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Thomas Bearden Coaching at Practice
Hayden Mangan, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications
Assistant coach Thomas Bearden watches from the sidelines during fall camp. (Aug. 18, 2026)

Football bolsters staff with three additions for 2026

8/24/2026 10:00:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College football team is excited to announce the additions of Adam Wattenbarger, Todd Patridge, and former Skyhawk Thomas Bearden to the coaching staff in preparation for the upcoming 2026 campaign.
 
Wattenbarger will serve as an assistant coach for running backs and tight ends. Previously, Wattenbarger spent two seasons with the Monarchs at NCAA Division III Methodist University, where he was the pass-game coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and quarterbacks coach, and helped the program produce three USA South All-Conference selections, nine Methodist Scholar-Athletes of the Year, and three College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honorees. Wattenbarger also had stints at Manchester University (2021-23), the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2020-21), and Alderson Broaddus University (2017-19).

"I'm extremely excited about our newest coaching additions," head coach Johnny Cox shared. "I was fortunate enough to hire Wattenbarger at UNC Pembroke in 2020. He immediately impressed with his high character, organization, and knowledge of the game. Getting the opportunity to hire him again here at Fort Lewis was a no-brainer." 
 
Patridge will join the Skyhawks staff as a remote analyst, helping to break down film, tactics, coverages, and schemes on the defensive side of the ball. In 2025, Patridge was the defensive line coach for the Fighting Saints at the University of St. Francis, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In his lone season in Joliet, Ill., the Fighting Saints defense produced three All-Mid-States Football Association Midwest League products, featuring one linebacker and a pair of defensive backs. Patridge has enjoyed a plethora of stints at other high schools and collegiate institutions, and has even worked in the semiprofessional ranks with the Wisconsin Hitmen and Leyden Lions.

"Patridge is a fantastic addition to our team. He brings a wealth of experience to our program, and he'll use that to help. us win virtually. His ability to scout and produce detailed insights for our team will give us an advantage with our weekly planning."
 
Bearden is the final Skyhawk to join the ranks, making his move from Fort Lewis' starting center to a student volunteer assistant coach on the offensive line. Bearden posted 11 starts in his 18 career games on the gridiron. While battling injury in 2025, Bearden helped the Skyhawks offense achieve its first +300-yard-per-game average (302.7) since 2017. Back in 2024, he helped Fort Lewis improve its rushing game to 125.8 yards per game, marking a +60.3-yard improvement from the season prior.

"It was truly bittersweet when Bearden made his transition off the playing field and onto the sidelines. Bitter because we lost such a knowledgeable, respected, high-character member of our program, but sweet because now he can take all that he's learned and share those lessons and experiences with the next generation of Skyhawks to follow." 
 
Fort Lewis football will open its season on the road at William Jewell College this Saturday, Aug. 29. The Skyhawks and Cardinals will battle it out at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard Time at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Missouri. The game will be streamed live for pay-per-view on the Great Lakes Valley Conference Network.
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