University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Northern Colorado Defensive Coordinator Larry Kerr Retires
1/15/2016 10:51:00 AM | Football
Coach Kerr leaves UNC after two seasons at the helm of the Bears defense.
GREELEY, Colo. – After two seasons at the helm of the Bears defense, coordinator and linebackers coach Larry Kerr announced his retirement.
After 40 years of coaching, the 62 year old Kerr is to ready invest his time away from the gridiron.
"It was a great finish to my career coming here to UNC because of the people," Kerr said. "I thoroughly enjoyed the players here. They're a great group of guys that have really committed to playing and to working hard. You get in the business for a lot of reasons, but it's the people – it's who you're working with and it starts with spending time with the players and it was a good experience for me here from that standpoint."
The defensive coordinator is coming off a historic year at Northern Colorado, helping the team to a 6-5 record, the first winning season UNC has had in 12 years.
Kerr produced one of the best secondaries in D1 history in his first season at UNC. The Bears wrangled in 18 interceptions in 2014, which was just one less than Big Sky leader Eastern Washington, who played 14 games, compared to Northern Colorado's 11. The Bears led the FCS in INTs for the majority of the season that year.
He also upped the team's sack total from 12 to 20 in 2015.
"He was an invaluable resource to us and to me personally because of experience that he brought to our program," head coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. "I could pick his brain about anything like Coach Lubick (Sonny Lubick former Colorado State head coach) used to do. He's going to be sorely missed."
Kerr has coached at just about every level in the game and has plenty of material for a scrapbook in his retirement: Stanford, UCLA, Duke, San Jose State and Colorado State highlight his FBS experience with stops at Northern Arizona and L.A. College in between.
"The main part for me was his wisdom and the man that he was – I could lean on him when I just needed to vent to somebody and he was there to listen," Collins added. "I hate to see him go, but I understand. It's part envy because he gets to go spend time with all his grandkids and enjoy retirement with his wife. I'm happy for him, but now we have to get moving and find someone to replace him."
From 1981-2008 he took 13 different teams to bowl games and coached his fair share of NFL draft picks along the way.
"Earnest and his staff are a good young group of guys who I think are just going to continue to really work hard and do things the right way," Kerr added. "In my forty years of coaching I would say it's about doing it right and how you treat people and how you follow along with the rules and I found that here and it's a good way to finish."
Kerr leaves the coaching game with his wife Tracy and his two daughters, Kelly and Lindsey, as well as five grandchildren.
"I just want to thank them (the players) and all my players over the last forty years – a relationship is a two way street. You try to give as much of yourself as possible, but you also receive a ton. I've been fortunate to coach and to be in the profession," said Kerr. "I'm just thankful I've had the opportunity to be around such a great group of guys, whether they're now in the NFL or never played a down, they were all a part of the big picture."
The Bears went 9-13 in his two seasons at UNC.
A national search for Kerr's replacement is currently underway.
As for Kerr, he's already got an idea on how to spend his time on Saturdays.
"Football's given me a chance to make the choice I wanted when I wanted to move on and it's the right time for my wife and I – and I have some grandkids around here now that I want to invest a little time in," he said with a smile. "I've always tried to balance my family with my job and I think I've paid my dues and I've earned a little more freedom, but I'll miss heading out on to the field with the guys and the coaches, I'll definitely miss that."
After 40 years of coaching, the 62 year old Kerr is to ready invest his time away from the gridiron.
"It was a great finish to my career coming here to UNC because of the people," Kerr said. "I thoroughly enjoyed the players here. They're a great group of guys that have really committed to playing and to working hard. You get in the business for a lot of reasons, but it's the people – it's who you're working with and it starts with spending time with the players and it was a good experience for me here from that standpoint."
The defensive coordinator is coming off a historic year at Northern Colorado, helping the team to a 6-5 record, the first winning season UNC has had in 12 years.
Kerr produced one of the best secondaries in D1 history in his first season at UNC. The Bears wrangled in 18 interceptions in 2014, which was just one less than Big Sky leader Eastern Washington, who played 14 games, compared to Northern Colorado's 11. The Bears led the FCS in INTs for the majority of the season that year.
He also upped the team's sack total from 12 to 20 in 2015.
"He was an invaluable resource to us and to me personally because of experience that he brought to our program," head coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. "I could pick his brain about anything like Coach Lubick (Sonny Lubick former Colorado State head coach) used to do. He's going to be sorely missed."
Kerr has coached at just about every level in the game and has plenty of material for a scrapbook in his retirement: Stanford, UCLA, Duke, San Jose State and Colorado State highlight his FBS experience with stops at Northern Arizona and L.A. College in between.
"The main part for me was his wisdom and the man that he was – I could lean on him when I just needed to vent to somebody and he was there to listen," Collins added. "I hate to see him go, but I understand. It's part envy because he gets to go spend time with all his grandkids and enjoy retirement with his wife. I'm happy for him, but now we have to get moving and find someone to replace him."
From 1981-2008 he took 13 different teams to bowl games and coached his fair share of NFL draft picks along the way.
"Earnest and his staff are a good young group of guys who I think are just going to continue to really work hard and do things the right way," Kerr added. "In my forty years of coaching I would say it's about doing it right and how you treat people and how you follow along with the rules and I found that here and it's a good way to finish."
Kerr leaves the coaching game with his wife Tracy and his two daughters, Kelly and Lindsey, as well as five grandchildren.
"I just want to thank them (the players) and all my players over the last forty years – a relationship is a two way street. You try to give as much of yourself as possible, but you also receive a ton. I've been fortunate to coach and to be in the profession," said Kerr. "I'm just thankful I've had the opportunity to be around such a great group of guys, whether they're now in the NFL or never played a down, they were all a part of the big picture."
The Bears went 9-13 in his two seasons at UNC.
A national search for Kerr's replacement is currently underway.
As for Kerr, he's already got an idea on how to spend his time on Saturdays.
"Football's given me a chance to make the choice I wanted when I wanted to move on and it's the right time for my wife and I – and I have some grandkids around here now that I want to invest a little time in," he said with a smile. "I've always tried to balance my family with my job and I think I've paid my dues and I've earned a little more freedom, but I'll miss heading out on to the field with the guys and the coaches, I'll definitely miss that."
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