Rick Purcell joined the Averett University football staff as the defensive coordinator prior to the 2025 season after serving as a volunteer coach during the spring.
Purcell came to Averett with a wealth of experience at the college and high school levels. Prior to Averett, he served as the defensive run game coordinator, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Division II Shorter University for the 2024 season. His previous stops before Shorter included Division I FCS experience as the defensive assistant coach and strong safeties coach at Bryant University in 2023 and as the defensive assistant secondary coach and quality control coach for defense and special teams at the College of William & Mary in 2022, helping the Tribe win a conference championship. In addition, Purcell also gained experience through the NFL’s New York Jets Scout School.
Purcell was the special teams coordinator, defensive passing game coordinator and safeties coach at Division III William Patterson University in 2021 after serving as Eustace Prep head coach and director of advancement in 2020. He also had successful coaching stints at the high school level in Ohio and Indiana at La Salle High School (2014), Colerain High School (2015), Warren Central High School (2017-18) and Indian Creek High School (2019) — winning state titles at La Salle and Warren Central and helping Colerain advance to the state semifinals. He coached four future NFL players at the high school level.
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Purcell played cornerback at Division I at the University of Notre Dame, where he was a national champion, Fiesta Bowl champion and Orange Bowl champion with the Irish from 1986-90.
Purcell graduated from Notre Dame in June 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. He also earned Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1995.
Purcell and his wife Rahquel have two children, Falyn and Roman.
