Football
- Title:
- Head Strength Coach
Second Season at MSU
Rick Court, a 14-year veteran in strength and conditioning, begins his second season as head strength and conditioning coach at Mississippi State.
Court came to Starkville after serving as the associate director of strength and conditioning for football on Mickey Marotti’s staff at Ohio State since January 2012. During his tenure, the Buckeyes combined for 24 victories, including a perfect 12-0 record and No. 3 national ranking in 2012.
Court coordinates the strength and conditioning of all 15 of the Bulldogs’ varsity sports. He officially joined the staff on Jan. 15, 2014.
In his first season, Court’s mottos ‘leave nothing to chance’ and ‘durability is more important than ability’ developed a winning mindset among the 2014 Bulldogs. MSU proved to be one of the fittest and most physical football teams in the country, reaching the No. 1 ranking for the first time and winning 10 regular season games while playing in the rigorous Southeastern Conference.
Court’s intense offseason program along with the hiring of a nutritionist and expansion of the weight room has lifted the student-athlete experience at MSU.
Court was no stranger to running a strength and conditioning department with four years of director experience. He spent the 2011 season as the director of strength and conditioning at San Diego State where he helped the Aztecs to an 8-5 record and a berth in the New Orleans Bowl.
Prior to his position at SDSU, Court was the director of football strength and conditioning for two years at the University of Toledo from 2009-10. During his final season at Toledo, the Rockets went 8-5 and reached the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
In 2008, Court capped a six-year tenure at Bowling Green as strength and conditioning coach. He was an assistant on the Falcons’ staff for five years before being elevated to the head strength coach position.
A native of Grosse Point Woods, Mich., Court attended and played baseball at Michigan State, lettering two years as a catcher for the Spartans and serving as a team captain in 2001. He interned for one year with the Michigan State strength and conditioning program and worked with three of the Spartans’ programs including football. He also interned in Major League Baseball strength training with the Detroit Tigers after graduating from Michigan State with his degree in kinesiology in 2002.
Court earned in master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2003.
Court and his wife Molly, who is from Greenville, Mich., have three children: daughter, Alix; son, Cade; and daughter, Tatum.
Coaching Experience
2014-present: Mississippi State (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach)
2012-13: Ohio State (Associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning)
2011: San Diego State (Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach)
2009-10: Toledo (Director of Football Strength and Conditioning)
2008: Bowling Green (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach)
2003-07: Bowling Green (Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
Bowl Games as a Coach
2014 Orange Bowl (MSU)
2013 Orange Bowl (Ohio State)
2012 New Orleans Bowl (San Diego State)
2010 Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl (Toledo)
2008 GMAC Bowl (Bowling Green)
2004 GMAC Bowl (Bowling Green)
2003 Motor City Bowl (Bowling Green)
Personal Information
Birthdate: July 26, 1979
Hometown: Grosse Point Woods, Mich.
Education: 2002 – Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from Michigan State; 2003 – Master’s in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky
