Alva Review-Courier -

Alva, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State football team has announced the following coaching change to the staff. Josh Evans has been named the Passing Game Coordinator for the Rangers, and defensive coordinator Ken Gordon has been named assistant head coach.

Northwestern announced the two moves following coach Anthony Weeden accepting a position with NCAA Division I program Campbell University. Coach Weeden has been with the Rangers since the 2019 season.

Gordon was hired as the Rangers' Defensive Coordinator in 2017. He will be entering his fourth season with the university.

"KG has a wealth of experience and success at the D2 level, and I am excited to announce that he is going to be our assistant head coach moving forward. KG brings that energy and accountability to our players and our young staff. This is an exciting move for our program moving forward," said Head Football Coach Matt Walter.

Northwestern had two defensive players make the All-GAC first team after big seasons. Maurice Wright JR. and Aharon Barnes were two of the best defenders in the league and arguably the best at their respective positions under Gordon.

Prior to Northwestern, coach Gordon was at Nebraska-Kearney, where he was the associate head coach and the defensive coordinator. Ken Gordon was hired as UNK's defensive coordinator and defensive secondary coach in December 2014. In April 2015, he was promoted to associate head coach.

The 2016 season was a good one for Gordon and his defense as they put three players on the All-MIAA squad, including an All-American Linebacker.

Gordon previously had been a defensive coordinator at Emporia State (2007-10), Minnesota State (2005-06), and Pierce Junior College, Calif. (2003-04). Before Kearney, he was Northwest Missouri State's secondary coach and special team coordinator for four seasons.

In his time as coordinator, Gordon coached 10 All-Americans and now 38 all-conference players. While at Emporia, all four of his defenses ranked in the top half of the MIAA statistically.

In the 2014 NFL Draft, Gordon saw one of his players, cornerback Brandon Dixon, drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets.

Gordon began his coaching career as a Northwest Missouri graduate assistant, working with the Bearcat linebackers in 1998 and 1999. In both seasons, Northwest Missouri won the national title.

As a player, Gordon earned All-MIAA honors at linebacker in 1996, his senior season. He previously was an all-conference player at Blinn Junior College in Texas. Gordon was a member of Mel Tjeerdsma's first recruiting class at Northwest Missouri, helping turn the Bearcats into an MIAA program.

A native of Quitman, Texas, he received his bachelor's degree in 1996 and earned a master's degree in 1999, both from northwest Missouri.

Evans has been a part of the Red and Black coaching staff since the 2019 season when the Rangers hired him. With Northwestern, Evans has seen time as the quarterbacks coach and the wide receivers coach throughout the last two seasons.

"Josh is a brilliant, young offensive mind, who will mold our QB's moving forward. Josh brings enthusiasm, an extremely energetic and an unwavering positive attitude to the offensive side of the ball," said Coach Walter.

As the quarterback coach, he was in charge of the position room, preparing all aspects of quarterback play, including practice planning, coaching, and player development. As the wide receivers, coach Evans scripted seven on seven routes on-air as well with defensive structures.

Before his time with the Rangers, Evans was the Assistant QB coach with the University of La Verne, where he worked with film breakdown and offensive analysis. He worked with QB and WR development with the university.

Evans was also a part of Break the Hudl as a QB/WR coach from 2017-2019, where he was the passing game coordinator helping players find a home in college football.

The Concord, California native graduated from University La Verne, where he played at the quarterback position taking over the starting role as a sophomore. He was voted on the d3football.com national team of the week and a 2X Captain of ULV football team. La Verne won the 2015 SCIAC football championship.

Evans earned his degree in Kinesiology from the University of La Verne and will be graduating with his Master's degree in Adult Education & Sports Administration here at Northwestern Oklahoma State in December.