Larry Coyer
Encyclopedia
Larry Coyer is the former defensive coordinator
for the National Football League
's Indianapolis Colts
. Prior to holding this position, he was the Assistant head coach
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and Defensive Coordinator for the Denver Broncos
.
. He and his wife, Jan, make their home in INDIANAPOLIS]. Larry's marriage to Jan ended briefly in the 1980s, and he moved to California and had a son, Justin. Larry remarried Jan.
Larry and Jan's son, Matt, was a member of an NCAA Champion soccer team at Indiana University. Matt is also the JV coach of the boys soccer team at Park Tudor High School. He and his wife Kristin are the parents of 9-year-old Rachel and 6-year-old Ryan. Larry'S son, Justin, was an Iowa
all-state football player in high school.
A 1964 graduate of Marshall University
, Coyer is a member of the Football Hall of Fame at Marshall for his achievements as a player. He began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1965 as secondary coach, a position he maintained through 1967. An additional coaching stint came at the acclaimed Massillon (Ohio) High School, where NFL Legend Paul Brown once coached.
Coyer's defense consistently has ranked among the NFL's most productive during his three seasons as the Broncos' defensive coordinator and has helped the club advance to the playoffs each year. The Broncos have placed in the league's top-7 in run defense in every year under Coyer and have allowed an average of 93.3 rushing yards per game since 2003 to rank second in the NFL during that period.
Denver also has ranked among the league's best teams in overall defense under Coyer, posting consecutive top-4 NFL rankings in yards-per-game allowed from 2003–04 and placing fourth in the league (289.5 ypg.) in that category since 2003. In addition, the Broncos have surrendered an average of 18.0 points per game since 2003 to rank fifth in the NFL in scoring defense with Coyer at the helm. Coyer's defense was instrumental in the Broncos going 13-3 in 2005 and advancing to the AFC Championship Game. Denver, which sent cornerback Champ Bailey, safety John Lynch and linebacker Al Wilson to the Pro Bowl, ranked second in the NFL in run defense (85.2 ypg.) and posted the thirdbest such mark in franchise history. The Broncos allowed only 16.1 points per game to tie for third in the NFL and surrendered a total of 37 points in their final four games (9.3 ppg.) en route to capturing the AFC West title.
Coyer began his Broncos coaching career as their linebackers coach from 2000-02. In Coyer's first year instructing Denver's linebackers in 2000, John Mobley and fellow linebacker Bill Romanowski finished first and second on the team in tackles (133 and 121) while Wilson ranked fourth (104).
Coyer wasted no time in making a positive impact in his first year as the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2003. Denver's defense allowed an average of only 277.1 yards per game under Coyer's direction to rank fourth in the NFL and help the team to its first postseason berth since 2000. Coyer, who also instructed the team's linebackers, worked closely with Wilson during his Pro Bowl season that saw him lead the Broncos in tackles (128) for the second consecutive year.
In 2004, Coyer's defense featured two Pro Bowl selections in Lynch and Bailey, who also earned the first All-Pro nomination of his career after joining the Broncos in an offseason trade. Coyer aided in the development of rookie linebacker D.J. Williams, who became only the second Broncos rookie and the first in 32 years to lead the team in tackles (114). Along the way, Williams was the only 2004 rookie to be named AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Wk. 16) and finished No. 3 in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
On January 8, 2007, Larry Coyer was released from the Denver Broncos after the 2006 season. His release was the result of a defensive meltdown in the second half of the season. On January 18, 2007 the Bucs hired him as their defensive line coach.
Coyer was also an outstanding player at Barboursville High School in Barboursville WV during the late 50's
(1983–84) and defensive coordinator with the Memphis Showboats
(1985–86). Coyer helped Michigan capture the inaugural USFL championship in 1983 with a win against Philadelphia in a game played at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
, where under his guidance the Pirates improved in virtually every defensive category. He also served as defensive backs coach at Ohio State
(1991–92), assistant head coach/defensive backs coach at Houston
(1990) and linebackers coach at UCLA
(1987–89). Coyer was also defensive coordinator at Memphis State (1986) Iowa State
(1979–82), Oklahoma State
(1978) and Iowa
(1974–77) after serving as defensive backs coach at Bowling Green
(1968–73).
Before his stint at Pittsburgh, Coyer was defensive coordinator at Iowa State University for two seasons (1995–96). That post was preceded by a one-year assignment as defensive line coach for the New York Jets in 1994.
While at Pitt
(1997–99) as its defensive coordinator, Coyer directed a defensive unit that showed significant improvement each season, culminating in a 1999 showing that included top-5 rankings in the Big East Conference
in all major defensive statistical categories. Two of his standouts, safety Ramon Walker and defensive lineman Demond Gibson, earned All-Big East Conference honors that season. In 1998, the Panthers ranked third in the Big East in total defense, and over the course of the 1997-98 seasons, the unit amassed 62 sacks, the highest two-season total at Pittsburgh since 1990-91.
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. Prior to holding this position, he was the Assistant head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and Defensive Coordinator for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Private life
Coyer was born in Huntington, West VirginiaHuntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
. He and his wife, Jan, make their home in INDIANAPOLIS]. Larry's marriage to Jan ended briefly in the 1980s, and he moved to California and had a son, Justin. Larry remarried Jan.
Larry and Jan's son, Matt, was a member of an NCAA Champion soccer team at Indiana University. Matt is also the JV coach of the boys soccer team at Park Tudor High School. He and his wife Kristin are the parents of 9-year-old Rachel and 6-year-old Ryan. Larry'S son, Justin, was an Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
all-state football player in high school.
A 1964 graduate of Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, Coyer is a member of the Football Hall of Fame at Marshall for his achievements as a player. He began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1965 as secondary coach, a position he maintained through 1967. An additional coaching stint came at the acclaimed Massillon (Ohio) High School, where NFL Legend Paul Brown once coached.
Denver Broncos
Larry Coyer entered his seventh season on the Denver Broncos' coaching staff in 2006 and his fourth in the role of defensive coordinator. In his 42nd year of coaching on either the collegiate or professional level, Coyer began his Broncos coaching career as the club's linebackers coach from 2000-02 before he was promoted to defensive coordinator.Coyer's defense consistently has ranked among the NFL's most productive during his three seasons as the Broncos' defensive coordinator and has helped the club advance to the playoffs each year. The Broncos have placed in the league's top-7 in run defense in every year under Coyer and have allowed an average of 93.3 rushing yards per game since 2003 to rank second in the NFL during that period.
Denver also has ranked among the league's best teams in overall defense under Coyer, posting consecutive top-4 NFL rankings in yards-per-game allowed from 2003–04 and placing fourth in the league (289.5 ypg.) in that category since 2003. In addition, the Broncos have surrendered an average of 18.0 points per game since 2003 to rank fifth in the NFL in scoring defense with Coyer at the helm. Coyer's defense was instrumental in the Broncos going 13-3 in 2005 and advancing to the AFC Championship Game. Denver, which sent cornerback Champ Bailey, safety John Lynch and linebacker Al Wilson to the Pro Bowl, ranked second in the NFL in run defense (85.2 ypg.) and posted the thirdbest such mark in franchise history. The Broncos allowed only 16.1 points per game to tie for third in the NFL and surrendered a total of 37 points in their final four games (9.3 ppg.) en route to capturing the AFC West title.
Coyer began his Broncos coaching career as their linebackers coach from 2000-02. In Coyer's first year instructing Denver's linebackers in 2000, John Mobley and fellow linebacker Bill Romanowski finished first and second on the team in tackles (133 and 121) while Wilson ranked fourth (104).
Coyer wasted no time in making a positive impact in his first year as the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2003. Denver's defense allowed an average of only 277.1 yards per game under Coyer's direction to rank fourth in the NFL and help the team to its first postseason berth since 2000. Coyer, who also instructed the team's linebackers, worked closely with Wilson during his Pro Bowl season that saw him lead the Broncos in tackles (128) for the second consecutive year.
In 2004, Coyer's defense featured two Pro Bowl selections in Lynch and Bailey, who also earned the first All-Pro nomination of his career after joining the Broncos in an offseason trade. Coyer aided in the development of rookie linebacker D.J. Williams, who became only the second Broncos rookie and the first in 32 years to lead the team in tackles (114). Along the way, Williams was the only 2004 rookie to be named AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Wk. 16) and finished No. 3 in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
On January 8, 2007, Larry Coyer was released from the Denver Broncos after the 2006 season. His release was the result of a defensive meltdown in the second half of the season. On January 18, 2007 the Bucs hired him as their defensive line coach.
Coyer was also an outstanding player at Barboursville High School in Barboursville WV during the late 50's
USFL coaching
Coyer's other professional coaching experience came in the United States Football League as linebackers coach with the Michigan PanthersMichigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
(1983–84) and defensive coordinator with the Memphis Showboats
Memphis Showboats
The Memphis Showboats were a franchise in the United States Football League. They entered the league in its expansion in 1984 and made the 1985 playoffs, losing in the semifinal round to the Oakland Invaders...
(1985–86). Coyer helped Michigan capture the inaugural USFL championship in 1983 with a win against Philadelphia in a game played at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
NCAA coaching
Coyer was the defensive coordinator in 1993 at East CarolinaEast Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
, where under his guidance the Pirates improved in virtually every defensive category. He also served as defensive backs coach at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
(1991–92), assistant head coach/defensive backs coach at Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
(1990) and linebackers coach at UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
(1987–89). Coyer was also defensive coordinator at Memphis State (1986) Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
(1979–82), Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
(1978) and Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
(1974–77) after serving as defensive backs coach at Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
(1968–73).
Before his stint at Pittsburgh, Coyer was defensive coordinator at Iowa State University for two seasons (1995–96). That post was preceded by a one-year assignment as defensive line coach for the New York Jets in 1994.
While at Pitt
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
(1997–99) as its defensive coordinator, Coyer directed a defensive unit that showed significant improvement each season, culminating in a 1999 showing that included top-5 rankings in the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
in all major defensive statistical categories. Two of his standouts, safety Ramon Walker and defensive lineman Demond Gibson, earned All-Big East Conference honors that season. In 1998, the Panthers ranked third in the Big East in total defense, and over the course of the 1997-98 seasons, the unit amassed 62 sacks, the highest two-season total at Pittsburgh since 1990-91.