In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. [1] Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, associate and assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. [2] [3]
Common position coaches on coaching staffs in the National Football League [4] [5] [6] and NCAA football [7] include:
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach represents the second level of coaching structure after the head coach.
A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's coaching structure, with the head coach being the first level. The primary role of the defensive coordinator is managing the roster of defensive players, overseeing the assistant coaches, developing the defensive game plan, and calling plays for the defense during the game. The defensive coordinator typically manages multiple position coaches, each of whom are responsible for various defensive positions on the team.
Bob Valesente is a former American football player and coach. He played college football at Ithaca College and spent more than 35 years as a football coach. He was the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks football team from 1986 to 1987 and has also served as an assistant football coach in the National Football League (NFL) with multiple teams.
The New England Patriots generally run a modified Erhardt-Perkins offensive system and a Fairbanks-Bullough 3–4 defensive system, though they have also used a 4–3 defense and increased their use of the nickel defense.
In American football, the 3–4 defense is a common defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers. It is a called a "base defense" because it will readily switch to other defensive alignments as circumstances change. Alternatively, some defenses use a 4–3 defense.
Matthew Edward Patricia is an American football coach who is the senior defensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He has served 15 non-consecutive seasons as an assistant coach with the Patriots, including six seasons as the team's defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017. Patricia won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, two as defensive coordinator, and presided over a defense in 2016 that led the league in fewest points allowed. In 2022, he served as the Patriots' offensive playcaller. In between his New England tenure, he was the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020.
Steve Buratto is a Canadian football coach and former offensive lineman. He is the offensive coordinator for the UBC Thunderbirds football team. He is also a former head coach in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders and BC Lions, the latter of which he won the 88th Grey Cup with.
Jason John Gesser is an American college football former coach, former player, and former assistant athletic director at Washington State University.
The 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by head football coach Phillip Fulmer in his 16th and final season as head coach. The Vols played their home games in Neyland Stadium and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The 2008 campaign followed a 10–4 2007 season, which saw the Vols win the Eastern Division of the conference and the Outback Bowl. This season marked the ten year anniversary of Tennessee's 1998 BCS National Championship. On November 3, Fulmer announced that, after winning some 150 games over his career, he would step down from coaching his alma mater at the end of the season.
Mike Sherman was the 28th head coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team, which represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I FBS college football. He was the head coach since his appointment in November 2007 until being fired December 1, 2011. Sherman replaced Dennis Franchione.
The 2008 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Jerry Kill, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 6–7 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing fourth in the MAC's West Division. Northern Illinois was invited to the Independence Bowl, where they lost to Louisiana Tech. The team played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.
Chuck Heater is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverines football history. Heater has been an assistant football coach at ten universities since 1976. He has been affiliated with College Football Hall of Fame coaches Bo Schembechler, Earle Bruce, and Lou Holtz. He has been on coaching staffs of national championship teams at Notre Dame (1988) and Florida.
The 2019 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Zips were led by first-year head coach Tom Arth and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium in Akron, Ohio. They competed as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Frank Maile is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach and assistant head coach at Boise State University. He served as the interim head coach for Utah State for their bowl game against North Texas in 2018, as well as in 2020 when Gary Andersen was fired.
Lance Anderson is an American football coach and former player.
Chris Rumph is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He most recently served as the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He previously coached at the collegiate level for over 15 years.
Zachary Alley is an American college football coach. He is the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State University, a position he has held since 2022. Alley won two national championships as a graduate assistant at Clemson University.
The 2022 Colorado State Rams football team represents Colorado State University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rams are led by first-year head coach Jay Norvell and play their home games at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado, as members of the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference.
The 2023 Charlotte 49ers football team will represent the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers play their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and compete in their first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). They are led by first-year head coach Biff Poggi.