defensive backs. He coached safety Marqui Christian, who led MSU in tackles with 81 and went on to win the Cliff Harris award in 2015 before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Before testing out his coaching acumen at the collegiate level, Stuckman spent two seasons in the Sunshine State at Gainesville High School and P.K. Yonge High School.

Stuckman played collegiately at Grambling State from 2007-2011, where he was a two-year starter and a four-year letter winner for the tigers. While at Grambling State, Stuckman was a member of the 2008 and 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship football teams.

“Coach Stuckman is young, energetic and has a lot of passion for the game and recruiting,” said Englehart.

“He’s coached at the high school level and also at the Division I level. I’m happy to get him back here in the State of Florida. He’s from Florida so he will have some valuable ties within the state for recruiting as well.”

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