Phil Loadholt

Last updated
Phil Loadholt
2009-0805-PLoadholt.jpg
Loadholt with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009
Colorado Buffaloes
Position:Offensive line coach
Personal information
Born: (1986-01-21) January 21, 1986 (age 38)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Height:6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight:345 lb (156 kg)
Career information
High school: Fountain-Fort Carson
(Fountain, Colorado)
College:
NFL Draft: 2009  / Round: 2 / Pick: 54
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • UCF (2018–2019)
    Offensive assistant
  • Ole Miss (2020–2021)
    Offensive analyst
  • Oklahoma (2022–2023)
    Offensive analyst
  • Colorado (2024–present)
    Offensive line coach
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:89
Games started:89
Player stats at NFL.com

Philip Loadholt Jr. (born January 21, 1986) is a former American football offensive tackle and the current offensive line coach for the Colorado Buffaloes. [1] He played college football at Oklahoma, and played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) from 2009 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to joining Colorado’s coaching staff, he was an offensive analyst for Oklahoma from 2022–23. He also spent time as a player personnel analyst for Ole Miss (2020–21) and UCF (2017).

Contents

High school career

Loadholt attended Fountain Middle School and Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Fountain, Colorado, where he was a two-way lineman, team captain and a two-time All-State selection. His senior year of football ended in the second round to Palisade High School; in that match-up, he played against another two-time All-State selection, Matt Popick. In his senior year he also had 113 tackles along with eight touchdowns and was named Colorado Springs Area Player of the Year. He obtained a 1.23 GPA throughout his high school career as well. Also a standout in basketball and track, Loadholt led Fountain-Fort Carson's basketball team to the state title game when he averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game. In track & field, Loadholt won a state championship title in the discus with a throw of 48.23 meters (158-2), and was a state runner-up in the shot put with a personal-best of 16.44 meters (53-10). [2]

He originally committed to play college football at Colorado, [3] but did not qualify academically, and therefore he headed to junior college.

College career

Garden City

At Garden City Community College, Loadholt was a two-time junior college All-American. In his sophomore year, he had 93 pancake blocks and 113 tackles in 2006 and was named 2006 Jayhawk Conference Lineman of the Year. Loadholt was also rated the No. 1 junior college offensive tackle prospect in the nation by JCGridiron.com for the class of 2007.

He signed with LSU in February 2006, [4] but decommitted in August and finally chose to attend Oklahoma. [5]

Oklahoma

Enrolling at OU in January 2007, Loadholt made an immediate impact for the Sooners, as he started all 14 games at left tackle and logged 740 plays with 104 knockdowns. He had the highest run grade on the team at 75%. He received All-Big 12 first team honors by the Dallas Morning News and an All-American honorable mention by Sports Illustrated

In his senior year, Loadholt played left tackle in an offensive line that allowed 11 sacks all season, the third-lowest total of any team in the country, in 476 passing attempts. [6] Protecting quarterback Sam Bradford, who threw 48 touchdown passes and went on to win the 2008 Heisman Trophy, and leading the way for DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown, who both ran for more than 1,000 yards, Loadholt helped the 2008 Sooners to become the highest-scoring team in college football’s modern era. [7]

Professional career

2009 NFL Draft

Loadholt was regarded as one of the better offensive tackles in the 2009 NFL Draft. [8] Although his size and athletic ability were never in doubt, scouts questioned his poor aggressiveness and technique. [9]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Loadholt gets drafted by the Minnesota Vikings
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 7+3⁄4 in
(2.03 m)		332 lb
(151 kg)		36+1⁄2 in
(0.93 m)		10 in
(0.25 m)		5.45 s1.83 s3.03 s4.77 s8.18 s29.0 in
(0.74 m)		8 ft 9 in
(2.67 m)		26 reps
All values from NFL Combine and Pro Day [10] [11]

Minnesota Vikings

Loadholt was selected in the second round, 54th overall, by the Minnesota Vikings. [12] [13] He was signed by the Vikings on July 29, 2009. [14]

2009 season

As a rookie, Loadholt stepped into a starting role at right tackle, opening 15 regular season games and both playoff contests, including the NFC Championship game. The 15 starts were the most by a Vikings rookie offensive tackle since Korey Stringer back in 1995 and he became just the fifth Vikings rookie offensive tackle to start a season opener, joining Doug Davis in 1966 as the only other right tackle. He was inactive for the game at St. Louis on October 11 due to a leg injury. For his first-year performance, he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team by Sporting News and PFWA as he helped the Vikings offense rank No. 5 in the NFL in total offense, the highest ranking since the 2004 season, and paved the way for running back Adrian Peterson to rush for 1,383 yards and 18 touchdowns, a new team record for rushing scores and the third-best single-season rushing total in team history. [15]

2010 season

In his second year, Loadholt started all 16 games, joining only fellow offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie along the offensive line to start all 16 games. He helped pave the way for Adrian Peterson to rush for 1,298 yards and break the 100-yard mark 5 times during the season. In week 3, he helped Adrian Peterson rumble for an 80-yard touchdown against the Detroit Lions. In a game against the Dallas Cowboys in week 6, he joined former Oklahoma teammate Jon Cooper as a starter on the line when Cooper opened the game at center. In a comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals in week 9, he protected Brett Favre as he threw for a career-best 446 yards that helped the Vikings prevail 27-24 in OT over the Cardinals.

2011 season

Loadholt (left) in 2011 Phil Loadholt, Clay Matthews.jpg
Loadholt (left) in 2011

In 2011, Loadholt joined fellow offensive line teammate Charlie Johnson as the only Vikings linemen to start all 16 games during the season, helping Adrian Peterson break the 100-yard mark in 3 games during the season with fullback Toby Gerhart and quarterback Joe Webb each breaking the 100-yard plateau once during the year. He helped pace the Vikings rushing offense to rank No. 4 in the NFL with an average of 144.9 yards per game and rank No. 3 in the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns.

2012 season

Loadholt was part of a Vikings offensive line that started all 16 games and a playoff contest as well as a unit that helped pave the way for Adrian Peterson to notch the 2nd-best rushing season in NFL history with 2,097 yards en route to earning NFL MVP. He cleared the path for Peterson to tie his own Vikings record with 10 games of +100 yards and a pair of +200 yards performances. The Vikings rushing offense tied a team record with 2,634 team rushing yards, an average of 164.6 per game. He also helped Adrian Peterson rush for a pair of 82 yard touchdowns in games at Green Bay in week 13 and at St. Louis two weeks later.

2013 season

On March 12, 2013, Loadholt re-signed with the Vikings through 2016 on a $25 million contract. [16]

Lined up as the starting right tackle for the fifth straight season, Loadholt opened 15 games for the Vikings, marking the fourth time in his career where he has helped Adrian Peterson go over 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in a single-season. The Vikings rushing attack ranked No. 8 in the NFL and led the NFL with 23 rushing touchdowns. He paved the way for third-string running back Matt Asiata to tie a team record with 3 rushing scores against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 15 and have his first career +100 yards rushing day versus the Detroit Lions in week 17. He also helped the Vikings put up a franchise-record 48 offensive points in the Metrodome in the game against the Eagles.

2014 season

On January 14, 2014, ProFootballFocus.com recognized Loadholt as one of their highest-rated offensive tackles in the league, stating, "Right tackle Phil Loadholt (+25.0) earned All-Pro honors in our eyes. He didn’t get the press he garnered last year as the team struggled but he remains the prototypical right tackle." [17]

A member of the offensive line that started its third-consecutive season together, Loadholt started all 11 games he played in before being placed on injured reserve on November 26. In the Vikings opening win over the St. Louis Rams, Loadholt anchored the right side of the offensive line that paved the way for wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson to run for 102 yards, the highest rushing output by a non-running back in team history. The Unit was one of five offensive lines that didn’t allow its opponents to record a sack in the opening week of the 2014 season. He paved the way for 3 different leading rushers in the first 4 games of the 2014 campaign. On November 23, he suffered a season-ending pectoral injury against the Green Bay Packers.

2015 season

On August 15, 2015, Loadholt tore his Achilles tendon during the Vikings' first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [18] The injury made Loadholt miss the entire 2015 season. [19]

On July 25, 2016, Loadholt announced his retirement.

Coaching career

2024 season

On December 6, 2023, Coach Deion Sanders confirmed that the Colorado Buffaloes had hired Loadholt as their Offensive Line Coach for the upcoming season. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Sanders</span> American football player (born 1968)

Barry David Sanders is an American former football running back who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once, establishing himself as one of the most elusive runners in the history of the NFL with his quickness and agility, despite being only 5 ft 8 in tall and weighing 203 lbs. Sanders played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. As a junior in 1988, he compiled what is widely considered the greatest individual season by a running back in college football history, rushing for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 11 games. He won the Heisman Trophy and was unanimously recognized as an All-American.

Larry Christopher Allen Jr. is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Butte Roadrunners and the Sonoma State Cossacks, and was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Allen is regarded as one of the NFL's physically strongest players ever, while also capable of using his speed against defenders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Williams (defensive tackle)</span> American football player (born 1980)

Kevin Williams is an American former football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings ninth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Berger</span> American football player (born 1982)

Joseph David Berger is a former American football guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan Tech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Jansen</span> American football player (born 1976)

Jonathan Ward Jansen is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. Jansen was selected by Washington in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He also played in the NFL for one season with the Detroit Lions.

Thomas Teah Tapeh (pronounced TUH-PEH) is a Liberian former American football fullback. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota. Tapeh has also played for the Minnesota Vikings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Peterson (American football, born 1979)</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Adrian Nicholas Peterson is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) and United Football League (UFL). He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, playing eight seasons for Chicago. Then he played for the Virginia Destroyers in the UFL. He played college football for the Georgia Southern Eagles, where he set numerous school, Southern Conference, and NCAA Division I-AA records, as well as winning two I-AA National Championships and receiving the Walter Payton Award for most outstanding player in I-AA football. He is currently serving as the director of student-athlete development for Georgia Southern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Bieniemy</span> American football player and coach (born 1969)

Eric Bieniemy Jr. is an American football coach and former running back who was the assistant head coach and former offensive coordinator (OC) for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL) from 2023-2024. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and is their all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940) and touchdowns (42). He was named a unanimous All-American and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting during their national championship season in 1990.

The 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 112th season of Sooner football. The team was led by two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award winner, Bob Stoops, in his eighth season as head coach. They played their homes games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They were a charter member of the Big 12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Spielman</span> American football player and executive (born 1962)

Richard Spielman is an American football executive who was most recently the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) from 2012 to 2022. He was promoted to general manager in 2012 after spending 2006–2011 as the team's vice president of player personnel. He formerly worked for ESPN on NFL Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Smith (offensive tackle)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Andre Dewayne Smith Jr. is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football for the University of Alabama, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and Baltimore Ravens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerome Felton</span> American football player (born 1986)

Jerome Jean-Marie Felton is an American former football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the Minnesota Vikings, where he had been a fundamental part of Adrian Peterson's success, including Peterson's 2,097 rushing yards season in 2012. He played college football at Furman, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Peterson</span> American football player (born 1985)

Adrian Lewis Peterson is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, setting the freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards in 2004. Named a unanimous All-American that year, he became the first freshman to finish as a runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Boone</span> American football player (born 1987)

Alexander Boone is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He also played in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trent Williams</span> American football player (born 1988)

Trent Williams is an American football offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, where he was recognized as an All-American, and was selected by the Washington Redskins fourth overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Williams is considered one of the best tackles in the league, having made eleven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1974 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1974 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–1 record, outscored opponents 324 to 75, and were ranked #3 in final AP Poll. Michigan won the first ten games of the 1974 season in convincing fashion, including blowout victories over Colorado (31-0), Navy (52-0), Minnesota (49-0), and Purdue (51-0). In the final game of the season, #2 Michigan faced #3 Ohio State. The Wolverines lost by a score of 12-10, as place-kicker Mike Lantry missed a last-minute field goal that would have given Michigan a victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packers–Vikings rivalry</span> National Football League rivalry

The Packers–Vikings rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. CBS ranked it the #3 NFL rivalry of the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Asiata</span> American football player (born 1987)

Matthew Retinai Asiata is a former American football running back. He attended Hunter High School and played college football at Utah. Asiata was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. Asiata is tied with a number of other Vikings players for the franchise record of most rushing touchdowns in a single game at three. He achieved this feat three times; once in 2013 and twice during the 2014 season when he started nine games after Adrian Peterson was suspended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Hillman</span> American football player (1991–2022)

Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earning third-team All-American honors as a sophomore in 2011. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and was a member of their team that won Super Bowl 50. Hillman later played for the Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers, and Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Clemmings</span> American football player (born 1991)

Trevor Anthony "T. J." Clemmings is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Pittsburgh. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders.

References

  1. ↑ Wong, Kristen (December 7, 2023). "Colorado's Deion Sanders Hires Phil Loadholt as Offensive Line Coach, per Report". Sports Illustrated . The Arena Group.
  2. ↑ "Football Talent Advisors » 2009 » June". Archived from the original on 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  3. ↑ Friedman, Andrew (October 5, 2004), "Buffs Add Offensive Tackle for '06", Colorado.scout.com
  4. ↑ Crabtree, Jeremy (January 23, 2006). "LSU gets big addition". Footballrecruiting.rivals.com.
  5. ↑ McCuistion, Josh (August 2, 2006). "Loadholt finally finds home in Norman". Footballrecruiting.rivals.com.
  6. ↑ Staples, Andy (January 7, 2009). "Oklahoma O-line is made up of five fast, immovable men". Sports Illustrated.
  7. ↑ Thamel, Pete (December 13, 2008). "Bradford Wins Heisman, but the Top Prize Awaits". The New York Times .
  8. ↑ Brooks, Bucky (February 16, 2009), "Eugene Monroe, Jason Smith lead 2009 NFL draft OL prospects", Sports Illustrated
  9. ↑ "Pro Football War Room: Phil Loadholt". SportingNews.com. April 25, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Phil Loadholt Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ "2009 NFL Draft Scout Phil Loadholt College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ "2009 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  13. ↑ "Oklahoma Sooners Football Blog: Vikings Draft Loadholt in 2nd Round". Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  14. ↑ "Tulsa World: Vikings sign former OU lineman Loadholt". Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2009-08-25.
  15. ↑ "Sporting News 2009 NFL All-Rookie Team | NFL | Sporting News". Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  16. ↑ Rosenthal, Gregg (March 12, 2013). "Phil Loadholt, Minnesota Vikings strike contract". NFL.com. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  17. ↑ "2013 Offensive Line Rankings". Profootballfocus.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Phil Loadholt tears Achilles' vs. Bucs". Startribune.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  19. ↑ Brady, James (15 August 2015). "Loadholt out for season with torn Achilles". Sbnation.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "Sources: Colorado hires former NFL lineman Phil Loadholt to coach Buffs' offensive line". BuffZone. 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
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.