ERIE, Pa. – Mercyhurst football head coach Tom Sydeski has announced several additions and promotions on the coaching staff. Bryce Dempsey has been elevated to defensive coordinator while JD Williams, Kellen O'Neill, Michael Forman, and Mike Krahe join the Lakers sideline.
 
Bryce Dempsey - Defensive Coordinator
 
Dempsey makes the jump to defensive coordinator for the Lakers in 2026 after spending last season as the linebackers coach. Last season, he helped coach the Lakers to a winning season in the NEC. Dempsey and the Lakers held eventual national champions Montana State to just 17 points and their second lowest passing yards on the season.
 
In 2024, Dempsey served as a defensive analyst at Notre Dame. He helped the Fighting Irish to fourth ranked scoring defense in the FBS while making it to the CFP National Championship.
 
During his first stint with the Lakers from the 2019 to 2023 seasons, Dempsey coached 10 All-Conference players, including All-American linebacker, Jake Holl.
 
Dempsey got his start in coach at his alma mater Valparaiso as a defensive student assistant, coaching cornerbacks and safeties.
 
JD Williams - Wide Receivers Coach
 
Williams joins the Lakers after spending the 2025 season at Murray State as an assistant receivers coach. During his time with the Racers, he played a key role in the development of the wide receiver room, guiding receivers who accumulated over 2,500 yards, with two posting seasons of 500 yards each.
 
Williams mentored redshirt sophomore wide receiver Darius Cannon, a Missouri Valley Conference First Team All-Newcomer selection. Cannon caught 77 passes for 737 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 10 yards per punt return and finished with over 800 all-purpose yards.
 
In 2024, Williams served as the wide receivers coach and director of recruiting at Faulkner University at the NAIA level. He helped lead a group of receivers that gained more than 2,000 yards, with two receivers, Laderrick Bell and Cam Bulluck, earning Mid-South Conference First and Second Team honors.
 
During the 2022-2023 season, Williams was the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at (6A) Columbia High School, where the Eagles posted the second-best offensive season in school history.
 
Williams began his coaching career at Grissom High School from 2020 to 2022, working with the wide receivers. He coached and developed Elijah Johnson, who recorded over 49 receptions and 632 yards, ranking third in 7A football, and earned All-State Honors.
 
Williams is also a veteran who served in the United States Army from 2015-2019.

A former receiver and return specialist at Jacksonville State University from 2011-14, Williams led the Ohio Valley Conference in kick return average in 2014, with 32.3 yards, and totaled over 640 all-purpose yards. He was part of two OVC conference championships. As the OVC leader in kick return average, Williams received an invitation to the Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp.
 
He earned his degree in General Studies from Jacksonville State University in 2014 and obtained his master's degree in business administration from the University of Alabama in 2022.


Kellen O'Neill - Special Teams Coordinator / TE Coach
 
O'Neill served as Special Teams Coordinator at Tiffin University in 2025-2026.  The Dragons finished the season ranked 26^th in the country in Special Teams efficiency according to D2 Football Special Teams Composite Rankings, while finishing with a 7-4 record.  Punter Joeseph Weiers earned 1^st Team All GMAC accolades.

O'Neill served as Special Teams Coordinator for the Limestone Saints in 2024-25. He joined the Saints after two successful seasons as the Wide Receiver Coach at Michigan Tech University. The Saints were 12th nationally in Net Punt and 48th nationally in Kickoff Returns in 2024. Punter Bryan Frey was a 2nd team All SAC recipient.

During his tenure at Michigan Tech, O'Neill coached three All-GLIAC wide receivers. Darius Willis set a new all-time receptions record and earned both first and second team All-GLIAC honors. Ethan Champney and Brandon Michalak also received accolades, with Champney making the second team and Michalak earning honorable mention.

Before his time at Michigan Tech, O'Neill served as the tight ends coach at Division II Gannon University, where the Knights finished with a 5-6 record, including 4-4 in the PSAC. In 2019, he was the Wide Receivers Coach at Findlay, leading the Oilers to a 7-4 record. Under his guidance, Ruben Flowers was named an All-GMAC selection, and Marlin Richardson received honorable mention.

O'Neill's coaching journey also includes a stint at Duquesne University starting in 2017 as the Wide Receiver Coach. He helped the Dukes achieve a 7-4 record, with standout receiver Nehari Crawford earning first-team All-Northeast Conference honors and leading the Football Championship Subdivision with 15 receiving touchdowns. Crawford recorded 65 receptions for 1,026 yards, becoming just the eighth player in Duquesne history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

In 2016, O'Neill returned to his alma mater, Edinboro University, as the Running Backs and Special Teams Coach. He played a pivotal role in the Fighting Scots' historic turnaround, finishing 9-2 after a winless previous season. Running back Walter Fletcher had a record-breaking season under his mentorship.

O'Neill's coaching career began at Division I UAlbany, where he served as an assistant coach in 2014 and 2015. He also contributed as an assistant boys basketball coach at General McLane High School in 2012-13.

A 2013 graduate of Edinboro University with a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies, O'Neill lettered three seasons as a wide receiver for the Fighting Scots. He also holds a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Edinboro.
 
 
Michael Forman - Defensive Backs Coach / Pass Game Coordinator
 
Forman joins Mercyhurst as the Defensive Backs and Pass Game Coordinator.
 
Prior to his time at Mercyhust, Forman served as the Outside Linebackers Coach at Tufts University where he was responsible for the development of the room. 
 
Prior to his time at Tufts Forman worked at Massachusetts as a Defensive Analyst.
 
Prior to his time at UMass, Forman worked as a Graduate Assistant/Analyst for the University of Miami, where he worked with the defensive backs. 
 
Prior to his time at the University of Miami, Forman was a running backs coach at Bryant University. Before Bryant, Forman worked as the tight end coach and video coordinator for Stonehill College. 
 
Forman also served in a volunteer player personnel role at Boston College, where he assisted with on campus recruiting. 
 
Forman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Buffalo and earned his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of Miami. 
 
Mike Krahe - Defensive Analyst / Outside Linebackers Coach
 
Krahe returns to the Lakers coaching staff after spending time as the defensive line coach from 2005-07. Krahe joined the Lakers staff after an outstanding playing career where he was a defensive end from 2000 to 2004. He was a three-year starter and a team captain during his final season.
 
Krahe was the head football coach at nearby Cathedral Preparatory where he led the Ramblers to a record of 22-11 over three seasons, making a trip to the PIAA State Quarterfinals twice. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at Cathedral Prep from 2013 to 2019. Over that span the Rambler football program won three state championships and amassed a 90-10 record.
 
Prior to his time at Cathedral Prep, he was the defensive coordinator at Lake Erie College (2008-2011).

As a player for the Ramblers, he was part of the 1999 state runner-up team that finished the season ranked ninth in the nation.
 
He and his wife, Valerie, have three children: Carolina 17, Kendall 13, and Dalson 11