Derrick Foster joins Iowa football staff

IOWA CITY — Derrick Foster has been added to the University of Iowa football staff as its 10th assistant coach, head coach Kirk Ferentz announced Tuesday.

Foster joins the Iowa staff after serving the last two seasons as running backs coach and running game coordinator at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. He has coached wide receivers and running backs at Tennessee, Northwestern State University and Valdosta State University.

'Derrick is an outstanding person and has built an impressive resume with experience at multiple levels of college football,' Ferentz said in a news release. 'He has an impressive record of success on the recruiting trail that will strengthen and expand our existing efforts.'

Foster said in the release he and his wife, Bianca, are excited to move to Iowa City.

'Our journey is continuing, as this provides us with the opportunity to be part of a great staff and a university that is committed to excellence,' he said. 'I have a lot of respect for the stability and commitment of Coach Ferentz and his longevity with the program. I feel fortunate and look forward to working with coach Ferentz and his dedicated staff.'

Ferentz said Foster will be used in 'multiple areas' and will coach on the offensive side of the ball.

'We gained Derrick as a coach, we bolstered our recruiting capabilities and we strengthened our commitment to special teams by allowing LeVar Woods to focus entirely on a significant phase of our game,' he said.

Foster joined the Samford staff from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, where he coached running backs in 2013 and wide receivers in 2014 and 2015. While at Northwestern State, Foster tutored some of the top receivers in program history. Under Foster's tutelage, Ed Eagan set the school single-season receptions record with 73, including single-game marks of 13 catches and 238 receiving yards.

Foster also was instrumental in helping Bryant Mitchell make his way to the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and guided Cody Jones to a productive junior campaign in Jones' second season as a full-time wide receiver.

Foster was an assistant coach at Tennessee in 2012, assisting the offensive coordinator and as running backs coach. The Volunteers finished third in the Southeastern Conference in total offense with 5,711 yards. He held office recruiting duties for junior colleges in California, Texas, Kansas, New York, Arizona and Illinois.

Foster's coaching career began at Valdosta State in 2011, working with the punt and return teams.

Foster was a three-year starting receiver at Southwest Baptist College in Missouri, where he produced a record-shattering 2007 campaign. He ranked sixth in the conference with 44 catches in 2007. Foster played in 41 of 44 games and had 93 career receptions. As a prep, he was a 1,000-yard rusher at Goshen (Alabama) High School, where he was an All-County running back.

Foster is a native of Goshen, Ala. He earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Southwest Baptist in 2010 and a master's in public administration from Valdosta State University in 2013.

Foster's hiring comes as a result of the NCAA allowing FBS programs to add a 10th full-time assistant.