Pittsburg State University Men's Football

Parker Shrater begins his second year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. Schrater serves as the Gorillas Safeties Coach. Schrater joined the Pitt State staff after serving the previous two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant coach at Kansas State University. The Valley Center, Kan., native assisted with the Wildcats linebackers the past two seasons. Overall, Schrater served six years on the K-State staff. The previous four seasons he served as an undergraduate defensive coach, signaling play calls in both practices and games, pulling clips for safety position meetings, drawing play cards for the scout team offense and helping with film breakdown. Schrater received his start within the K-State football program as a student equipment manager in 2019. Schrater earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in entrepreneurship from K-State in May 2023. He is completing a master’s of science degree in academic advising from the school.

Gregg Hollins enters his third year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. Hollins was promoted to the role of Wide Receivers Coach, Passing Game Coordinator & Special Teams Coordinator on Dec. 2, 2025, after previously serving as the Gorillas’ Tight Ends Coach & Special Teams Coordinator. Hollins joined the Gorillas staff after serving as wide receivers coach at NCAA Division II East Central University in Ada, Okla., in 2023. Prior to ECU, Hollins served as wide receivers coach at Butler Community College in 2022; and he enjoyed nine years of experience coaching in the prep ranks as offensive coordinator at North Kansas City High School (2016-2021) and Ruskin High School (2013-15). A Kansas City, Mo., native, Hollins attended Highland Community College and Los Angeles Pierce College before earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Park University. Gregg and his wife, Whitney, have three daughters:  Taylor, Drew and Alex.  

Brandon Perkins begins his second year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. Perkins serves as the Gorillas Cornerbacks Coach & Defensive Pass Game Coordinator. Perkins came to Pitt State after serving as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at NCAA Division II Eastern New Mexico in 2024. Prior to ENMU, he spent three seasons at Adams State University, serving as Defensive Backs Coach, Pass Game Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator from 2021-22 and serving as Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator in 2023. Perkins, a Tucson, Ariz., native, also served as a graduate assistant coach at New Mexico State University from 2019-2021. He also holds prep experience as an assistant coach at Tolleson High School (Tolleson, Ariz.) in 2019 and Cobre High School (Silver City, N.M.) from 2016-18. Perkins played collegiately at Pima Community College and Western New Mexico University, where he also served as an assistant coach in 2015. He earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from WNMU and a master’s in education degree from New Mexico State.

James Gilbert enters his third year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. Gilbert serves as the Gorillas’ Running Backs Coach. Gilbert joined the Gorillas staff after serving as an offensive graduate assistant and special teams assistant at Purdue University in 2023. Prior to Purdue, Gilbert served as running backs and full backs coach at the University of Central Oklahoma in 2022. Gilbert also served as running backs coach at Marian University in 2021 after serving as an assistant coach at Lawrence Central High School in Indiana in 2020. Gilbert played his graduate transfer fifth-year season at Kansas State University in 2019 after playing for four years for Ball State University (2015-18). He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors (2019) and first team All-Mac honors (2016) while rushing for 3543 yards and 37 touchdowns for his collegiate career. The Indianapolis, Ind., native signed as a free agent running back with the Los Angeles Rams for the 2020 season. He played for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League in 2022. Gilbert earned a bachelor’s of science degree in communications from Ball State in 2018 and a master’s of science degree in academic advising from K-State in 2019.

Chance Rieken begins his third year as a member of the Pittsburg State University football coaching staff. Rieken serves as the Gorillas Tight Ends Coach after being appointed to the position in December. He previously served two years as an offensive graduate assistant coach. Rieken joined head coach Tom Anthony's staff in 2024 after serving one year as an assistant coach at Howard Payne University. He spent the 2022 season at his alma mater, Abilene Christian University, after coaching two years at Mary Hardin Baylor University for two seasons (2020-21). He helped UMHB capture the 2021 NCAA Division III National Championship. Rieken also coached one season at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (2019), after serving as a graduate assistant at Angelo State University in 2018. Rieken played four seasons at Abilene Christian (2014-17). The Comfort, Texas native started 41 career games on the offensive line for the Wildcats. He earned a bachelor's of science degree from ACU and a master's of science degree from UMHB in 2021. Chance is married to the former Rebecca Gaines of Comfort, Texas.  

Jonny Bottorff enters his first year as a graduate assistant on the Pittsburg State University coaching staff. He assists with the linebackers. Bottorff joined the Pitt State staff after serving as an offensive quality control assistant at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) this past fall. Bottorff played collegiately as an offensive lineman at MIAA rival Missouri Western State University (2019-2023) and NCAA Division I Northern Arizona University (2024-25). The Quincy, Ill., native was a two-time second-team All-Big Sky Conference performer for the Lumberjacks. He earned a bachelor's degrees at both MWSU and NAU.

Ori Trimble begins her second year as a graduate assistant on the Pitt State coaching staff. She spent the previous two seasons as a student assistant equipment manager for the Gorillas. A native of Seymour, Iowa, Trimble graduated from Pitt State with a bachelor's degree in recreation services, sport & hospitality management in May 2025. She is currently pursuing a master's of science degree in sport and leisure management.

Mark Smith is entering his third year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. He was elevated to the role of Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach on Dec. 2, 2025, after serving as the Gorillas’ Wide Receivers Coach / Passing Game Coordinator for two years. Smith returned to his alma mater after serving as head football coach at Frontenac High School the previous 12 seasons. He fashioned a 94-38 (.712) record during his tenure, leading the Raiders to the Kansas Class 4A-II state runner-up finish in 2017 and the Kansas Class 3A state runner-up finish in 2021. His teams reached the state quarterfinals, or beyond, eight times. The Pittsburg native and St. Mary's-Colgan High School product compiled a 24-6 record as Pitt State’s starting quarterback between 2006-08. He twice earned honorable mention NCAA Division II All-America honors, passing for 5,190 yards and 40 touchdowns and rushing for 2,364 yards and 29 scores. He was inducted into the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2024. Following his playing career, Smith served as a graduate assistant at Pitt State during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history/government in 2009 and a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2011.   Following graduation, Smith served as an assistant football coach at Carl Junction (Mo.) High School for the 2011 season. Mark and his wife, Lindsay, have four children:  William, Ellie, Madison and Cooper.  

Lynn Nutt enters his fifth year as an assistant football coach at Pittsburg State University. He was elevated to Defensive Coordinator in July 2023 after serving as Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach during the 2022 campaign. In 2022, the Pitt State defensive squad led the MIAA in scoring defense (14.1 ppg) and ranked second in the conference in total defense (282.6 ypg), rushing defense (93.0 ypg), passing defense (189.6 ypg) and sacks (31). The Gorillas ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense and 19th nationally in total defense. Pitt State was one of just four defensive units to return four or more interceptions for touchdowns in 2022. Three of Nutt's linebackers – P.J. Sarwinski (1st team), Alex Gaskill (3rd team) and Luke Jennings (H.M.) – earned All-MIAA honors. Nutt came to Pitt State from Dordt University where he served as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator in 2021. He served five seasons as Defensive Coordinator for the Defenders, before being elevated to Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator in 2021. Nutt guided a Dordt defense that allowed just 15.2 points per game in 2021. His 2020 squad led the NAIA in quarterback sacks (41 in 10 regular season games) and also ranked No. 1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference in total defense, passing defense, third down conversions and fourth down conversions. In 2019, Dordt led the NAIA in takeaways (34 in 10 games) and led the GPAC in passing defense. Prior to his tenure at Dordt, Nutt spent two seasons (2014-15) as a defensive graduate assistant at Eastern Michigan University. He also spent one season (2013) coaching the defensive line for his alma mater, William Jewell College. A native of Bolivar, Mo., Nutt played tight end and defensive end at William Jewell. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from William Jewell in 2009 and a master’s degree in education from Southwest Baptist University in 2011. Lynn and his wife, Kara, have two children:  Abigail and Ryker.

Riley Wagner begins his second year as a graduate assistant on the Pitt State coaching staff. Wagner serves as the Leo's Coach and also assists with the linebackers. Wagner, who served as a student assistant on the staff in 2024, came to Pitt State from Butler Community College where he was the Tight Ends coach for the 2023 season. A native of Emporia, Kan., Wagner graduated from Pitt State with a bachelor's degree in communication with an emphasis in multimedia journalism in May 2025. He is currently pursuing a master's of science degree in human resource development. Riley and his wife, CeCe, were married on May 24, 2025.

Jerek Butcher enters her first year as a member of the Pittsburg State University football staff. He serves as Director of Football Operations. Butcher joined the Gorillas staff after working as a student assistant for PSU Athletics in fan engagement and marketing for the past three years (2023-25). The Pittsburg native played linebacker for the Gorillas for two seasons (2021-22) after transferring to Pitt State from Butler Community College. He signed with the University of Kansas out of high school. Butcher earned a bachelor's degree in recreation services, sport and hospitality management in May 2023 and a master's degree in health, human performance and recreation in December 2025.

Tyrell Everett begins his fifth season as a member of the Pitt State coaching staff. Everett was elevated to the role of Assistant Head Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator heading into the 2025 campaign. Everett  became Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Run Game Coordinator in July 2023 after initially being hired as the staff's Defensive Line Coach in 2022. The Pitt State defense has consistently ranked among the top squads in the MIAA in NCAA Division II the past four seasons. The Gorillas led the MIAA in quarterback sacks (40) in 2025 and Pitt State ranked second in the league in scoring defense (20.7 ppg) last fall. Everett has coached six players who have earned All-MIAA honors (Zeke Wall, 2022; Dubem Okonkwo, 2022-23; Cole Sample, 2022-24; Malik Berry, 2024; Jeremy Sharp, 2025; and Ely Wilcox, 2025) as well as a trio of NCAA Division II All-Americans (Wall, Sample, Sharp). Everett came to Pitt State in June 2022 after serving the previous six months as Defensive Line Coach at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. He previously served as a defensive line coach at the University of Tulsa during the 2021 season and as a defensive line coach at Clarke during the 2020 season.   Everett, a Topeka native, also served as an outside linebacker coach at the University of Akron for the 2019 season. He served as a graduate assistant at the University of West Florida in 2018 and a running backs coach at Butler Community College in 2017.   Everett played collegiately at Butler Community College. and Baker University. He earned a bachelor’s of science in education in physical education/health at Baker in 2016 and a master’s degree in sports science/coaching from Akron in 2020. He is engaged to Nicolle Murphy, who serves as PSU's Assistant Athletic Director for Student Success.