Winston October - Football Coach - University of Richmond Athletics

Winston October

Title:
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Email:
wo5ti@richmond.edu
Phone:
287-6846

2023 was University of Richmond alum Winston October's second season as wide receivers coach and his first as Co-Offesnive Coordinator. Prior to Richmond, he spent four years coaching in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and brought 15 years of college or professional coaching experience back to Richmond.

2023 saw October step into the role of co-offensive coordinator where he lead a Richmond offense to the top of the national rankings in several statistics categories including completion percentage (9th), pass efficiency (24th), passing touchdowns (11th), first downs (23rd) and fourth down conversion (9th). Under October, the Spiders reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2016. Richmond earned a share of the CAA title for the first time since 2015 and advanced to the FCS Playoffs Second Round for the second year in a row. October helped quarterback Kyle Wickersham lead the nation in completion percentage and was 23rd in the nation in pass efficiency. October's 2023 receiving room was responsible for 18 of the Spiders' 26 receiving touchdowns, lead by Nick DeGennaro who finished the season ranked eighth in the nation in receptions with 71, was 20th in receiving yards with 904 and was fourth in receiving touchdowns with 11— a mark that ties Richmond's program record for most in a single season. For his efforts under October's leadership, DeGennaro ws named a Second Team All-CAA selection.

October's first season on his alma mater's staff saw the Richmond wide receivers room come alive with the trio of Jasiah Williams, Jakob Herres and Leroy Henley Jr. All three receivers were consistently at the top of the CAA rankings throughout the season as Richmond boasted the only team in the country with three receivers with 73 or more receptions. Williams (82), Herres (77) and Henley (73) led the CAA, while Williams (6.8), Herres (5.9) and Henley (5.6) were first, third and fourth in the conference in receptions per game, respectively. October's 2022 receiving corps was responsible for catching of 26 of Richmond's 29 touchdown passes and accounted for 3,146 receiving yards as a group.

In 2022, Herres led the league in receiving yards with 958 and Henley finished the season in a three-way tie for most touchdown receptions with 10. For their season under October's guidance, Herres was named First Team All-CAA, while Henley took Third Team honors. Herres was also named the best wide receiver in Virginia by the Touchdown Club of Richmond as he capped an impressive career.

Prior to his return, October had been the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator for the Edmonton Elks since 2020. He spent two seasons (2018-19) with the Ottawa Redblacks as a receivers coach, including spending part of the 2019 season as a play caller. He was part of the Redblacks team that won the East Division Championship in 2018 and participated in the 106^th Grey Cup Championship.

Under his tutelage, the wide receivers group in 2018 combined for 389 receptions and almost 5,000 yards receiving. The group led the CFL in yards after catch (1,662), pass efficiency (70%) and receptions (389). He coached CFL All-Star Brad Sinopoli to a career-best 1,376 yards receiving and 116 receptions on his way to 2018 Most Outstanding Canadian Player Award.

Prior to the CFL, October spent four seasons coaching in the Colonial Athletic Association at William & Mary from 2014-17. He helped the Tribe win the 2015 CAA Championship and advance to the FCS Playoffs that year. His receivers caught 160 passes for 2,173 yards, highlighted by DeVonte Dedmon’s All-Conference performance in 2015. October coached Dedmon the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s Special Teams Player of the Year honor. Additionally, he coached All-CAA selection Tre McBride, who was a Tennessee Titans draft pick 2014. McBride was named the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s Receiver of the Year in 2014.

October got his collegiate coaching experience started at VMI, coaching seven seasons with the Keydets (2007-13), spending five seasons as a wide receivers coach and two seasons as a cornerbacks coach in Lexington.

October was a defensive back for the Spiders program from 1994-98, earning All-Conference honors all four years. He was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection in 1998, Second Team All-A-10 in 1997 while earning Third Team All-Yankee Conference in both 1995 and 1996. He ranks fourth all-time in program history with 12 career interceptions and holds the program record with 112 punt returns in his career.

October played six years in the CFL, spending 1999-2000 with the Montreal Alouettes while being a member of the Edmonton Elks from 2001-04. He spent the 2001 season as part of the Washington in the National Football League. With Montreal, he returned two punts for touchdowns and a missed field goal 111 yards for a score in the 2000 season.

During his career with Edmonton, he returned four punts for touchdowns and had two seasons (2003, 2004) with over 1,000 kickoff return yards. Additionally, he saw time as a wide receiver with the Elks, posting 19 receptions for 196 yards in 2003. He was part of the 2003 Edmonton Grey Cup Championship team. When he finished his career, he was second all-time in Edmonton history in total punt return yardage, punt return touchdowns and kickoff return yardage in a season.

October and his wife Andrea, a fellow Spider alum, have two daughters, Avery and Ava.