Jeff Popovich

Last updated

Jeff Popovich
Western Michigan Broncos
Position:Special teams coordinator
Personal information
Born: (1977-10-26) October 26, 1977 (age 46)
Jefferson County, Kentucky
Career information
High school: Tucson (AZ) Sabino
College: Miami (FL)
Undrafted: 2000
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:

Jeff Popovich (born October 26, 1977) is an American football coach and former defensive back who is the special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach for the Western Michigan Broncos. He also is a former model who appeared in the first season of The Bachelorette . [1]

Contents

Playing career

College playing career

Popovich was a walk-on at the University of Miami who turned into a major contributor on special teams and in nickel packages on defense. Originally starting his college career as a wide receiver after being a quarterback and defensive back in high school, Popovich was converted into a defensive back [2] and was a star on special teams cover units and as a holder, lettering all four years at Miami.

Popovich played in all 46 games, starting 11 times. During his college career, he made 154 tackles, one interception, forced one fumble and recovered three. He was a three-time BIG EAST All-Academic team member as well as a candidate for national Academic All-America honors. [3]

"Popovich is like Steve Tasker of the Buffalo Bills," said Butch Davis, head football coach of the nationally ranked Miami Hurricanes. "He's a terrific little athlete with a tremendous amount of fire.” [4]

Professional playing career

After leaving Miami, Popovich played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2000 preseason and for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. In spring 2001, he was a member of the Barcelona Dragons team in the NFL Europe League that played in the World Bowl. [3]

Coaching career

Early coaching career

He began his coaching career at his alma mater (Miami) working as a graduate assistant from 2005-2006. [5] In 2007 He moved on to Florida International University where he served as defensive backs coach and in his final season with the team, the special teams coordinator. After 6 years at FIU, in 2013 Jeff starting a three-year stint as cornerbacks coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Indianapolis Colts

This was followed by two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL under head Coach Chuck Pagano who was his position coach when he played at Miami. In 2016 he served as an assistant to head coach, [6] then in 2017 as a defensive quality control assistant.

Boise State

He spent 2018 as the cornerbacks coach at Boise State. In his lone season on Boise State’s staff, the Broncos ranked among the nation’s top 40 teams in third-down defense (.311), takeaways (24), scoring defense (22.1 ppg) and total defense (355.9 ypg).

Georgia Tech

Jeff joined Georgia Tech in 2019 [7] under head coach Geoff Collins who had previously coached with in 2010, as the team’s cornerbacks coach and defensive special teams coordinator [8] (kickoff and punt coverage).

In his first season as Yellow Jackets’ cornerbacks coach, Popovich mentored an all-ACC selection in CB Tre Swilling. As defensive special teams coordinator, he oversaw a unit that blocked three kicks (tied for most in the ACC and 14th nationally) and improved its average kickoff return allowed by nearly six yards over the previous season (from 26.27 ypr in 2018 to 20.91 ypr in 2019).

On November 28, 2021 Jeff was fired by Georgia Tech. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Groh</span> American football coach

Albert Michael Groh II is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Wake Forest University from 1981 to 1986 and at the University of Virginia from 2001 to 2009, compiling a career college football coaching record of 85–92. Groh was also the head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) for one season, in 2000, tallying a mark of 9–7. He last coached as the defensive coordinator for Georgia Tech in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Roof</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Terrence Edwin Roof Jr. is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the UCF Knights. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Oklahoma. Roof served as the head football coach at Duke University from 2003 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Shannon</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Randy Leonard Shannon is an American football coach and former player. He is the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for Florida State. Shannon was the head coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010 and has served as an assistant coach for the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins and several college teams, including stints as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes, the Florida Gators, and the UCF Knights. He won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top collegiate assistant coach while at Miami in 2001.

Travares Arastius Tillman is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive backs coach for Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He played professionally as a safety in the National Football League (NFL).

Thomas Chandler Gailey Jr. is a former American football coach. Most recently in 2020, he was the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Gailey has previously served as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Buffalo Bills from 1998 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaldo Hill</span> American football player and coach (born 1978)

Renaldo Hill is an American football coach and former player who is the pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos from 2019 to 2020, the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2022. Currently in 2023 serves as an assistant defensive coach for the Miami Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach was former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey. It played its home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.

Josh Boyer is an American football coach. Boyer previously coached with the New England Patriots and multiple college football teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium. The Tigers won the ACC Atlantic Division, but after securing the title lost to in–state rival South Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl 34–17, before losing for the second time in the season to Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson closed the season with a win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travaris Robinson</span> American football player and coach (born 1981)

Travaris Jerod Robinson is an American football coach and former safety who is the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Georgia. Prior to that, he was the cornerbacks coach at the University of Alabama and the defensive backs coach at the University of Miami. He played college football at Auburn. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

Manuel Alberto Diaz II is an American football coach who is the head football coach at Duke University. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Pennsylvania State University from 2022 to 2023 and as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2019 to 2021.

George Robert Godsey is an American football coach and former player who is the tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and New England Patriots, and as the co-offensive coordinator and sole offensive coordinator for the Dolphins and Texans, respectively.

Dave Huxtable is an American football coach who is the senior defensive assistant for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He served as the defensive coordinator at the North Carolina State University from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as the defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Panthers football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Kelly (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1967)

Charles Kelly is an American football coach and former football player. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Auburn Tigers football. Kelly won a national championship as a member of the Florida State Seminoles coaching staff during the 2013 college football season. He also won a College Football Playoff National Championship as the co-defensive coordinator of the 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide who went undefeated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Key</span> American football player and coach (born 1978)

Donald Brent Key is an American college football coach and former player. Key is the head football coach at his alma mater, Georgia Tech as of November 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoff Collins (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1971)

William Geoffrey Collins is an American football coach and former player. He is currently serving as the defensive coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to the Tar Heels, he was the head coach at Georgia Tech from December 7, 2018, to September 25, 2022. He was previously the head coach at Temple University, and had served in the past as defensive coordinator for the University of Florida and Mississippi State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Sherrer</span> American football player and coach (born 1973)

Kevin Sherrer is an American football coach and former player who is currently the defensive coordinator at Georgia State as of March 2024. Before that was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He also previously served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee (2018–2019), the outside linebackers coach at Georgia (2014–2017), the defensive coordinator at South Alabama (2013), the Director of Player Development at Alabama (2010–2012), and as a high school assistant coach at Hoover High School, Spain Park High School, and Tuscaloosa County. He played college football at Alabama.

Jeff Rodgers is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as a coach for the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Bowen</span> American football player and coach (born 1986)

Shane Andrew Bowen is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2021 to 2023 and as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans.

Nathan Isaac Burton is an American football coach who is currently the co-defensive coordinator for the Troy Trojans. He previously was the defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL). He previously was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Kennesaw State Owls.

References

  1. ↑ COMMENTARY, ETHAN J. SKOLNICK. "'TIRE GUY' READY FOR FOOTBALL, 'REAL LIFE'". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Jeff Popovich". University of Miami Athletics. June 2, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Jeff Popovich". Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. January 2, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Bigger Faster Stronger". office.biggerfasterstronger.com. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Jeff Popovich - Football Coach". Boise State University Athletics. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Josh (March 21, 2016). "Report: Colts hire Jeff Popovich as assistant". Stampede Blue. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Burton, Popovich Join Georgia Tech Football Staff". Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. January 2, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ Sugiura, Ken; Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta. "Tech cornerbacks coach Jeff Popovich was once on 'Bachelorette'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Georgia Tech coach Collins shakes up his staff". ESPN.com. November 28, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.