Blake Stone was acquired by the Blue Hose to direct the offensive line in the 2023 offseason, an accomplished player at Charleston Southern and Florida Tech, where he learned from future PC Head Coach Steve Englehart from 2014-17.
“Blake is a great acquisition for our program”, commented Englehart, who captured 26 victories while directing Stone as a student-athlete at Florida Tech. “He is familiar with our system having played for me in the past, already a bright coach and terrific recruiter. Most importantly, he is a great person who cares about developing young men”.
Upon arriving in Clinton, Stone remarked “I am thankful to reunite with Coach Englehart and be a part of this amazing staff. As a former player for Coach E, I’m excited to learn from him in a coaching aspect and expand my knowledge of the game. I’m ready to bring energy and guidance to these young student-athletes, and am ready to help them grow both on and off the field”.
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Stone has invested two-year stints at the collegiate level at both Gannon and MTSU, overseeing the former to an 8-3 record in 2022 during his first try specifically as an O-Line coach. The highest win count for the Golden Knights in eight years, the ’22 campaign represented a three-win improvement from the prior season where Stone worked primarily with the defensive line.
Creating the scouting report ahead of each contest while directing two All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference guards, Stone managed either side of the line of scrimmage over his two seasons with Gannon that amounted to seven total road wins and a 6-1 PSAC resume last fall.
Stone would receive his first taste of coaching at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level from 2019-20 as a member of the Middle Tennessee staff, beginning as a defensive quality control instructor before transitioning to a Graduate Assistant title on the defensive line.
While in Murfreesboro, Stone again had a major hand in formatting weekly situational and scouting reports for every opponent, tangling with three nationally-ranked schools (#7 Michigan, #14 Iowa, and #16 Marshall) throughout his Blue Raider tenure.
After completing his studies at Florida Tech, Stone’s first football-related endeavor took him to Edward H. White High School in his hometown of Jacksonville, coaching the Commanders’ offensive line and tight ends while also in charge of the strength and conditioning role.
Starting his playing days at Charleston Southern, Blake excelled on the gridiron by grading out at 84 percent and totaling 32 knockdowns while affiliated with the Buccaneers. A regular starter for a team that ranked 17th in FCS over total rushing offense (233 yards per game), he enabled CSU to lead the nation in average time of possession (33:45) as a sophomore in 2013.
Stone immediately contributed to Englehart’s vision once transferring to Florida Tech, named a USA College Football All-American and second team All-Gulf South Conference honoree during the 2015 season, a year that saw Englehart achieve his highest GSC placement of 2nd.
The following campaign, Stone featured on a roster that advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs (a feat that Englehart realized twice in a three-year span).
Blake earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from FIT with a focus in Philosophy, completing his educational career in 2018.
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