MU hires Memphis’ Rohrk Cutchlow as strength and conditioning coach

Rohrk Cutchlow was hired Thursday to replace Pat Ivey as Missouri football’s director of athletic performance.

Cutchlow, 41, joins the Tigers from Memphis, where he has administered the football team’s strength and conditioning program since May 2012.

He is expected to join Missouri in January. Cutchlow worked for three seasons at Memphis with Barry Odom, who was hired Dec. 3 as coach Gary Pinkel’s replacement after returning to Missouri a year ago as defensive coordinator.

“He’s a guy who is highly sought after and has had several other opportunities,” Odom said in a news release. “He made a big impression on me in my time at Memphis, so our relationship goes back through a rebuilding project there that allowed his influence to make a huge difference in our program.”

Before going to Memphis, Cutchlow was the director of strength and conditioning at Tulsa and previously worked at Illinois State, Iowa State and for the Iowa Cubs.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to join the Mizzou family,” Cutchlow said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Barry Odom and believe strongly in his vision for the Mizzou Football program. I also feel very fortunate to work for a prestigious institution like the University of Missouri and to be entrusted with the responsibility of directing the strength and conditioning programs for our football student-athletes. I can’t wait to get to Columbia and get started.”

Memphis went 19-7 the last two seasons and has risen to national prominence, in part, on Cutchlow’s watch.

“He’s very well-respected nationally, and he instills great toughness and leadership with his teams,” Odom said. “Rohrk will be a great asset to our coaching staff, in the way that he touches our players every day, as well as the results he will get. He will be very challenging and demanding of our players, but they will respond and appreciate his approach and his ability to get them into the best physical and mental condition that they can be.”

Cutchlow — a Littleport, Iowa, native — played catcher for the Memphis baseball team from 1996-98 and later spent two seasons in the independent leagues.

He and Cecilia Olivares have two children — a daughter, Memphis, and a son, Grayson.

This story was originally published December 31, 2015 at 12:04 PM with the headline "MU hires Memphis’ Rohrk Cutchlow as strength and conditioning coach."