Gary Krol enters his ninth season as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the Black and Gold. Krol has overseen the development of numerous All-Conference, All-Region and All-America offensive performers at West Liberty. Six of the Hilltoppers’ eight 1,000-yard single-season rushers and eight of WLU’s 10 all-time 1,000-yard receiving seasons have happened during his tenure.
The storybook 2009 season was the high-water mark for the WLU offense with seven of the Hilltoppers’ 11 offensive starters earning first-team All-WVIAC honors, five attaining All-Region status and four being named NCAA Division II All-Americans. They nearly matched that in 2010 with six first-team All-WVIAC selections, five All-Region picks and three All-Americans.
West Liberty became the only NCAA Division II team ever to lead the nation in scoring and total offense in back-to-back seasons in 2010, averaging 46.0 points and 543.8 yards per game. The 2009 Hilltoppers are the only West Virginia Conference school ever to top the 7,000-yard mark in total offense, averaging 47.3 points and 542.3 yards per game in rolling to an 11-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals.
Krol has coached a number of players whose names are a familiar sight in school, conference and NCAA record books. All-America QB Zach Amedro – a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy runner-up – completed more passes (1,079) for more yards (14,733) than any quarterback in NCAA Division II history during his four seasons (2007-10) under Krol while TE Ryan Travis, another 2010 graduate, was a two-time first-team All-American who led the nation in pass receptions (126) and receiving yards (1,402) as a senior before signing a free-agent contract with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. TB Kevon Calhoun set school single-season and career scoring records with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Derrick Stickles won a WVIAC rushing title in 2005 while Eddie Hills posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2006-07 before switching to wide receiver and leading the WVIAC in receiving during the 2008 season. Hills was one of three 1,000-yard receivers in 2009 and ended his career with more than 5,000 all-purpose yards. Jay Gullion (2006) and Amedro (2007, 2009, 2010) led the league in passing and total offense. Renard Stevens, a two-time first-team All-WVIAC receiver, signed with the New York Jets following his senior season in 2006. Almonzo Banks was the WVIAC’s leading receiver in 2006 and 2007, earning NCAA Division II All-America honors in 2007. Kashif Walls set a WVIAC record with 21 TD catches in 2009.
Krol came to West Liberty in 2005 after two seasons as quarterback coach and passing game coordinator at Westminster (Pa.) College. Prior to that, Krol had been an assistant coach for six seasons at Millersville (Pa.), helping the Marauders to a pair of NCAA Division II playoff bids. Two of Krol’s receivers at Millersville were signed to NFL contracts.
Krol played football and baseball at the University of Dayton and got his coaching start with the Flyers’ football program following his graduation in 1985. He left Dayton for a four-year coaching stint at Western Connecticut State before moving on to Millersville.
A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, Krol holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations from the University of Dayton. He and his wife, Kasha, reside in Martins Ferry with their children, Garyn and Turner.
