Rick Rhoades

Rick Rhoades (born January 16, 1947) is an American football coach who has worked at the high school, college, and professional levels. He served as head football coach at the collegiate level at Troy State University from 1985 to 1987, Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1988, Nicholls State University from 1993 to 1994 and Delta State University from 2002 to 2006.

At the professional level, he served as head football coach of the Graz Giants in the Austrian Football League from 2007 to 2011 and La Courneuve Flash France in 2013.

Coaching career High school coaching Rhodes began his coaching career in 1972 as head football coach at Handley High School in Roanoke, Alabama and finished 1–8–1. From 1973 to 1975, he was an assistant football coach at Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Alabama. Over his nine years as a high school head coach, he compiled an overall record of 69 wins, 34 losses and 1 tie. In 1981, Rhodes was hired for his first college coordinator position as offensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama through the 1982 season. In 1985, Rhodes was hired for his first head coaching position at Troy State after the schools previous head coach Chan Gailey left for an NFL coaching position. In 1986, he led Troy State to a Gulf South Conference championship and the 1987 team repeated as Gulf South Conference champions and won the NCAA Division II National Championship. The 1987 season was Rhoades final season at Troy State where he compiled a record of 28 wins, 7 losses and 1 tie. For the 1988 season, Rhoades left for a Division I-AA head coaching position at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It was his only season at Southern Illinois Carbondale and he finished with a record of 4 wins and 7 losses. In his first year at Nicholls State, the team went 3–8. In his final season, he led Delta State to the NCAA Division II national semifinals.

From 2007 to 2011, Rhoades was head coach of the Graz Giants in the Austrian Football League. In his first season in 2007, he led the Giants to the EFAF Cup championship. In his second season, the team won the 2008 Austrian Bowl to win the Austrian Football League championship. Also under Rhoades, the Giants reached the Eurobowl semifinals four times from 2008 to 2011. In 2010, he guided the team to a second-place finish in the European championships and a seventh-place finish in the World Championships.

Rhoades didn't coach in Europe in 2014, but returned in 2015 where he spent time in training camp with the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland and also spent time in his previous role as the offensive coordinator for the Carlstad Crusaders. In 2016, Rhoades returned to the Wroclaw Panthers as an assistant coach and served in that role through 2018. That season the team finished with an overall record of 8–0 and a postseason record of 1–1 losing in the Iron Bowl (Division II finals). The Ducks were promoted to the top level of Austrian Football League before the 2022 season.

Head coaching record College

High school