UWF Football: Argos hire former player Kaleb Nobles as new head football coach
PENSACOLA− The University of West Florida football program has moved into a new era following the departure of the only head coach its ever known.
There's no replacing Pete Shinnick's impact and it'll be difficult to duplicate his success, but following Sunday's news of Shinnick's exit, the Argos didn't take long to find the next person to lead the program. And like his processor, the new man in charge was here from the very beginning.
Kaleb Nobles is set to become UWF's second-ever head football coach on Tuesday, officials announced Tuesday. This announcement comes less than 48 hours after Shinnick's resignation to reportedly take the same position at Division I Towson.
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Nobles will be officially introduced as head coach in a press conference at 4 p.m. Tuesday. He'll take over the position after spending the past two years in an offensive player development role at Clemson.
The 28-year old from Fitzgerald, Ga. is a familiar face to Argos fans, which played a part in his hiring. According to a source, UWF athletic director Dave Scott wanted to hire someone who understood the culture of this football program. With that in mind, there's was no better person to fill that role than West Florida's first-ever quarterback when the program began in 2016.
Transferring to UWF in 2016, Nobles threw for 3,058 yards and 28 touchdowns to guide the Argos to a 5-6 record in their inaugural season.
Following his one season on the field in a blue and green uniform, the former field general transitioned into a coaching career.
He spent three seasons on Shinnick's staff from 2017-19, serving as a graduate assistant, quarterback coach, co-offensive coordinator and director of football operation duties. Nobles helped shape UWF into a powerhouse and was on staff when the team won the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship.
Prior to his time at UWF, Nobles began his collegiate career at Valdosta State. He spent three years with the Blazers, earning a ring as part of VSU's 2012 national championship team as a redshirt freshman before appearing in 23 games the following two years. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration in 2015.
Greg Hollis is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at ghollis@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: UWF Football: Former Quarterback Kaleb Nobles named Argos head coach
