Kevin Kane (American football)

Last updated

Kevin Kane
Current position
Title Defensive coordinator
Team Purdue
Conference Big Ten
Biographical details
Born (1983-12-18) December 18, 1983 (age 40)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Alma mater University of Kansas (BS, 2006)
University of Wisconsin (MS, 2010)
Playing career
2002–2005 Kansas
Position(s) Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2006–2007 Kansas (SA)
2008–2009 Wisconsin (GA)
2010Wisconsin (DQC)
2011 Northern Illinois (TE/FB)
2012Northern Illinois (LB)
2013–2014Northern Illinois (ST/LB)
2015 Kansas (LB)
2016–2017Northern Illinois (DC/LB)
2018–2020 SMU (DC/LB)
2021–2022 Illinois (AHC/OLB)
2023–present Purdue (DC)

Kevin Kane (born December 18, 1983) is an American college football coach and former linebacker. He is the defensive coordinator for Purdue University, a position he has held since 2023. He played college football at Kansas from 2002 to 2005. He served as the defensive coordinator of the Northern Illinois Huskies (2016–2017) and SMU Mustangs (2018–2020).

Contents

Playing career

Born in Kansas City, Missouri on December 18, 1983, Kane attended Rockhurst High School, where he helped lead the team to a state championship in his junior season. [1]

Kane played linebacker for the Kansas Jayhawks from 2002 to 2005. He was twice named Honorable Mention All-Big 12, and was Academic All-Big 12 three times. Kane was named a team captain for his senior season. [2]

Coaching career

Kansas

After finishing his playing career in 2005, Kevin Kane spent the next two seasons as a student assistant with his alma mater, Kansas. [3]

Wisconsin

In 2008, he joined the Wisconsin football program, as a defensive graduate assistant for two seasons, and then as a defensive quality control coach in 2010. [3]

Northern Illinois

In 2011, Kane began his first stint as Northern Illinois University. He coached the tight ends and fullbacks in 2011, before moving to the defensive side of the ball from 2012-2014, coaching the linebackers. Kane also coordinated the special teams in 2013 and 2014. [3]

Kansas

For the 2015 football season, Kane returned to his alma mater, coaching the Kansas linebackers. The following year, he returned to Northern Illinois as the teams defensive coordinator and safeties coach. [3]

SMU

In January 2018, it was announced that Kevin Kane would join new head coach Sonny Dykes at SMU as the defensive coordinator. [2]

Illinois

Kane was named the associate head coach & outside linebackers coach at Illinois in January 2021. [4] The move reunited Kane with Bret Bielema, whom he worked under at Wisconsin. In 2022, Kane assisted defensive coordinator Ryan Walters lead one of the top defenses in the Nation. The Fighting Illini defense finished the year in the top 8 in rushing defense, passing defense, total defense, and number one in scoring defense after giving up 12.3 points per game. This stellar performance helped Walters land the head coaching position at Purdue. [5]

Purdue

Following the 2022 season, Kane followed Walters to Purdue as the defensive coordinator. [5] At Purdue, Kane introduced a new defensive scheme called the Air Strike that focuses on creating confusion for the opposing offense by making coverage look the same every play with a focus on the outside linebackers. [6]

Personal life

Kane and his wife have three children, Colin(Son), Jack(Son), and Nora(daughter) [2]

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References

  1. ↑ Ryan Wood (February 1, 2006). "Rock solid: Rockhurst program still cranking out recruits – including two to KU". www.ljworld.com. Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kevin Kane Named Defensive Coordinator". smumustangs.com. January 16, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Kevin Kane". niuhuskies.com. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  4. ↑ "SMU defensive coordinator Kevin Kane leaves to take assistant role at Illinois". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Dienhart, Tom (December 16, 2022). "Sources: Illinois assistant Kevin Kane to be hired as Purdue defensive coordinator". on3.com. On3 Media Inc. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  6. ↑ Jellison, Dub (August 11, 2023). "Welcome to Purdue's New Defense - The Air Strike and its Agents of Chaos". Rivals.com . Retrieved September 22, 2024.
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