CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University football program and Head Coach Todd Cooley have announced two new additions to the DSU coaching staff.

Ryland Widener joins the staff as the new defensive line coach after spending last season at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. His ECU Tigers led the Great American Conference in sacks and tackles-for-loss.

"I'm here because we have aspirations of winning a national title," said Widener. "This is a top-five program as far as Division II is concerned. It's a blessing to be here." 

Alex Bell joins as the new wide receivers coach after spending last season at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. His time with the Knights saw their passing attack jump to the 12th-ranked squad in NAIA, up from 39th the season prior.

"Delta State has a tradition of winning. The expectation here is to win, and that's a big thing that drew me here," said Bell. "We're replacing a lot of talent from last season, but we've got some returners that are going to step up. We feel really good about that room, and we're going to continue to elevate it."

Head Coach Todd Cooley had high praise for both Widener and Bell, noting their enthusiasm for the program and the work ethic that they bring.

"The biggest thing about both guys was their excitement about getting to work at Delta State," said Cooley. "They want to continue the winning tradition at Delta State. Both of them are hard workers, tireless recruiters, and I feel like they'll make an immediate impact on the program."