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Coaching Staff
John Tully, Head Coach E-mail Coach Tully at jtully@whitworth.edu "We have worked hard to put ourselves in this position," said Tully, who is 85-68 in 15 seasons as the Pirates' head coach, including a 71-35 record over the last 11 years. "Every year we want to be in a position to challenge for the conference championship and an NCAA playoff berth. And we have gotten to that point." During his tenure, Tully has led Whitworth to three Northwest Conference titles and two NCAA Division III playoff appearances, and has also earned three NWC Coach of the Year awards. He won his first conference title with the Pirates during the 2001 season. In 2006, the 100th year of football at Whitworth, the Bucs posted a perfect regular season (10-0) on the way to an 11-1 record and an appearance in the second round of the national playoffs. They followed that up with a second straight conference title in 2007 and an 8-2 overall record. Whitworth also came close to making postseason in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Prior to Tully's arrival at Whitworth in 1995, the Pirate program had suffered through 10 losing seasons in the previous 11 years. Tully spent the first three seasons righting the direction of the ship as the team finished 1-8 the first two years and 2-7 in 1997. But consecutive 5-5 seasons followed and 2000's 6-3 record was the school's first winning mark since 1990. The 61 wins from 2000 - 2008 are the most in any nine-year stretch in Whitworth history. Tully has now been responsible for rebuilding a program twice. He came to Whitworth from Eureka College in Eureka, Ill., where he was the head football coach for five seasons. During his tenure at Eureka, Tully's accomplishments were numerous: Eureka had the most wins of any team in the Illini-Badger Conference in Tully's final three seasons; he coached the first undefeated team in school history (10-0) in 1991; Eureka had a final ranking of number three in the country and made its first national playoff appearance in 1991, returning to the playoffs in 1994; Tully was voted Illini-Badger Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1994 and was voted District 20 Coach of the Year in 1991. He was named a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 1994. Prior to his arrival at Eureka, the football program had also gone through many years of struggle.
Tully brought extensive coaching experience in the college ranks and in the Northwest to his position with the Pirates. From 1984 to 1989, he served as an assistant coach at Southern Oregon State College in Ashland, Oregon. He coached at Medford (Ore.) High School in 1983 and at Grants Pass (Ore.) High School from 1979 to 1982. Tully also coached at the University of San Diego in 1976 and at Los Molinos (Calif.) High School in 1975. Tully received his bachelor's degree from Azusa Pacific University in 1975 and was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Cougars. He was named MVP of the team in 1973 and 1974 and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1991. Tully received his master's degree in education from the University of San Diego in 1979. Kirk Westre, Defensive Coordinator Implementing a more attack-oriented defense in 2004, Westre's crew has been at or near the top of the Northwest Conference statistics in turnover ratio each of the past seven seasons and in 2007 Whitworth led all of NCAA Division III with a turnover margin of +26 (+2.6 per game). In 2006 and 2007 the Pirates led the NWC in fewest points and yards allowed. The 2006 and 2007 Pirate defenses may have been two of the best in school history. Beginning in 1995, Westre directed an offensive line that needed a complete rebuild in his first season. But over time, he developed one of the strongest lines in the league, coaching numerous players to All-NWC honors during in nine seasons. Westre served as head Track & Field coach for Whitworth in 1996, leading six athletes to nationals. Before coming to Whitworth, Westre was the offensive coordinator at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1993 and 94. From 1989 through 1992, he was offensive coordinator and assistant Track & Field coach at Moorhead State University. In 1988 and 1989 Westre was a graduate assistant at Oregon, where he coached tight ends, directed the scout team defense and earned a master’s degree in 1989. He played football at Pacific Lutheran University, graduating in 1984. Jason Tobeck, Recruiting Coordinator, Receivers, Running Backs A 1993 graduate of Whitworth and four year letter winner, Tobeck set an NAIA Division II record with 22 catches in one game against Willamette his senior season. He also finished second in the nation that year with 89 total catches, earning All-Columbia Football Association honors. In addition to his coaching duties, Tobeck serves the football program as the recruiting coordinator and is also the official athletics department liaison to the college admissions department. Tobeck graduated with a double major in elementary education and biology and is originally from Tumwater, Wash. Dave Pomante, Defensive Line Pomante is also Whitworth's strength coach and coordinated the complete renovation of the Pirate athletics weight room in the spring of 2008. In addition, he handles equipment responsibilities for the football team. Pomante was the head football coach at Rogers High School in Spokane from 1991 through 2002. He coached Rogers to its only winning season as a Greater Spokane League member (and first since 1970) when the Pirates finished 5-4 in 1994. He was named the GSL Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. He earned the deepest respect of his fellow coaches within the GSL while coaching at the most economically challenged school in the league. Prior to his head coaching duties, he was the defensive coordinator at Rogers from 1984-1990. Pomante graduated from Whitworth in 1981 and earned a Master's of Education at Whitworth in 1987. Pomante was an All-American nose guard in 1980, despite his size (5'-8" and under 200 pounds) and the fact that as the best player on a 2-7 team he saw constant double and triple teams. He set a Whitworth and Northwest Conference record by recording 20 sacks that season. Jerry McCullough, Offensive Line Prior to the move across the line of scrimmage, he coached defensive end Sky Blake to a consensus All-American season in 2000 and developed the defensive line into a consistently top-notch unit. McCullough came to Whitworth from North Central High School in Spokane, where he had been head football coach for 11 seasons (1986-1996). Prior to coaching at North Central, McCullough had been head coach at three Montana highs schools: Polson (1978-86); Stevensville (1976-79), and Terry (1972-76). Ivan Gustafson, Tight Ends Mat Johnson, Running Backs Jay Tully, Defensive Backs Brandon Martin, Defensive Line Adam Lindly, Linebackers Joel Clark, Quarterbacks Jim Puryear, Assistant Offensive Line |
The winningest and longest-serving football coach in Whitworth history, John Tully will lead the Pirates onto the gridiron for the 17th year in the Fall of 2011. Tully has a record of 116-89 in 21 seasons as a head football coach, 16 of which have been at Whitworth. Over the course of his tenure coaching the Bucs, Tully has made the team an annual Northwest Conference title contender. 
One of Tully's greatest successes at Whitworth has been establishing consistency in the coaching staff. Three of his assistant coaches are entering at least their 15th consecutive season coaching the Pirates in 2011. 
Kirk Westre enters his eighth season as the Pirates' defensive coordinator in 2011, after having spent more than 15 years of his career figuring out how to break down defenses. Westre previously served six seasons as the Pirates' offensive coordinator and nine years as offensive line coach and is in his 17th year of coaching at Whitworth. He will directly oversee the linebackers for the eighth straight year. 
Jason Tobeck is one of the key reasons for the turnaround in Whitworth’s football fortunes during his career an assistant coach. Now in his 18th year at Whitworth, Tobeck continues to develop players who follow in his footsteps as all-star receivers, including 2007 NFL draft choice Michael Allan (Kansas City Chiefs), who was a two-time consensus Division III All-American. During Tobeck’s tenure Whitworth has had ten different receivers earn First Team All-Conference honors under his tutelage, including Allan and Steve Silva in 2006 and 2007, respectively. 
Dave Pomante joined the Pirate football staff in May of 2004 as the fourth full-time coach and will serve his eighth season with the responsibility of defensive line. Over the course of the last seven seasons, four different defensive linemen have earned First Team All-NWC honors, including three-time honoree Brandon Martin (2007 - 2009).
Jerry McCullough brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Pirate football team for his 15th season on the Pirates' staff. McCullough made a transition from defensive line coach to offensive line in 2004 and developed a group that helped the offense allow the fewest turnovers in the conference over four of the six seasons. In 2008 and 2009 he coached Jeff Kintner to First Team All-NWC selections.