Kirk Botkin
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Kirk Botkin
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Murray State Racers
| number =
| position = Defensive coordinator
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|3|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Baytown, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 245
| high_school = Robert E. Lee (Baytown, Texas)
| college = Arkansas
| undraftedyear = 1994
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|1994}})*
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1994}}–{{NFL Year|1995}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1996}}–{{NFL Year|1997}})
| pastcoaching =
- Jacksonville State (2001-2005)
Assistant coach - Louisiana-Monroe (2006-2007)
Linebackers coach/special teams coordinator - Arkansas (2008-2009)
Defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator - Texas High School (2010-2011)
- South Carolina (2012-2015)
Linebackers/spurs coach - South Carolina State (2016)
Defensive coordinator - Dekaney High School (2017-2019)
Defensive coordinator - Magnolia West High School (2020-2024)
Defensive coordinator - Murray State (2025-present)
Defensive coordinator
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 48
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 1
| statlabel3 = Receptions / Yds
| statvalue3 = 6 / 55
| pfr = BotkKi20
}}
Kirk Randal Botkin (born March 19, 1971) is the former defensive coordinator for the South Carolina State University Bulldogs football team and a former American football tight end and long snapper who played four seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has since coached football at the collegiate level. Botkin and his wife, the former Rebecca Holloway, have three children.
Early life
Botkin was born in Baytown, Texas, where he attended Robert E. Lee High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BOTKIKIR01 |title=Kirk Botkin bio |publisher=databaseFootball |access-date=February 25, 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215030214/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BOTKIKIR01 |archive-date=February 15, 2010 }}
College football
Botkin matriculated at the University of Arkansas. In 1992, he was selected to the All-SEC football team, named by the conference's coaches.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LkAjAAAAIBAJ&dq=kirk-botkin&pg=3435%2C2747576|title=Three Gators are on Coaches' All-SEC|date=December 9, 1992|publisher=The Gainesville Sun|pages=4C|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He was the first Razorback to earn that honor.{{cite news|url=http://thecabin.net/stories/012108/spo_0121080027.shtml|title=Botkin returns to Alma Mater|last=Neiswanger|first=Robbie|date=January 21, 2008|publisher=Fayetteville Morning News|access-date=February 26, 2010}}
Pro football career
Botkin went undrafted in the 1994 NFL draft, but was signed by the New England Patriots just afterward.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2ighAAAAIBAJ&dq=kirk-botkin&pg=4025%2C649573|title=Monday's Moves|date=April 26, 1994|publisher=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|pages=2C|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He was released by the Patriots during training camp in August 1994.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7iQgAAAAIBAJ&dq=kirk-botkin&pg=6323%2C5222526|title=Patriots acquire Francisco|date=August 25, 1994|publisher=Sun Journal (Lewiston)|pages=24|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He was picked up by the New Orleans Saints once the 1994 season was underway.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DbQeAAAAIBAJ&dq=kirk-botkin&pg=4361%2C4405711|title=Transactions|date=September 28, 1994|publisher=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|pages=D5|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He remained with the Saints though the 1995 season.
Botkin was waived by the Saints prior to the 1996 season,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/25/sports/transactions-025933.html?pagewanted=1|title=Transactions|date=August 26, 1996|work=New York Times|access-date=February 26, 2010}} but was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/28/sports/transactions-068497.html|title=Transactions|date=August 28, 1996|work=New York Times|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He was used by the Steelers over the next two seasons primarily as a long snapper, but also saw some work at tight end due to an injury to the team's starting tight end, Mark Bruener.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xzEMAAAAIBAJ&dq=kirk-botkin&pg=6635%2C3299222|title=Bills' Thomas likely to sit out Colts game|date=November 28, 1996|publisher=St. Petersburg Times|pages=5C|access-date=February 26, 2010}}
Botkin did not return for 1998 after the Steelers rescinded a contract offer to him.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/02/sports/transactions-227862.html|title=Transactions|date=June 2, 1998|work=New York Times|access-date=February 26, 2010}}
Coaching career
Botkin was the linebackers coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2012-2016. Previously, Botkin was hired as a football coach at Jacksonville State University by head coach Jack Crowe under whom Botkin had played at Arkansas. He moved on to become the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2006.
Botkin returned to his alma mater, Arkansas, in 2008 as the defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator under head coach Bobby Petrino. He was relieved of his special teams responsibilities in 2009, but remained as a defensive coach.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=3838235|title=Arkansas hires Smith|date=January 16, 2009|work=ESPN.com|access-date=February 26, 2010}} He left Arkansas in January 2010.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2010-01-05-3586696547_x.htm|title=Botkin no longer defensive ends coach at Arkansas|date=January 5, 2010|publisher=USA Today|access-date=February 26, 2010}} Then took a job at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas (along with 2 other ex-NFL players: Earnest Rhone and Cody Spencer. On January 13, 2012, Botkin was named linebackers coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Botkin was relieved of his duties as linebackers coach at South Carolina after the retirement of Steve Spurrier. Botkin was then hired by the South Carolina State University Bulldogs in Orangeburg, SC as the defensive coordinator in February 2016.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Botkin, Kirk}}
Category:Sportspeople from Baytown, Texas
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Arkansas Razorbacks football players
Category:New Orleans Saints players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Players of American football from Harris County, Texas