Norval McKenzie - Football Coach - University of Louisville Athletic

Norval McKenzie

Title:
Asst. Coach/Running Backs
Email:
norv@GoCards.com

Norval Mckenzie begins his second season coaching the running backs at the University of Louisville.

McKenize’s running backs were outstanding in his first season, guiding redshirt freshman Javian Hawkins to a record-breaking season. Hawkins, a second team all-ACC back, earned Freshman All-American honors after setting the school’s freshman record with 1,525 yards, which is also the most by a running back in school history.

The native of Titusville, Fla., recorded eight 100-yard games and finished eighth in the nation in rushing yards.
Before joining the Louisville staff, McKenzie, who was a 2018 Broyles Award nominee, spent the previous three seasons as the running backs coach at Arkansas State.

In 2018, McKenzie’s running backs were an integral component of the offense that averaged 186.4 yards on the ground, guiding the Red Wolves to an 8-5 record.

As the special teams coordinator, McKenzie’s units were some of the best all-time and in the nation. The Red Wolves set an NCAA record for punt return defense by holding opponents to -15 yards for the season, and closing the year ranked sixth nationally in kick return defense.

Murray, who finished seventh in the Sun Belt in rushing, ran for 860 yards and eight scores, while Wand totaled 792 yards and four touchdowns to help the Red Wolves finish fifth in the conference in rushing. Wand closed his career finishing in the top five in school history in rushing yards.

McKenzie’s impact was felt during his second season, helping the Red Wolves rank No. 10 in the nation in total offense, averaging a school-record 494.8 yards per game. The unit also accounted for 10 combined touchdowns as the team ranked No. 13 in the country in scoring offense with 37.8 points per game. In that season, Wand and Johnson combined for 1,145 yards and nine touchdowns.

In McKenzie’s first season in 2016, the Red Wolves won a Sun Belt Conference championship with a 7-1 record and defeated UCF 31-13 in the Cure Bowl. During that campaign, Wand and junior Johnston White combined to rush for 1,351 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wand, a second-team all-conference honoree, rushed for a team-high 879 yards, while also posting 24 receptions for 279 yards and three more scores.

Before his stint at Arkansas State, McKenzie spent five seasons at Furman, serving as the running backs coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

While coaching at Furman, McKenzie instructed a pair of All-Southern Conference running backs and two others who were named to the league’s All-Freshman team. Jerodis Williams was a two-time All-SoCon choice after rushing for 2,225 yards and 20 touchdowns over his junior and senior campaigns, in addition to earning All-America honors in 2012 when he led the FCS in kickoff returns (35.9 avg., 2 TDs).

McCloud, who completed his career ranked 10th in Furman rushing history, garnered all-conference recognition in 2013 after running for 1,110 yards and five scores. Triston Luke rushed for 385 yards and a pair of scores in 2015 to find a place on the league’s All-Freshman team, while Marcus Anderson earned the recognition in 2013 when he posted 334 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

McKenzie helped lead Furman to a 2013 SoCon championship and several victories over FCS nationally-ranked teams, including No. 5 Wofford in 2011. The Paladins also knocked off then-FCS member and No. 3-ranked Appalachian State in 2011.

McKenzie earned an undergraduate degree in secondary education, political science, and American history in 2005. He completed his master’s degree in education at Vanderbilt in 2010.

Following graduation, he began his coaching career at Hiram (Ga.) High School, working two seasons there before returning to Vanderbilt as a graduate assistant coach for the 2008 and 2009 campaigns.

The 2008 season saw him help Vanderbilt post its first winning season (7-6) since 1982 with a 16-14 victory over Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl – the program’s first bowl victory since 1955.

McKenzie assumed the duties of assistant recruiting coordinator, while also helping with player development and coordinating the Gridiron Club for former Commodore letter winners, in 2010.