Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini announced what most people suspected on Thursday night. He is promoting current defensive line, and special teams coach John Papuchis to defensive coordinator.
Earlier this month when former defensive coordinator Carl Pelini decided to take the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic, the search began for a new defensive coach. Rumors flew about names like Stoops, and Sanders. Most Husker fans new that Papuchis was probably the man Pelini was going to select.
From 2008-2010 Papuchis was the defensive ends coach at Nebraska. This season Papuchis was promoted to defensive line, and special teams coach. He was also the recruiting coordinator for the Huskers.
Papuchis, age 33 is one of the youngest defensive coordinators in the country, but he has learned under two of the best in the nation. Papuchis graduated from Virginia Tech in 2011, where he learned under Hokie’s legendary defensive coordinator Bud Foster. After that he spent some time as graduate assistant at LSU, where he and Bo Pelini met. When he landed in Lincoln in 2008 he was mentored under Pelini for the last four years.
“I’m pleased with how the defensive staff has taken shape,” Pelini said. “John Papuchis is an outstanding coach in every area-on the field, in the meeting room, as a recruiter-and he is more than prepared to take the next step in his coaching career. He has worked alongside me for seven years, going back to our time together at LSU, and I have complete confidence in his coaching abilities.”
In his tenure as defensive line coach at Nebraska, Papuchis produced talents such as, Ndamukong Suh, Baker Steinkuhler, Cameron Meridith, and Jared Crick.
With Papuchis taking the coordinator position, that left his roll as defensive line coach wide open. Upon naming Papuchis defensive coordinator, Pelini also announced that he made an addition to his staff, Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski.
“Rick Kaczenski is a great addition to our coaching staff, and fits our football program perfectly. I have great respect for the program at the University of Iowa and their defenses have annually been among the best in the nation. Rick’s track record of developing defensive linemen speaks for itself. When I’ve watched Iowa’s defense and in particular the defensive line, I see players that have great technique and fundamentals, who also play with a high level of intensity.”
Kaczenski, age 36 has bilt one of the most impressive resumes in the nation at Iowa. In 2011, Iowa ranked sixth nationally in rushing defense (101.5 ypg) and seventh in scoring defense (17.0 ppg). In 2010, the Hawkeye defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in four defensive statistical categories, including pass efficiency defense, total defense, scoring defense and passing yards allowed.
In his five years at Iowa, the Hawkeyes made it to four bowl games. Including an Orange Bowl appearance in 2009.
With Kaczenski on staff, Iowa has produced outstanding defensive linemen year in, and year out. Players like defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who became the 21st player at Iowa to earn consensus All-America honors in 2010. He was named as the national Defensive Performer of the Year by College Football Performance Awards in 2009. Clayborn was named first team all-Big Ten in both 2009 and 2010.
Clayborn was the 20th pick in the first round by Tampa Bay in the 2011 NFL Draft, and was one of three Hawkeye defensive linemen selected in last year’s draft. Defensive lineman Christian Ballard was taken in the fourth round by Minnesota, while Tennessee selected his fellow defensive linemen Karl Klug in the fifth round.
7 of Kaczenski defensive linemen have either been drafted, or signed as free agents in his time at Iowa.
Before coming to Iowa City, Kaczenski was an offensive line and tight ends coach atSouth Carolina State in 2002. In 2003 he moved on to take the same job at East Tennessee State in 2003. He took the same job at Elon Univeristy in 2004.Then he served as a graduate assistant at Iowa in 2005-2006.
Kaczenski was on the staff at South Carolina from 1999 to 2001 under Head Coach Lou Holtz. He was a graduate assistant with the Gamecocks, working in recruiting, while assisting with the offensive line, and wide receivers. Kaczenski began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, Erie, Pennsylvania Cathedral Prep.
By Jimmie Allen
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