Coaching Staff
Tyler Staker
Head Coach
Tyler Staker is no stranger to the Kohawk football program as he enters his 17th season with the Kohawks this fall. Staker served 10 seasons as an assistant coach before being named the Head Coach of the Kohawk football program in November of 2015. Staker replaced his father, Steve, a legendary hall of famer who spent over 50 years positively impacting young peoples’ lives coaching high school and college football.
In his first year at the helm, the 2016 Kohawk team finished 11-1 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Coe won the Iowa conference for the fifth time in school history while completing the third 10-0 regular season in school history. Staker was named IIAC Coach of the year as well as the AFCA D3 Regional Coach of the year. The 2016 team produced IIAC offensive MVP in running back Trevor Heitland, and defensive MVP in defensive back Dylan Stepleton. 2021 produced Coach Staker's best season since 2016 as the Kohawks registered an 8-2 overall record with a 6-2 mark in the A-R-C. Coe extended its winning streak over local-rival Cornell to 21 games during the season and saw 11 players earn all-conference honors to cap off the campaign.
During his stint as head coach, Coe has had five all-Americans and over 50 all-conference players, including 20 first-team selections. Staker has also coached 3 conference MVPs. Staker is a 2006 graduate of Coe College and is the youngest of 5 siblings that all attended Coe. He was a four-year letterman and a two-time captain for the Kohawks, where he garnered all-conference honors as a defensive back his junior and senior years, as well as an all-west region performer his senior year. During his four years as a student-athlete, Staker helped the Kohawks to a record of 29-14 and three IIAC championships.
After graduation, Staker spent two seasons as a graduate assistant, where he helped coach the offensive line and wide receivers before he took over as the offensive coordinator in 2008. During his 8 year run as offensive coordinator, the Kohawks posted a 51-23 record, an IIAC championship in 2012, and 3 NCAA Playoff appearances. Staker is married to Kristy Staker, a 2008 graduate of Coe College. Tyler and Kristy have 3 kids, Avery, Cade, and Ellie.
Cody Baethke
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Cody Baethke is entering his second season as defensive coordinator for the Kohawks. Along with coordinating the defense, Baethke also works with defensive backs. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Kohawks gave up 22.6 points per game, a 7.9 points per game improvement. Under the guidance of Baethke, the Kohawk Defense led the American Rivers Conference in takeaways and red zone defense in 2018, while also ranking second in total defense, rush defense, and third-down dBaethke joined the Coe football coaching staff in 2018 after four years as an assistant coach at Central College. While at Coe, Cody has helped coach numerous all-conference performers as well as one defensive player of the year and one Cliff Harris award finalist. The Kohawk defense was third in the A-R-C in 2021 after a year hiatus due to COVID. Coe allowed just 23.6 points per game while allowing just 96.7 rushing yards per game, second in the league. Five defensive players earned all-conference honors following Coe's 8-2 season with Manny Lopez and Alex Aitchison earning first team nods.
The defense in 2019 led the conference in scoring defense, 3rd down defense and rushing defense while ranking second in total defense and pass defense. In 2018 the defense was second in total defense, rush defense and 3rd down defense while decreasing the points allowed average by nearly eight points.
Baethke, a graduate of Central, was a four-year letter winner in football and a three-time conference champion. He earned second-team all-conference in 2009 and still ranks seventh all-time in career passes defended.
Cody and his wife, Nichole, live in Cedar Rapids with their children Aubrey, Aiden and Bentley.
Shane Kelly
Offensive Line Coach
Coach Kelly joined the Kohawk staff in July of 2020 as the Offensive Line coach. Since joining, Coach Kelly has helped coach five all-conference offensive linemen. Prior to Coe, he served as the Offensive Quality Control/Assistant Offensive Line coach at his alma mater, Eastern Illinois for one season. Shane began coaching at the high school level in 2015, serving as the Run Game Coordinator at Sidney High School in Sydney, Ohio for the 2015 & 2016 seasons. Kelly then served in the same position for the 2017 & 2018 seasons at Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin. Shane played football at Eastern Illinois from 2008-12, playing defensive end for two seasons before making the transition to offensive line. While at EIU, the Panthers were Ohio Valley Conference champions twice.
Luke Moore
Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach
Coach Moore came to Coe College in the fall of 2021 to coach the outside linebackers. In the fall of 2022 he transitioned to the role of special teams coordinator. Luke graduated from Hillsboro High School (KS) in 2012. He went on to play quarterback at Greenville College (Ill.) in the fall of 2012. After health issues ended his playing career in the summer of 2013 he transitioned to a coaching role at Greenville. He spent 2 seasons at Greenville as an undergraduate assistant coach working with the offensive line in 2014 and the running backs in 2016. After transferring to Tabor College (KS), he spent one season at Tabor as an undergraduate assistant coach helping with the linebackers in 2017. Tabor finished the year ranked #17 in the final NAIA polls. Moore graduated from Tabor College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Physical Education with an Emphasis in Strength and Conditioning.
After graduation, Moore spent one season at Grove City College (PA) in 2018 as the linebackers coach and assisted with special teams. While at Grove City, he was a part of the first postseason win in school history. Moore then moved on to Ponte Vedra High School (FL) where he coached the linebackers in 2019 helping them to the district championship. Luke resides in Cedar Rapids.