Rhoads to headline AU Club meeting

Special to The Tribune
Published: June 23, 2008

The Barbour/Bullock County Auburn Club will hold its annual meeting July 15 at the James S. Clark Center at the Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce on East Broad Street at 6 p.m. 

All interested alumni and friends are encouraged to attend. 

The evening will include a barbeque dinner and an auction to raise money for the club’s scholarship fund.

Paul Rhoads, Auburn defensive coordinator and secondary coach, will be the featured speaker. 

In addition, Amanda Thomas, marketing and membership manager for the Auburn University Office of Alumni affairs, will update club members on alumni activities.

Rhoads joined the Auburn coaching staff in January after a successful tenure as defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh. 

Rhoads was a three-year letterman at Missouri Western from 1986-88, playing defensive back. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Missouri Western.

Prior to coaching at Pittsburgh, Rhoads coached five seasons at Iowa State. He began as an inside linebackers coach in 1995, then coached the secondary from 1996-99. From 1992-94, Rhoads coached defensive backs at Pacific. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Utah State from 1989-90 and worked as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1991. 

“We’re excited to have Paul join our staff,” Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville said. “He fit everything that we were looking for in a defensive coordinator. Paul brings great experience and enthusiasm, he’s a great recruiter and I really like his philosophy on teaching techniques and fundamentals.”

Reservations should be made by July 8, 2008. The cost of the evening is $20 per person, $10 for students ages 22 & under, and children ages 6 and under are free. 

Checks may be made payable to Barbour-Bullock County Auburn Club and mailed to LuAnne Hart at PO Box 162, Eufaula, AL 36072.  For additional information or to make reservations, please call (334) 687-0814.