Donnie Kirkpatrick

Donnie Kirkpatrick (born October 24, 1959) is an American football coach. He was formerly the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina University. He served two stints at East Carolina, having served as the wide receivers coach at ECU from 2005 to 2015 and then the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2019 to 2023. Kirkpatrick served as head football coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for three seasons, from 2000 to 2002. His coaching career has also included stops at Appalachian State, South Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Louisville, Western Carolina, and James Madison.

Playing career Kirkpatrick played quarterback for his father, Don Kirkpatrick, at South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina. He led the South Caldwell football team to a state runner-up finish his senior year in 1977.

Coaching career Appalachian State From 1984 to 1988, Kirkpatrick served as a graduate assistant for Appalachian State where he worked with the quarterbacks, running backs, and defensive ends.

South Carolina In 1989, Kirkpatrick joined Sparky Woods' staff at South Carolina as the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. He was there through the 1992 season and coached Todd Ellis and Bobby Fuller.

Louisville In 1995, Kirkpatrick followed Cooper to Louisville as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was directly responsible for developing quarterback Chris Redman into a third round NFL selection. In his second year, the team was 3–8, and 1–7 in the conference. In his third and final year, Kirkpatrick's team was 4–8, and 2–6 within the conference.

With two games remaining in the 2002 season, Chattanooga announced that they would be reassigning Kirkpatrick at the conclusion of the season, and would hire a new football coach.

Western Carolina Instead of being reassigned, Kirkpatrick left to take a job at Western Carolina. He was the wide receivers coach for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

East Carolina (first stint) From 2005 through 2015, Kirkpatrick coached the East Carolina wide receivers. He coached three players that would be drafted to play in the NFL. They were: Justin Hardy, Dwayne Harris, and Aundrae Allison.

East Carolina (second stint) When Mike Houston became the head coach of the East Carolina Pirates football team in December 2018, he announced that many of his staff members at James Madison would be coming with him, including Donnie Kirkpatrick. Following the 2023 campaign, Kirkpatrick agreed to part ways with the team at the conclusion of the season. He served a total of two stints and 16 years with East Carolina.

Personal life Kirkpatrick and his wife, Misty (McReery), have two children: a daughter, Molly, and a son, Davis. Davis was a pitcher on the East Carolina Pirates baseball team from 2014 to 2018.

Head coaching record