2010-11: Ted Cain has more than three decades of collegiate coaching experience, and served a two-year stint as the head coach at Virginia Military Institute. In December 2001, he became the first assistant on Bobby Johnson[apos]s Vanderbilt staff.
This season, the former Commodore offensive coordinator will serve as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator.
Cain was offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for his first eight years at Vanderbilt. He switched responsibilities after the 2009 campaign following offensive struggles the previous two seasons. Despite moving to a no-huddle attack, the unit struggled with inconsistency, key injuries and limited playmaking ability at several positions.
One of Cain[apos]s pupils at tight end, junior Brandon Barden, returns this season as the Commodores[apos] active leader with 57 career receptions, including 27 catches as a sophomore. Barden and junior Austin Monahan, who missed five games to injury in 2009, provide Cain a solid nucleus at tight end.
Cain[apos]s tenure has produced some of the top offenses in team history. The 2005 squad led by SEC Offensive Player of the Year Jay Cutler produced more points and first downs than any Vanderbilt offense in the last three decades.
In addition to the VMI head coaching position, Cain[apos]s coaching resume includes a successful tenure as offensive coordinator at North Carolina State and many years of coaching service at Furman.
Cain, 58, was a three-year tight end for Furman. After serving a two-year term as a U.S. Army second lieutenant, Cain began his coaching career as Furman[apos]s linebackers coach in 1977. He later became the Furman passing game coordinator/receivers coach, helping the squad to a 69-23-2 mark over eight years. That success led to Cain[apos]s move to North Carolina State in 1986. As offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, Cain directed seven of N.C. State[apos]s top 10 passing seasons. Cain rejoined Johnson[apos]s staff at Furman in 1999, helping the Paladins to a pair of Southern Conference titles.
Cain earned a B.S. degree in geology and a M.A. in education from Furman. Cain and his wife, Susan, are the parents of two children: Matt, 26, an assistant coach with Presbyterian (S.C.) College; and Erin, 24.