The Muhlenberg football team made two changes to its full-time staff for the 2024 season.

Kyle Purkey was hired as assistant coach for defensive backs, and Greg Frantz was promoted to defensive coordinator. Both will coach for a historically stout Muhlenberg defensive unit that has allowed fewer than 20 points per game every year but one since 2000. 

Purkey came to the Mules after five years as linebackers coach at Bridgewater College, where he also served as special teams coordinator for two seasons and defensive coordinator in the spring of 2024. During his time there, he coached six All-America selections and an NCAA Division III statistical champion in kickoff returns.

Bridgewater allowed an average of only 18.8 points per game during Purkey's tenure and ranked among the Division III leaders in takeaways in both 2022 and 2023. He helped lead the Eagles to an Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, national ranking and NCAA Tournament home game in 2019.

Prior to Bridgewater, Purkey spent one season as special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Maine Maritime Academy and one as defensive/special teams quality control assistant with his alma mater, James Madison University, helping the Dukes reach the 2017 FCS national championship game.

Purkey was an assistant coach at McDaniel College from 2015 through the spring of 2017, starting as running backs coach and ending as special teams coordinator/linebackers coach. He also was the assistant special teams coordinator/intern wide receivers coach with JMU in 2014 and an assistant wide receivers coach at Stevenson University in 2013.

Purkey graduated from JMU in 2013 with a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching education. He completed his master's degree in exercise science and physical education at McDaniel.

Frantz joined the Muhlenberg coaching staff as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator in 2023. In his first season with the Mules, he coached three All-Centennial Conference selections, one of whom went on to earn all-region recognition. The Muhlenberg defense led the CC in rushing defense, scoring defense, tackles for loss and turnovers gained.

A 2011 graduate of Millersville University, Frantz came to Muhlenberg after spending the 2022 season as linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Widener University. His special teams led the Middle Atlantic Conference in net punting and ranked sixth in Division III in blocked kicks. Frantz also coached the MAC newcomer of the year and two all-conference linebackers.

Prior to Widener, Frantz was a defensive assistant, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Division I Lafayette College for two seasons. The Leopards ranked in the top 10 in FCS in both kickoff return defense and blocked punts, and they were also second in FCS in rushing defense in 2020.

Frantz also spent four seasons at Cortland State University, where he coached three All-America special teams players. The Red Dragons were 28-16 in his four seasons, earning three postseason berths and reaching the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament one year.

After earning his master's from Millersville in 2014, Frantz spent one season as offensive quality control and assistant to offensive line coach for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.

Muhlenberg, ranked 21st in the D3football.com preseason poll, is scheduled to open its 2024 season at Moravian on Saturday, September 7. The Mules have posted 13 straight winning seasons, compiling a tremendous 116-33 (.779) record during that span. Last year, they went 10-1, reaching double digits in wins for the sixth time in program history, earning a postseason berth for the 19th time in the last 23 seasons and winning a postseason game for the sixth consecutive season.