has been charged with leading the Troy football strength and conditioning efforts, head coachannounced Wednesday. Whitt joins the Troy staff following one season at Army and three years at Texas Tech."We needed to revamp our culture in the weight room, and I have no doubt that Rusty is the man to do that," Lindsey said. "Coach Whitt had the guys on the edge of their seats during our team meeting the other night, and they were itching to go to work with him right then and there. He expects accountability at all times which has led to great results at his previous stops and a mutual respect between him and the players."Whitt spent the 2019 season as the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at Army following three seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Texas Tech football program from 2016-18.Whitt oversaw a staff of three full-time assistants as well as a graduate assistant. Whitt's staff also worked closely with the Texas Tech athletic training and nutrition programs.In addition to his expertise in the weight room, Whitt comes to Troy following a decorated career as a Special Forces Sergeant in the United States Army. He served as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group and was a member of the U.S. Army from August 2003 to January 2009 where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI.Whitt developed and initiated a comprehensive pre-deployment conditioning program for his Special Forces Team prior to and during OIF V and VI. He received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor."From my experience in the Sun Belt Conference, I know it is a league with rugged, talented players and experienced, driven head coaches. We have to put tough, disciplined, strong and fast players on the field to have an opportunity to win the Sun Belt title," Whitt said. "I'm honored to be here and embrace the challenges that lie ahead. I promise the fans and Troy community that you will see a strong sense of grit and determination in our players."Prior to his arrival at Texas Tech, Whitt spent six seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns won the 2013 Sun Belt Conference title and four straight New Orleans Bowls during his tenure.Whitt was hired at Louisiana following a year-long stint as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Rice where he designed and implemented year-round strength, speed, mobility, cardiovascular conditioning and injury rehabilitation programs for football, baseball, swimming as well as track and field.Prior to joining the US Army, Whitt was the head strength and conditioning coach at Sam Houston State where he served as an instructor in the kinesiology department and assisted in the design of a new weight facility. He started his tenure at Sam Houston State in December 1998.Whitt began his strength and conditioning career with graduate assistantships at Midwestern State and Texas. He also performed an internship in the strength and conditioning department at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.Whitt earned his bachelor's degree in police science and administration from Abilene Christian in 1994 and his master's degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1997. He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter in football at Abilene Christian and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.