Third-year assistant Bret Colbert brings 12 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Duquesne staff. Utilized as a defensive assistant coach for the Dukes in 2014, he switched to wide receivers coach for the 2015 campaign where he will remain this year. In addition, Colbert was named the program’s recruiting coordinator for the 2016 season.
In 2015, he oversaw a receiving corps that amassed a Northeast Conference leading 2937 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air. Led by departed wideout Chris King, who signed free agent contracts with the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons, the Dukes had two receivers named to NEC All-Conference teams, including returning senior Wayne Capers who led the team with nine touchdown receptions.
The Harrisonburg, Va. native came to DU from Saint Vincent College where he held the titles of wide receivers coach, recruiting coordinator and video coordinator prior to being elevated to offensive coordinator in 2011. He began at Saint Vincent in 2007.
Prior to moving to Latrobe, Pa., Colbert worked as an offensive assistant/video coordinator at Cornell. He also served as a video graduate assistant at Pitt from 2004 through March of 2006.
Colbert played at William & Mary for three years before transferring to Bridgewater College where he started at receiver and helped the Eagles to the Division III quarterfinal in 2002 and semifinal in 2003.
As a player and coach, Colbert has had a hand in four conference championships and a Fiesta Bowl appearance – William and Mary (A-10 in 2001), Bridgewater (ODAC in 2002 and 2003), Pitt (Fiesta Bowl in 2004) and Duquesne (NEC in 2015).
Colbert completed his undergraduate degree in health and exercise science in 2004. He, his wife Allison and their one-year old son Charlie Milton reside in Greensburg.
