Power Five’s 10 fastest rising assistant coaches

 

May 4, 2021

Lynn Harrington

Wisconsin Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard. Photo courtesy of Kelli Steffes, UW Athletics

 

It’s only a matter of time before they become head coaches.

These 10 assistants have emerged from the shadows and made a name for themselves over the past couple of years.

Everyone is beginning to see the results and all of their units have been successful stat wise. They’ve molded their players into accolade winning, NFL Draft selections, and in hindsight they’re just getting started.

10. Brian Ferentz, OC, Iowa: He’s an Iowa City native and the head coach’s son, who joined the staff in 2012. Ferentz been the Hawkeyes’ Offensive Coordinator since 2017, and it’s obvious he’s being groomed to lead the program once his father retires. Iowa has had six offensive players drafted under his watch, including wide receiver Ihmir-Smith Marsette last Saturday, who was a former three-star prospect. The program is also dubbed ‘Tight End U’ for a reason. It just goes to show that Ferentz’ system works and he knows how to develop talent. Recruits are starting to see the program as a pipeline to get them to the next level. Not to mention the Hawkeyes lured in a top-25 recruiting class this year.

9. Tommy Rees, OC, Notre Dame: Although the Fighting Irish are an Independent program, they played as an ACC member in 2020. Rees has been on Brian Kelly’s staff since 2017 and last season was his first as an Offensive Coordinator. Notre Dame finished second in the league and 26th in the FBS in total offense. The unit averaged 211 rushing yards per game, to go along with 33 touchdowns on the ground, which also ranked second in the ACC. Rees groomed quarterback Ian Book, who broke school records and was a fourth round Draft pick last week. Now the 28-year old will be operating with a new signal-caller this fall, but still has star running back Kyren Williams at his disposal.

8. Billy Gonzales, co-OC, Florida: For the past two seasons he orchestrated the Gators’ passing attack and coached the wide receivers. Florida led the FBS in passing yards per game and touchdowns through the air. Quarterback Kyle Trask was a former walk-on, who went on to be a Heisman finalist and NFL Draft pick under Gonzales’ watch. Wide receiver Kadarius Toney earned first-team All-SEC in 2020 and was a first round selection in this year’s draft class. However, Trask, Toney, Kyle Pitts and Trevon Grimes are no longer on Florida’s roster. And that’s nearly all of the Gators’ passing and receiving production from last season’s elite unit. If Gonzales can keep the wheels rolling in 2021, he’s the real deal.

7. Mike Elko, DC Texas A&M: The 43-year old has made a name for himself in the almighty SEC. Elko has orchestrated Jimbo Fisher’s defense for the past three seasons in College Station. Every year under Elko’s watch the Wrecking Crew has improved. The unit finished 32nd nationally in total defense in 2018, to 29th in 2019 and ninth in 2020. So it’s no surprise Elko had the SEC’s No. 1 defense last season. Not to mention six Aggie defenders have been drafted under Elko’s watch, including Bobby Brown and Buddy Johnson in this year’s class. Having a tenacious defense is what will eventually lead the Aggies to the promised land and Elko will be fielding a talented bunch again this fall.

6. Graham Harrell, OC, USC: For the past two years the Trojans have finished sixth and 11th nationally in passing offense. Harrell’s ‘Air Raid’ attack is in full motion and he’s been calling the plays for USC since 2019. Quarterback Kedon Slovis ranked sixth in the FBS in passing yards per game last season. Now he’ll be a Heisman contender in 2021. The 35-year old Harrell is a former quarterback himself and a Mike Leach protege. Harrell has played five years in the NFL, plus his coaching background includes stints in the Pac-12 and Big 12. USC has had two wide receivers selected in the NFL Draft under his watch, and there’s more studs on the roster. Harrell has his unit poised for a monster season.

5. Tom Manning, OC, Iowa State: When he took over play-calling duties in 2019, the Cyclones were coming off a season when they finished 96th nationally in total offense. Under Mannings watch, Iowa State made drastic improvements and finished 27th and 34th in the FBS in total offense for the past two years. Quarterback Brock Purdy led the Big 12 in pass completions and running back Breece Hall led the FBS in rushing yards in 2020. Purdy, Hall, tight end Charlie Kolar, wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson and center Colin Newell are arguably the best players in the league at their respective positions. Manning will be fielding his best unit yet this upcoming season. Now Cyclones must deliver.

4. Alex Grinch, DC, Oklahoma: The Big 12 as a whole is getting defensive again, and he’s leading the Sooners in the right direction. For the past two seasons with Grinch on the sidelines, Oklahoma has finished second and third in the conference in total defense. That’s light years ahead of where the unit was at under Grinch’s predecessor Mike Stoops. Not to mention Oklahoma’s defense recorded a shutout last season for the first time since 2015. Grinch has also done excellent work with the secondary. The Sooners’ defense tied for third in the FBS, with 16 interceptions in 2020. Besides the Big 12, the 41-year old has experience as a defensive coach in the SEC, Big Ten and Pac-12, which speaks volumes.

3. Phil Longo, OC, North Carolina: Mack Brown made the right decision when he hired him to lead the offense. Longo hasn’t disappointed for the past two seasons and the Tar Heels finished 12th and fifth in the FBS in total offense. North Carolina had the ACC’s No. 1 unit in 2020. Quarterback Sam Howell tied for first in the league, with 31 touchdown tosses. Longo had two 1,000-yard rushers in Michael Carter and Javonte Williams. Not to mention receivers Dynami Brown and Dazz Newsome combined for 109 receptions, 1,783 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches. However, they all got drafted over the weekend and only Howell returns. He’s enough for Longo to do damage in the ACC again.

2. Tony Elliott, OC, Clemson: The 41-year old turned down Tennessee and passed up on NFL opportunities during the off season to remain with the Tigers. Elliott has orchestrated Clemson’s offense since 2015, but last year was his first time leading the unit by himself. The California native helped his alma mater finish second in the ACC and 10th in the FBS in total offense. All five of Clemson’s players drafted last week were from the offensive side of the ball. It solidifies that Elliott knows how to recruit and develop his players past their potential. And a reason why Clemson don’t rebuild, it reloads. Elliott has several players ready to create their own legacy this fall, including quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

1. Jim Leonhard, DC, Wisconsin: This past February he turned down an offer to become the Green Bay Packers’ Defensive Coordinator. Leonhard is loyal to his alma mater and the Badgers have been a dominant bunch on defense under his watch. The 38-year old is one of the fastest rising assistant coaches in the FBS and he knows the Big Ten like the back of his hand. Wisconsin has finished No. 4 and 5 in the FBS in total defense for the past two seasons. Not to mention Leonhard has had nine Badger defenders drafted under his watch. Leonhard is in a similar situation as Iowa’s Ferentz, with being the likely successor to the program’s current coach. Regardless of the matter, several teams around the Big Ten and the Power Five would love to have Leonhard’s services in the near future.

Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia on Iowa’s Brian Ferentz: ‘The sky’s the limit for him’

Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia praises former colleague Brian Ferentz, who is the offensive coordinator at Iowa.

By Scott Dochterman
March 2, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS — Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz and new Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia were on the same coaching staff in New England when the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl following the 2011 season.

Ferentz coached the Patriots’ tight ends while Patricia led the team’s safeties that year. In 2012, Patricia became New England’s defensive coordinator, while Ferentz left to join Iowa’s coaching staff as offensive line coach. Ferentz became the Hawkeyes’ offensive coordinator last season.

Patricia, who became the Lions coach earlier this month, praised Ferentz for both what he brought to the Patriots as a leader and as a teammate.

“Just in general with Brian, I think he’s phenomenal,” Patricia said Wednesday morning at the NFL combine. “He’s a really smart guy. He works extremely hard. He studies the game. Tries to understand the problems that are involved in it. His overall organization is phenomenal. He was a young guy with us and very detail-oriented from that standpoint.

“I just think the world of him as a coach, as a person. I think the sky’s the limit for him.”

No crown prince to Kaiser Kirk, Iowa’s Brian Ferentz is worthy, humble and confident

By Scott Dochterman

August 7, 2017

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Fifteen minutes into Brian Ferentz’s 30-minute interview session Saturday, three rings of Iowa reporters were still wrapped around the new offensive coordinator as he discussed his new role and Iowa’s offense.

Nobody was more popular at Iowa’s media day than Brian Ferentz, and few people ever would describe him as reluctant to answer questions. His unfiltered approach often is the opposite of his father and boss, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Brian Ferentz has no problem poking at rivals, reflecting on the game or directly sparring with media. His frank assessments often sometimes come across as arrogant. But anyone who engages with Brian Ferentz understands his football intellect is as immense as his coaching potential.

Yet as reporters continuously prodded into his thoughts and processes, Brian Ferentz was introspective. He admitted he’s out of his comfort zone after five years as offensive line coach. He acknowledged the task at hand is large and he needs more than his supreme football acumen to make Iowa’s offense decently balanced again. Brian Ferentz will lean on former offensive coordinators Ken O’Keefe (quarterbacks coach) and Tim Polasek (offensive line), as well as the head coach for playcalling and direction.

This is no crown prince serving Kaiser Kirk. Brian Ferentz is a man who understands the responsibility that comes with calling plays in the Big Ten Conference. He’s spent the offseason asking questions of mentors and colleagues alike. He visualizes situations and respects the quick pace. He’s unsure if he wants to feel the game’s emotion on the sidelines or remove it in the booth.

Former Colts playcaller Tom Moore told him he’d prepare to call NFL games by watching college football. Others have left him with more questions than answers.

“I’ve given it a lot of thought,” he said. “Obviously, it’s a big part of my job. So I’d probably be mistaken to not think about it. Given it a lot of thought, but there’s a lot of situational things, there’s a lot of things that go into that. You’re certainly exposed to them, even when you’re not calling the plays. The biggest things for me is making sure I’m working ahead a little bit. As a play-caller, you’re more interested in the result, not what happened because you’ve got to work a call or two ahead the whole time. That’s going to be a little bit new to me.

“The good news is coach O’Keefe is here, and to have a guy that has so much experience, 11 years experience calling the plays here at a really high level, that’s a pretty good resource. You’ve got coach Polasek, who’s coming from North Dakota State where he’s been successful calling their plays for quite a few years, two or three years. Resources surround you. You have to be ignorant to not utilize them.”

After starting at center and guard for Iowa from 2003 through 2005, Brian Ferentz began his coaching career at the grunt level in New England, performing 90-hour-a-week tasks on 30-hour-a-week paychecks. Eventually he moved up to tight ends coach in 2011, where he molded Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez into perhaps the best tandem in NFL history.

“Brian Ferentz, my last year in New England, coached the tight ends and was the quality control guy on offense,” Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien told Land of 10 in March. “He had Gronkowski and that group. And he was breaking film down on the side. That tells you everything you need to know about his work ethic.

“I tried to hire him at Penn State, tried to hire him [at Houston]. His dad wasn’t letting anybody hire him away. I tried to hire him early on in Houston. Very, very smart. Very competitive. A hard-working guy, really good staff guy.”

Then as Iowa’s offensive line coach, Brian Ferentz coached Brandon Scherff to the Outland Trophy in 2014 and the entire line to the Joe Moore Award in 2016. He served as run game coordinator in 2015 with a unit that rushed for 181.7 yards per game, the third-highest output in Kirk Ferentz’s career. Last fall, Iowa produced two 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in school history.

Pro and college coaches have nibbled at Brian Ferentz for a while, and his move from offensive line to offensive coordinator was the right one for Iowa. He admits he was more efficient as an offensive line coach, which means he respects his position. But don’t mistake his reflection for insecurity. Nobody has more confidence than Brian Ferentz.

“Growth is uncomfortable,” Brian Ferentz said. “I think they call it a comfort zone for a reason. But it’s a part of life, it’s a part of growth and I think if you want to do anything, you need to be willing to do that. We emphasize that with our players all the time, we’re pretty vocal with our players they need to be willing to do those things. I don’t think it would fair for any of us as coaches to not hold up our end of the bargain.”

No person at Iowa invites greater scrutiny than the offensive coordinator. At times the head football, men’s basketball and wrestling coaches see verbal arrows fired in their direction. Same with the athletic director, especially when primary sports fail to reach expectations. But second-guessing engulfs no position like the offensive coordinator. That was was true of O’Keefe from 1999 through 2011. That definitely was the case of Greg Davis from 2012 through January.

That will happen with Brian Ferentz.

Iowa will whiff on third down. Receivers will fail to separate and passes will fall incomplete. The Hawkeyes will run a predictable outside zone on third-and-3, fall a yard short and punt. There’s likely to be losses this year and games where the offense struggles to gain traction. Fans will blame both Ferentzes and talk about the game passing them by. Criticism will be concurrently justified and unfair.

But this elevation wasn’t for Sept. 9 at Iowa State, Nov. 4 against Ohio State or even late December in a bowl game that Iowa really, really needs to win. Brian Ferentz’s promotion is for 2018, 2019, possibly 2024 and maybe even 2031. He’ll grow with the position and nobody else could combine the foundation of Iowa’s past success with a willingness to modernize.

It won’t be perfect this fall, but it will be better by November. And history will prove elevating Brian Ferentz to offensive coordinator was the right move at the right time.

2017 NFL Combine: Did Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien try to hire Iowa’s Brian Ferentz? Here’s your answer

By Scott Dochterman
March 3, 2017

INDIANAPOLIS — If Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien had his way, Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz would have worked alongside him at either of his last two stops.

Or, preferably, both.

“I tried to hire him at Penn State,” O’Brien said Wednesday at the 2017 NFL Combine. “His dad (Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz) wasn’t letting anybody hire him away. I tried to hire him early on in Houston. Very, very smart. Very competitive. A hard-working guy, really good staff guy. Understands his role. Really helped me a lot at New England in a lot of different ways.”

Brian Ferentz, 33, assumed multiple tasks in New England from 2008 through 2011. O’Brien worked alongside Ferentz and became the Patriots offensive coordinator in 2011. That’s when they really formed a bond.

The 2011 Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl and produced one of the NFL’s most dynamic offensive seasons. New England scored more than 32 points a game, and quarterback Tom Brady threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, whom Ferentz coached, notched career highs with 90 catches for 1,327 yards. Gronkowski set the NFL record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with 17.

“Brian Ferentz, my last year in New England, coached the tight ends and was the quality control guy on offense,” O’Brien said. “He had Gronkowski and that group. And he was breaking film down on the side. That tells you everything you need to know about his work ethic.”

Neither returned to the Patriots following the 2011 season. O’Brien became the Penn State head coach in 2012 and later bolted for the Texans in 2014. Brian Ferentz became Iowa’s offensive line coach in 2012, added run-game responsibilities in 2015 and was named offensive coordinator in January.

The respect is mutual. At his news conference introducing him as offensive coordinator, Brian Ferentz called his New England experience “invaluable” and touted his relationships with O’Brien, head coach Bill Belichick, administrator Scott Pioli and offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.

“You absolutely try to take pieces from every one and you try to learn and be a sponge,” Brian Ferentz said in January. “I remember one of my first lessons in New England walking into Scott Pioli’s office empty-handed, and in a very not-so-subtle way, I was reminded that you should have a notebook at all times. And he was right. And since then, I’ve had a notebook at all times. Because you’re always learning. You’re always taking things in.”

As for Brian Ferentz’s new role, O’Brien has confidence his former protegé will succeed.

“He’s a bright guy, and he’ll do a great job for his dad,” O’Brien said. “I just have to say about his dad, I just think he’s one of the best coaches in the country. He does a great job. A lot of respect for the Ferentz family.”

Big Ten Football Q&A: Who's the B1G's Next Star Head Coach?

By Ben Axelrod, Big Ten Lead Writer
April 21, 2016


Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Spring games in the Big Ten are nearing their end, with Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State and Rutgers rounding out the conference's slate of annual exhibitions this weekend.

That means the dead period that is May and June on the college football calendar is upon us—except if this summer is anything like last summer, there won't be much quiet time in the Big Ten in the coming months.

So before Jim Harbaugh sends off another tweet or Cardale Jones starts a feud with an NBA player at a Cleveland Cavaliers game, let's get to this week's Big Ten Q&A. This week, we'll tackle the rising coaching stars in the Big Ten, who stood out at Ohio State's spring game, Iowa's recent recruiting surge and which game in the Big Ten will have the biggest effect on the 2017 College Football Playoff.

As always, you can tweet me your questions each week @BenAxelrod.

Let's get started.



You may already know his last name, but make no mistake about it: Brian Ferentz's rise in the coaching ranks has little to do with nepotism.

Iowa's 33-year-old offensive line coach and the son of Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz built quite the resume even before joining his father's staff in 2012. Prior to returning to Iowa City, where he played offensive line for Iowa from 2002-05 before a two-year stint in the NFL, the younger Ferentz served as an assistant on Bill Belichick's staff for four seasons in New England, coaching the Patriots tight ends in 2011.

So while Kirk can lay claim to being the reigning National Coach of the Year, Brian can take at least partial credit for the development of Rob Gronkowski. In Ferentz's final season on Belichick's staff, Gronkowski became the first tight end to lead the NFL in touchdown catches, while the duo of Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez set league records for receptions, yards and touchdowns at their position.


Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Since reuniting with his father, Ferentz has furthered his resume as an offensive line coach, helping develop Brandon Scherff into the No. 5 overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft, Andrew Donnal into a fourth-round pick and both upcoming draft hopefuls Austin Blythe and Jordan Walsh into potential pros. Also the Hawkeyes running game coordinator, Ferentz oversaw a unit that ranked fifth in the Big Ten and 49th nationally in rushing (181.71 yards per game) in 2015.

With Tom Herman, D.J. Durkin and Chris Ash having each recently taken head coaching jobs and Dave Aranda having left Wisconsin to become the defensive coordinator at LSU, Brian Ferentz is the new hot name in the Big Ten when it comes to up-and-coming assistants. Ohio State's Greg Schiano may seem destined to land another head coaching job after this season, but with youth on his side, Ferentz could be the best pick for a team looking to build long-term success.

After all, it certainly won't hurt to be able to sell a relationship with Gronk on the recruiting trail.

Brian Ferentz Named O-Line Coach of the Week

CoachingSearch.com tabs Hawkeye assistant following 278-yard rushing performance

Oct. 13, 2015

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa assistant football coach Brian Ferentz was named CoachingSearch.com Offensive Line Coach of the Week following Iowa's 29-20 homecoming win against Illinois on Oct. 10.

The Hawkeye rushed for 278 yards against the Illini, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and chewing up nearly seven minutes on a fourth quarter drive that included 11 consecutive rushes for 59 yards.

The offensive line played without its starting left tackle, finished the game without its starting right tackle, yet still paved the way for running back Jordan Canzeri to rush for 256 yards on a school-record 43 attempts.

The complete list of Week 6 coaching honors is available at coachingsearch.com.

Football journey: Brian Ferentz

Brian Ferentz enjoyed playing for his father, Kirk, at Iowa.

February, 4, 2012

By Mike Reiss

INDIANAPOLIS – Now in his fourth season with the Patriots, Brian Ferentz has been rising up the coaching ranks.

As many young coaches often do in New England, Ferentz got his start in scouting (2008). He joined the coaching staff the following year as an assistant. He took on more responsibility in 2010 before being named tight ends coach in 2011.

Ferentz’s work was praised by head coach Bill Belichick.

"Brian is very mature for his age, and he has a lot of football experience,” Belichick said of the 28-year-old Ferentz, who is the son of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. “I think that the whole life experience of growing up in a coaching family, growing up with a coach and having football in your blood almost from the day you were born, you pick up some things by osmosis and being around it. Kirk is a great friend of mine and a tremendous coach. I have so much respect for Kirk for what he did for me in Cleveland in his coaching career, and Brian has learned from probably the best.

“I don't think that anyone does it any better than Kirk does, and Brian brings that overall awareness, instinctiveness and that aptitude for the game. I think the game comes easy to him in terms of techniques, Xs and Os and schemes because of his experience with it. He's done a great job in all of the responsibilities that he has, particularly in the development of our young tight ends. Even though he is young in age, he's much more experienced in terms of overall football knowledge."

During Super Bowl week, Ferentz shared his football journey with ESPNBoston.com:

When he first started playing football: “I was in fifth grade when I played my first organized football. We were living in Ohio at the time (1994).”

What positions he played: “I wanted to catch the football and didn’t want to put my hand on the ground, but I think that took like two days until I was playing on the offensive line. There was a weight limit and I had an ‘X’ on my helmet. I didn’t make weight to play the skill positions. “

Top memories of high school football: “I was very fortunate to be on some very good teams, in two different states. In Baltimore, I played for the Gilman School my freshman and sophomore year. My sophomore year we went undefeated. I remember my dad telling to me to cherish that because it was so rare. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Here is an NFL coach – he was with the Ravens at the time – telling me to cherish a high school season.’ He was right, which I found out 15 years later. It’s so rare, so hard to do things like that. Then I went to Iowa City High School and we had some good teams. We went to the semifinals of the state playoffs my second year, my senior year of high school. We didn’t win.”

Remembering his one catch: “In eighth grade, I played tight end and caught one ball for 4 yards on a checkdown. That was my only competitive catch ever. In high school, I played on the offensive line, I played linebacker and defensive line. I was a smaller player.”

Why he decided to attend University of Iowa: “No one else was recruiting me. I was a tweener, about 240 pounds my senior year of high school, 6-foot-2 1/2. I was not really big enough in most people’s eyes to play on the offensive line. I would have had to walk on at other schools and was fortunate to get a scholarship at Iowa. I was able to go in there and work with their strength and conditioning program, which in my opinion is one of the best in the country. Anything I ever accomplished as a player – and I accomplished a lot more than I ever thought I would – was because of the coaches I had there.”

Top memories at Iowa: “There are a lot of good ones. It was a great five years for me. What stands out most is the first time we won the Big 10 championship when I was there, which was 2002. We went up to Minnesota and beat them. I actually was not playing. I had torn my ACL and was rehabbing that. In 2003, my first start, that’s obviously a good memory for a kid who spent most of his younger years in Iowa. Wherever we moved, I always wanted to be a Hawkeye and play for the University of Iowa. To be able to start my first game there was a pretty special experience.”

What it was like playing for his dad at Iowa: “It was a lot of fun. When you grow up in a household where your dad’s in coaching, you don’t see your dad as much as if he worked a 9-to-5 job. Growing up, my father was very involved in my life, but were we close physically every day? Not always. So to be able to go play with him for five years was a great experience. You get to know your father as more than just a football coach. You get to know him as a man, as a professional, how he does things on a day to day basis. You see him do his job, it’s like take-your-son-to-work day.”

Entering the NFL as a free agent with the Falcons in 2006: “I basically had one of these [pointing to a cup of coffee on the table]. It was an experience I will cherish forever, and I say that with a little self-depreciation, only because I’m around the most elite football players in the world. That, in and of itself, is fun. I look at some of our guys and wonder how I was even close, to be honest with you. It was a great experience. It’s every kid’s dream to play in the NFL. I never got to play in a real NFL game. It was preseason, and the first game I ever played was against the New England Patriots.”

Describing the two seasons he hoped to make a roster: Coach Petrino and his staff came in and they started moving in a little different direction, especially up front. I was a smaller guy, more of a West Coast zone scheme type guy. They liked to man block and pull people. I didn’t fit that scheme very well. You don’t want guys like me spending a lot of time single-blocking Vince Wilfork. That will end very badly for your football team. That ends badly for good players, so imagine a very mediocre player. I bounced around a little bit, had some workouts and didn’t get picked up until [2007] training camp with the Saints. I had a chance to compete for a roster spot and didn’t make their team. That was the last moment for me.

Transitioning to the scouting/coaching ranks with the Patriots in 2008: Scott Pioli called me. He’s a family friend and we always talked about perhaps ending up with the organization in some capacity. He called and offered – ‘Would you like to come up here?’ and it wasn’t as a player. I figured if a guy of that stature makes that call and evaluation was telling me it wasn’t going to work, I should probably get out of it. I ended up going into the organization in April, upstairs with Scott. Then at the end of that season, I moved on [to coaching full-time]. I was actually working with the defense at that time."

Life as a coach under Bill Belichick: “I think it’s a pretty good life. We’re so fortunate to work for a guy with his experience, knowledge, and expertise. His motivational skills. Go down the list of coaching attributes and here is a guy who has all of them. We get to come in, talk to him, and what more could you ask for? Is it difficult at times? Sure. But it’s hard to work anyways. When you work for Coach Belichick, you always have a chance to win. You can’t ever take that for granted in this business.”

Favorite teams and players growing up: “Wherever my dad coached. When we were in Iowa, I obviously loved the Hawkeyes. My NFL team would have been the Steelers, originally, only because my whole family is from Pittsburgh. My dad grew up In Pittsburgh, of the late 60s, early 70s, the beginning of the Chuck Noll era. When my father went to Cleveland, that changed pretty quickly and I developed a pretty healthy dislike for that team. Same thing when we went to Baltimore. When we went back to Iowa City, the NFL fell by the wayside for me, because I was too busy doing my own thing. The one team that will always be my favorite is the University of Iowa.”

Summing up his football journey: “It’s been fun at every turn. It’s the reason I’m still in it. I love this game, this business, everything this game is about. When it’s done the right way, I think it’s the best game we play in this country because it teaches you all the things you need to be successful in life. It’s different for us [in the NFL], it’s a business, it’s all about football, 24 hours a day, it’s all about winning. With college kids, it’s an educational experience, and I don’t know if you can get a better education than playing this game. It’s the greatest game in the world and that’s why I’m still in it.”