Curt Newsome Offensive Line Coach

Curt Newsome is entering his fourth season as the offensive line coach for the Hokies. Prior to his arrival in Blacksburg, he was an assistant coach at James Madison University for seven seasons.

A familiar face in the Virginia high school ranks, he is also one of the top recruiters in the region and helped sign prep star Tyrod Taylor in 2006.

Last year's line featured three All-ACC selections from a unit that helped open holes for a 1,200-yard back; this year Newsome returns four linemen who started in the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl.

In 2007, he had to deal with injuries throughout the season, but had a line playing its best ball at the end of the year, led by eventual first-round draft pick Duane Brown. In 2006, his young line came along as the season progressed. Senior Brandon Frye was taken in the NFL Draft by Houston and is now playing with Miami.

Newsome served as the offensive line coach and assistant head coach his last three seasons at James Madison, helping guide the Dukes to the Division I-AA national championship in 2004. He joined the JMU staff in March 1999 and worked as the defensive line coach his first three seasons. In 2002, he coached Madison's offensive tackles and tight ends.

During his stint at JMU, Newsome coached All-Americans on both sides of the ball. Defensive end Chris Morant was the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1999 and was named to two first-team All-America squads and two second-team A-A teams in 2000. He was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as Division I-AA's top defender in 2000, when he set JMU's career record for sacks with 33. Offensive guard Matt Magerko received first-team AP All-America honors in 2004 when the Dukes won the I-AA national title.

Prior to joining the JMU staff, Newsome was head coach in 1998 at Newport News' Heritage High School, where he was the AP's Virginia Scholastic Coach of the Year. He coached from 1987 to 1997 at Kecoughtan High School and also coached at both Phoebus and Ervington high schools.

Newsome received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Emory & Henry in 1982. He and his wife, Melinda, have a son, Curtis Wayne III, 21, and a daughter, Elizabeth Ann, 14.