Sidney Powell Position: Secondary Coach Experience: Fourth Season Alma Mater: Morehouse, 1997

Left UMass to take a position at Ball State.

Sidney Powell enters the second season of his second stint on the UMass coaching staff in 2005. Powell, who previously worked with the Minutemen from 1998-99, came back to UMass after spending two years at Northeastern University (2002-03).

UMass tied for the Atlantic 10 lead in interceptions with 17 under Powell in 2004. Working with Powell, UMass' Shannon James was named a consensus first team All-American and A-10 Defensive Player of the Year as he led the nation in interceptions. James enters his senior season with 16 career interceptions, the most of any player in the country regardless of division. He coached A-10 second team honoree Tracy Belton as well, who had five interceptions.

In 2002 and 2003, Powell served as the secondary coach at Northeastern under Don Brown. Powell worked with a unit which recorded 13 interceptions during the 2003 season, after picking off 16 passes in 2002. In addition, the Huskies allowed opponents only 299.3 total yards and 16.0 points per game during the 2002 season, while in 2003 they gave up just 338.2 total yards and 18.2 points per contest.

Prior to his time at Northeastern, Powell spent two seasons as the running backs coach at Sacred Heart University, helping the Pioneers to an overall record of 21-1. Sacred Heart won the 2001 Northeast Conference title with a perfect 11-0 record, after posting a mark of 10-1 during the 2000 campaign.

During the 1998 and 1999 seasons, Powell was a graduate assistant coach on Mark Whipple's staff at UMass, working with the secondary. He helped the Minutemen to the 1998 national championship and 1999 Atlantic 10 title.

Powell is a 1997 graduate of Morehouse College, where he was a three-year starter and four-year letterwinner on the football team. He and his wife, Charmer, reside in Shutesbury with their son, Brandon.

Powell's Collegiate Coaching File

Years       School                   Assignment
1998-1999   Massachusetts            Graduate Assistant / Secondary
2000-2001   Sacred Heart             Running Backs
2002-2003   Northeastern             Secondary
2004-       Massachusetts            Secondary