Keith Barefield is in his third season as the head coach of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University football team. Over the past two seasons, he has a 15-8 record, including a 7-4 record last season. Barefield led the Rangers to an 8-4 overall record and to an undefeated 4-0 record in the Central States Football League during his inaugural season of 2007. During both years, he has led the Rangers to the first round of the NAIA Playoffs.
Along with producing 25 all-conference players, including eight first team members, Barefield again turned out the Offensive Player of the Year in his son Billy, during the 2008 season.
Last season, Barefield’s offense averaged 386 yards per game, ranking them 28th in the NAIA. The Rangers’ rushing offense was ranked 13th with 197.3 yds/game.
During 2007, he turned out 22 players that filled 25 spots on the All-CSFL conference teams. In addition to being named CSFL Coach of the Year, he produced the CSFL Offensive Player of the Year in running back Thez Robinson and had the CSFL Special Teams Player of the Year in kicker/punter Aaron Vermillion.
Barefield is a veteran coach who has built successful programs at three different levels of competition.
A native of Eufaula, Ala., Barefield came to Northwestern from Victoria Memorial High School in Victoria, Texas, where he served as an assistant coach in charge of quarterbacks and receivers.
His greatest success came during a 19-year tenure at NAIA power Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. Barefield served as an assistant there for nine years before becoming head coach in 1988. The winningest coach at Evangel with a record of 66-33-2, Barefield recorded eight consecutive winning seasons and made four trips to the NAIA playoffs.
Barefield was the winningest coach at any level in the state of Missouri during the 1990’s. His teams were nationally ranked at some part of the year during each season he was head coach.
During his tenure as a collegiate coach, Barefield has coached 16 All-Americans and 11 Academic All-Americans, including one each from Northwestern. He served as the President of the NAIA Football Coaches Association in 1996 and was named as the 1996 and 1997 Heart of America Coach of the Year.
A 1978 graduate of Evangel, Barefield has the distinction of starting at fullback on the Crusader’s first football team (1977). He held the rushing record for most yards per carry in a game (10.8) for 16 years.
After graduating, Barefield worked for two years at Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian High School as the athletic director and as a Bible teacher. He returned to Evangel in 1980 as a graduate assistant and was hired full-time in 1981. From 1980 to 1988 Barefield handled the offensive coordinator position and was the offensive backfield coach. In addition, he was the assistant head coach in 1982. Barefield earned his master’s degree in 1983 from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Mo.
After his tenure at Evangel, Barefield spent a year and a half as a financial consultant before heading back into the coaching ranks.
Barefield was the head football coach and athletic director at Cornerstone High School in San Antonio, Texas, from 2001-2003. While there, he was crowned the Texas State Champions in 2001 and 2003 and made the state playoffs all three years. While at Cornerstone, he produced a 29-7 overall record.
Beginning in 2001, Barefield ventured into professional football, where he was a regional scout for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League until 2007.
Barefield was the head coach and director of football operations for the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings of Arena Football 2 from 2003-2005.
Barefield resides in Alva with his wife Lisa. They have four children: Billy (22), who quarterbacked for the Rangers during the past two seasons and is a student assistant this season; Keith Jr. (20), who is in his second season on the Northwestern football team; Leslie (21), who is a junior at Northwestern and is married to Aaron Hebert, who is a senior at NWOSU and Bryan (23); a senior at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He also has a grandchild, Isabella Grace Hebert.
Justin Iske
Assistant Coach - Offensive Line
Justin Iske begins his first season as an assistant coach at Northwestern and will be in charge of the offensive line.
He previously served as the special teams coordinator at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kan. During the 2008 season, Iske’s units led the conference in blocked punts, kickoff returns and punt returns, helping the Greyhounds to a Heart of Texas Bowl victory and sixth place ranking in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Previous to Fort Scott, Iske was the offensive line/tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Southwest Minnesota State University during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. While at Southwest Minnesota, Iske coached five all-conference offensive linemen and an all-region tight end.
Iske served as an assistant coach from 2003-05 at Northern State University (S.D.), helping lead the Wolves to the Mineral Water Bowl in 2004, and led the nation in total offense in 2003. During his three years, Northern State set more than a dozen offensive school records.
Iske spent the 2002 season at Midland Lutheran College (Neb.) serving as the offensive line/tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. He coached four linemen who earned all-conference recognition and produced the first 1,000 yard rusher in 20 years.
From 1996-2001, Iske began his coaching career as a student and graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. During that span, the Mavericks won three North Central Conference Championships, advanced to the NCAA II Playoffs four times, and led NCAA II in rushing offense in 1999.
Iske received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He and his wife, Kelley, have a 9-year old son, Hunter.
Chad Adams
Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
Chad Adams is in his second season as Northwestern assistant coach and defensive coordinator. Last season, Adams led the Ranger defense to earn a fifth ranking in the NAIA in total defense per game at 220 yards, an 8th ranking in rushing defense at 85 yards per game and was fourth in passing defense at 134 yards per game.
Before coming to Northwestern, Adams spent the last two seasons as a defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College from 2005-08.
Before arriving at Fort Scott, Adams coached the outside linebackers and strong safeties at Central Missouri State University during the 2005 season.
In 2004, Adams was the defensive line coach at Coffeyville Community College under head coach and former Ranger linebacker and coach, Rion Rhoades.
Adams spent 2003 as a graduate assistant coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State and was in charge of the defensive line. He helped the Rangers to their third appearance in the NAIA National Championship game in just five years.
Prior to coming to Alva, Adams attended Fort Hays State University, where he played defensive end for a season and was an offensive lineman for three. He was a student assistant working with the defensive ends in 2001 and 2002 and earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Fort Hays.
Adams received his master’s degree in education from Northwestern in May of 2004.
Billy Barefield
Student Assistant Coach - Receivers
Billy Barefield will convert his two-year playing career at quarterback for the Rangers onto the sideline, as he begins his first season as a student assistant coach in charge of receivers.
Barefield was the 2008 Central States Football League Offensive Player of the Year and two-time all-conference performer. He set five new records for the Rangers including: the best completion percentage in a game (100% - 10/10), season (64.4% - 159/247) and career (63.4% 284/448). He also established a new mark for most touchdown passes in a season with 20 and tied the record for most touchdown passes in a game with five.
Barefield, from Springfield, Mo., graduated in May with a bachelor’s in history and is beginning coursework on his master’s in education. Billy is the son of Head Coach Keith Barefield.
Marcus Mead
Student Assistant Coach - Linebackers
After playing four years of linebacker in NCAA football, Marcus Mead will begin his first season as a student assistant coach. Mead will assist with the linebackers this season.
Mead played a year at Baylor University and two years at Emporia State (Kan.), under former Ranger head coach Garin Higgins. While at Emporia State he sewed up 31 tackles.
A 2004 graduate of Alva High School, Mead was a three-year letter winner for the Goldbugs and named to the Enid News and Eagle All-Northwest Oklahoma All Star Team and tabbed the District 2A-1 Linebacker of the Year.
Marcus received his bachelor’s degree in health promotion from Emporia State this summer. He currently is working on his master’s in education. Marcus’ dad, Chandler, coached for the Rangers from 1987-1998, after a four-year playing career, and is the chair of the health and sports science department.
Shane Lewis
Student Assistant Coach - Tight Ends/Fullbacks
Shane Lewis begins his first season on the coaching staff as a student assistant after a four-year stint on the offensive line for Northwestern. Lewis will be in charge of tight ends and fullbacks.
From Ponca City, Lewis earned second-team all-CSFL honors as a junior and was an honorable mention all-conference performer as a senior.
Lewis graduated in May with a bachelor’s in mathematics and is beginning coursework for a master’s in education.
Waleed Gaines
Student Assistant Coach - Defensive Backs
Waleed Gaines will be in charge of the defensive backs in his first season as a student assistant at Northwestern.
A native of Fairfield, Calif., Gaines was an all-conference cornerback at Sacramento City College (Calif.) before transferring to Northern State University (S.D.) where he played under Ken Heupel.
Gaines graduated from Northern State with a bachelor’s in business administration.
He resides in Alva with his wife Shannon, daughter Anissah and son Waleed.
Josh Cheek
Student Assistant Coach - Defensive Line
Josh Cheek enters his first season on the Northwestern coaching staff as a student assistant coach. Cheek will help with the defensive line.
Prior to Northwestern, Cheek was a graduate assistant at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., where he worked with the defensive line.
Cheek played two seasons at Modesto Junior College (Calif.) as a defensive lineman and was named first team all-league defensive lineman both seasons. Cheek transferred to Upper Iowa University where he played two seasons as a defensive lineman and coached his third season as a defensive student coach. After finishing up at Upper Iowa University, Cheek spent four seasons at Central Valley High School as the defensive line coach.
Cheek is a Modesto, Calif., native and a graduate of Grace M. Davis High School where he competed in football, wrestling and baseball.
He currently is working on a master’s in adult education.
Larry Parker
Volunteer Coach - Running Backs
Larry Parker begins his third season as a volunteer coach for Northwestern. Parker’s primary focus is on wide receivers.
Parker served 30 years at Alva High School and was part of the football program from 1975-2005. He also coached boys middle school track and served two terms on the Oklahoma Coaches Association Board of Directors.
Larry and his wife Charla reside in Alva. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
Jesse Gilchrist
Equipment Manager
Jesse Gilchrist begins his second season for the Rangers as the team's equipment manager.
Gilchrist, a native of Wakita, received his bachelor's in health and sports science education last May. He is working on his masters in sports management.
While at Wakita High School, Gilchrist earned 14 varsity letters in seven sports including: football, basketball, baseball, golf, track, cross country and powerlifting. He ran cross country for Northwestern during the 2003 season.
Gilchrist is a member of the Athletic Equipment Managers Association.