Football Southern Conference

VMI Announces Football Staff Changes

LEXINGTON, Va. - Virginia Military Institute head football coach Cal McCombs
announced March 21 the additions of defensive coordinator and secondary coach
Johnny Burnett and wide receivers coach Latrell Scott to the 2002 coaching
staff.

Burnett comes to the Institute after coaching the past three seasons at
Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where he was assistant head coach
defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator. Burnette also coached at
Oklahoma State for three seasons (96-98) and served as the Cowboys
co-coordinator on defense and handled the secondary.

A veteran of military college football coaching, Burnett spent the majority
of his coaching career at the United States Military Academy where he
coached for 17 years. He first joined the staff of Lou Saban in 1979 as a
linebackers coach and maintained those duties before taking over
responsibility for the secondary entirely in 1982. He also served as
defensive backs coach under Army head coaches Jim Young and Bob Sutton
through the 1995 season before leaving for Oklahoma State.

Burnett, is a 1970 graduate of the University of California - Santa Barbara
and was a four-year member of the Gauchos' football squad.

A 55 year-old native of Alameda, California, Burnett began his coaching
career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Utah in 1970 and
moved on to Shippensburg State College in 1972, remaining there for three
seasons while coaching the defensive secondary.

He returned to Utah for the 1975 and 1976 seasons and coached running backs
and linebackers before becoming the Air Force Academy running backs coach in
1977 and linebackers and defensive ends at Pacific in 1978.

Burnett brings to VMI a solid track record for recruiting and retaining
personnel and has coached four All-Americans, 16 all-conference performers,
and seven academic All-America selections.

"Johnny is a great addition to our staff with his 17 years of experience
working with cadet-athletes at West Point," said McCombs. " He coached on
some very successful Army teams under Jim Young and Bob Sutton and we're
thrilled to have a coach of his caliber handling our defensive coordinator
and secondary responsibilities."

Burnett will begin his duties on post on April 1.

Scott comes to the Institute after serving wide receivers coach at Western
Carolina for the 2001 season. He spent the prior two seasons at Fork Union
(Va.) Military Academy under VMI alumnus John Shuman and coached FUMA's wide
receivers and assisted on special teams.

A 26-year old native of Richmond, Va. (Lee-Davis High School), Scott
received his B.A. in sports management from Hampton University in 1999,
where he was a three-year starter at tight end. He earned I-AA All-America
recognition in his senior campaign and was selected to play in the All-Star
Classic. Scott played on Hampton football squads that captured two
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships and earned two
appearances in the NCAA I-AA playoffs.

Scott joined the Keydet staff in February and has been coaching in spring
drills.

"We're happy to have a young and energetic coach like Latrell who comes from
the Commonwealth," said McCombs. He had experience at both a military school
in Fork Union and a Southern Conference school in Western Carolina. He will
be a great addition to our staff."

The addition of Burnett and Scott fills the voids created when offensive
coordinator Bob Gatling retired from coaching in December and secondary
coach Joe Tracey was named the defensive coordinator at the University of
Akron last Tuesday.

McCombs also announced that Jack Baker, who coached wide receivers and
slotbacks last year, will coach running backs and slotbacks this fall. Jeff
Durden, who was promoted to offensive coordinator in December, will also
coach quarterbacks after handling running backs last year.

VMI will conclude spring drills with a red-white scrimmage Saturday
beginning at 1 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Field. Admission is free.