DeNarius McGhee, one of the most decorated and popular football players in Bobcat history, is joining the Montana State coaching staff, MSU head coach Jeff Choate announced Friday.
McGhee rejoins the program he led to shares of three straight Big Sky titles (2010-12) as quarterbacks coach, returning to Bozeman in early January after two seasons as an offensive graduate assistant at North Carolina State (2015-16) and one at Florida Atlantic (2014). He remains with the Wolf Pack through the team’s appearance in the Independence Bowl on December 26.
“You don’t have to be around this program for long before you start hearing about Denarius McGhee,” Choate said. “He has a bright future ahead of him as a football coach, and I’m excited to bring him back to Montana State. He has gained some quality experience the last two years, I think he’ll be a tremendous mentor for Chris Murray and all our quarterbacks, he’ll help us identify and recruit the right kids from the state of Texas, and most importantly he’s a Bobcat. This program is important to him, and that’s the kind of person we want.”
After redshirting in 2009, McGhee quarterbacked the Cats from 2010 until 2013. In that time he led MSU to shares of three Big Sky Championships, threw for the most yards (11,203) and touchdowns (79) in school history. He is the only Bobcat to earn Big Sky Player of the Year honors twice (2010, ’12) and was also the league’s Newcomer of the Year in 2010. In addition to starring on the football field, McGhee was involved in countless activities on campus and in the community during his time at MSU.
As the program’s quarterbacks coach, Messingham said he expects McGhee to hit the ground running. “I know that as a player DeNarius had a tremendous grasp of the offense and why things work the way they do,” Messingham said, “and as a young coach he’s a sponge. He wants to learn as much as he possibly can. He’ll work with the quarterbacks as the position coach.”
MSU football operated with 10 full-time assistant coaches this season during the 2016 season, one under the NCAA’s allowed limit. His charges include Chris Murray, who won Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors last fall and led the Bobcats to season-closing wins against UC Davis and the Grizzlies.
McGhee is expected to begin his duties at Montana State January 3.
