Andy Ball is the second generation of the Ball family to call Kirksville home as he joined the staff for the 2011 season. Ball’s father Randy was the team captain of the 1972 Bulldogs and won three straight MIAA Championships from 1969-71. Ball will coach the defensive line and will work with Thomas Kearney in the team’s recruiting efforts.
The defensive line has accounted for 76 sacks in his first three seasons and 206 tackles for loss. Nic Abbate earned first-team all-GLVC honors in 2013 while Patrick Blackwell was a second team all-MIAA selection in 2012 after being an honorable mention in 2011. Blackwell owns the school record for most tackles for loss in career at 37.5 while Abbate enters his senior season fifth with 33.
Ball was previously in charge of the offensive line, strength and conditioning, special teams and recruiting at Missouri University of Science & Technology for the four seasons prior to Truman. During that span, Ball was part of a Miner program that set school records in 2008 for points scored and offensive yards in a season while winning the inaugural Great Lakes Football Conference championship. He has had seven all-GLFC offensive linemen under his tutelage.
Prior to his four years in Rolla, Ball spent three seasons at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. where he coached both offensive and defensive lines and was the strength and conditioning coordinator.
He earned his bachelor of science in Physical Education at the University of Central Missouri in 2001 and his masters in Athletic and Sports Business Administration in 2003 also at the University of Central Missouri while working as a student and graduate assistant for the Mules staff.
Ball comes from a strong football pedigree as his father Randy was a member of three MIAA championship teams at Truman in 1969, 1970 and 1971 (under Coach Russ Sloan) and was the team captain of the 1972 team. Randy went on to spend eight seasons (1990-98) at Western Illinois University, where he is first in Leathernecks history in total wins with 64 and spent seven seasons at Missouri State University. Randy served as the Director of Player Personnel for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League and is currently a pro scouting assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs while his uncle Russ Ball is the vice president for Football administration for the Green Bay Packers.
Andy and his wife Casey have three children.
