Paul Rhoads
Encyclopedia
Paul Rhoads is an American
college football
head coach at Iowa State University
. Rhoads was formerly the defensive coordinator
and defensive backs coach of the Auburn University
football team
before then-head coach Tommy Tuberville
was forced to resign at the 2008 season's end. Rhoads filled the vacancy at Iowa State created by another former Auburn defensive coordinator, Gene Chizik
, who left after two seasons at Iowa State to take the open job at Auburn.
Rhoads took over an Iowa State team that won only five games in previous two seasons (three in 2007 and two in 2008).
before lettering for three-years at Missouri Western State University
from 1986 to 1988, where he played defensive back
. He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in economics and was the recipient of the Chris Faros Scholarship, honoring the program's top senior student-athlete. Rhoads then earned a master's degree from Utah State University
in 1991.
as a graduate assistant at Utah State
working with the secondary. After serving in the same capacity under John Cooper at Ohio State
, Rhoads received his first full time position as a defensive backs coach at University of the Pacific in 1992. The following season, the Pacific Tigers ranked 20th nationally in pass defense, allowing just 152 yards passing per game.
In 1995, incoming head coach Dan McCarney
hired Rhoads to join him at Iowa State
, where he served as linebackers and secondary coach for 5 seasons. While with the Cyclones
, Rhoads also assisted with the special teams.
for the Pittsburgh Panthers
by Walt Harris
. In his first season, Rhoads was credited with improving the team's defense to their best performance since 1980. In 2001, his defensive unit ranked among the nation's top 30 in five different categories at season's end. Additionally, Pitt finished with 38 quarterback sacks. In 2002, the Panthers defense ranked among the nation's top 25 in an impressive seven different categories. In 2004, Pitt ranked ninth nationally with 17 interceptions and Rhoads was kept on staff by new head coach Dave Wannstedt
. That decision proved wise as by then end of the 2005 season, Pitt was ranked second nationally in pass defense (yielding just 152.82 yards per game) and sixth in pass efficiency defense with a 99.36 rating. In 2006, Sporting News named Rhoads the Big East's best defensive coordinator. In 2007, Rhoads' defense was among the nation's leaders in various categories, finishing fifth nationally in total defense (allowing just 297.7 yards per games) and third nationally in pass defense (allowing just 167.3 yards per game). While the team finished 5–7, they ended on a high note by holding then-#2 ranked rival West Virginia
to a season-low nine points in a 13-9 victory in the Backyard Brawl
, limiting the Mountaineers high-powered offense to 183 yards (292 yards below their average).
offered Rhoads a job to fill a vacant spot for defensive coordinator at Auburn
. Having completed only his second season at Pitt, Rhoads passed on the job with Tuberville eventually hiring Gene Chizik
. However, when Will Muschamp
resigned at the conclusion of the 2007 season, coach Tuberville again offered the job with Rhoads accepting to head the 2008 Tigers
defense on January 17, 2008. As head of Auburn's defense, Rhoads also coached defensive backs, as did the Tigers
' last four defensive coordinators.
While the 2008 Auburn defense started exceptionally (ranking in the top25 nationally in 6 defensive categories after week 6, including the 2nd ranked scoring defense), the Tigers struggled down the stretch finishing 5-7. The highly touted defense fell to an overall defensive ranking of 27th out of 119 Division I FBS squads, but did finish 15th in scoring.
at Auburn, Gene Chizik
(then head coach at Iowa State) returned to Auburn as head coach. Rhoads was not retained by the new head coach and was subsequently chosen to replace Chizik as head coach at Iowa State. Rhoads was introduced as the 31st head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones
on December 20, 2008. Rhoads had previously spent time at Iowa State as an assistant coach in the late nineties and was raised only 20 miles from the school's football facilities. His contract was reported to be a 5-year deal worth $5.75 million and includes incentives that could increase his salary. Rhoads opened his ISU career with a win over FCS North Dakota State. He also led Iowa State to a victory at Kent State in his first year, ending a 17 game road losing streak. On October 17, 2009, Rhoads and the Cyclones defeated Baylor to end an 11 game losing stretch against conference opponents. On October 24, 2009, the Cyclones defeated the University of Nebraska in Lincoln
for the first time since 1977, inciting his post game speech which became nationally recognized. Paul Rhoads is the first Iowa State coach to win six games in his initial season since 1915, when Charles Mayser coached the Cyclones to a 6–2–1 record.
On December 31, 2009, Paul Rhoads and the Cyclones capped off their season with an Insight Bowl
victory over the University of Minnesota
.
In 2010, Rhoads captured a milestone win over the #22 Texas Longhorns by a 28–21 margin. It was only the fourth ever road win over a ranked team in Iowa State history, and the first occurrence since a 33–31 victory over Oklahoma in 1990. It was also the first ever win by an Iowa State football team over Texas.
In 2011, Iowa State started off the season 3-0 including a triple overtime win over Iowa in Ames, and a win over Connecticut in East Hartford. The Cyclones would drop the next four games, starting out 0-4 in conference play but quickly bounced back. The Cyclones rebounded with a 41-7 win on October 29th at No. 19 Texas Tech. In the process of that game, Iowa State managed to rack up 512 total yards, the most since the Nov. 22nd, 2008 game at Kansas State (626 yards at KSU). Several other school records were broken, including first-ever win in Lubbock, Texas (1-5 all-time), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent (previous: 22-point margin of victory against No. 20 Nebraska, 2002), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent as an unranked team (previous: 21-point margin of victory against No. 8 Missouri, 1981), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent on the road (previous: 7-point margin of victory at No. 22 Texas, 2010), and most points scored against a ranked opponent since Nov. 9, 1996 (42 at No. 7 Colorado).
On November 18, Iowa State faced off against undefeated No. 2 Oklahoma State, Heisman frontrunner Brandon Weeden, and star wide receiver Justin Blackmon in Ames. Down 24-7 early in the second half, Iowa State came back with 17 unanswered points to force overtime. In overtime, Iowa State scored on its first play from scrimmage, but Oklahoma State answered back with one. In the second overtime, Iowa State forced an interception and ran three run plays to beat Oklahoma State 37-31, smashing Oklahoma State's chances of playing for a national championship and Brandon Weeden's Heisman shot. Iowa State became bowl eligible with the win and improved to 6-4. The win over Oklahoma State marks Iowa State's first ever win against an opponent in the top 6 (AP polls).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
head coach at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. Rhoads was formerly the defensive coordinator
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...
and defensive backs coach of the Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
football team
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
before then-head coach Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
was forced to resign at the 2008 season's end. Rhoads filled the vacancy at Iowa State created by another former Auburn defensive coordinator, Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
, who left after two seasons at Iowa State to take the open job at Auburn.
Rhoads took over an Iowa State team that won only five games in previous two seasons (three in 2007 and two in 2008).
Playing career
Rhoads was a prep special mention all-state free safety and valedictorian of his high school class at Ankeny, IowaAnkeny, Iowa
Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 45,562 in the 2010 census, an increase of 68% from the 27,117 population in the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
before lettering for three-years at Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University is a public, co-educational university located in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The school enrolls 6,010 undergraduate students and 124 graduate students.-History:...
from 1986 to 1988, where he played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in economics and was the recipient of the Chris Faros Scholarship, honoring the program's top senior student-athlete. Rhoads then earned a master's degree from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
in 1991.
Coaching career
Rhoads began his coaching career under Chuck SheltonChuck Shelton
-External links:* *...
as a graduate assistant at Utah State
Utah State Aggies
The Utah State Aggies are the athletics teams of Utah State University. The school fields men's varsity teams in basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and track and field. Women's varsity teams include basketball, cross country, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field,...
working with the secondary. After serving in the same capacity under John Cooper 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...
, Rhoads received his first full time position as a defensive backs coach at University of the Pacific in 1992. The following season, the Pacific Tigers ranked 20th nationally in pass defense, allowing just 152 yards passing per game.
In 1995, incoming head coach Dan McCarney
Dan McCarney
-External links:* * * * *...
hired Rhoads to join him at Iowa State
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, where he served as linebackers and secondary coach for 5 seasons. While with the Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
, Rhoads also assisted with the special teams.
Pittsburgh Panthers
In 2000, Rhoads was hired as the defensive coordinatorDefensive 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 Pittsburgh Panthers
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...
by Walt Harris
Walt Harris
Walt Harris is a former American football player and coach in the United States. Harris served as the head football coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California from 1989 to 1991, the University of Pittsburgh from 1997 to 2004, and at Stanford University from 2005 to 2006,...
. In his first season, Rhoads was credited with improving the team's defense to their best performance since 1980. In 2001, his defensive unit ranked among the nation's top 30 in five different categories at season's end. Additionally, Pitt finished with 38 quarterback sacks. In 2002, the Panthers defense ranked among the nation's top 25 in an impressive seven different categories. In 2004, Pitt ranked ninth nationally with 17 interceptions and Rhoads was kept on staff by new head coach Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt is current Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He was most recently head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team, a position he held for six seasons. Wannstedt is also the former head coach of the Miami...
. That decision proved wise as by then end of the 2005 season, Pitt was ranked second nationally in pass defense (yielding just 152.82 yards per game) and sixth in pass efficiency defense with a 99.36 rating. In 2006, Sporting News named Rhoads the Big East's best defensive coordinator. In 2007, Rhoads' defense was among the nation's leaders in various categories, finishing fifth nationally in total defense (allowing just 297.7 yards per games) and third nationally in pass defense (allowing just 167.3 yards per game). While the team finished 5–7, they ended on a high note by holding then-#2 ranked rival West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
to a season-low nine points in a 13-9 victory in the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
, limiting the Mountaineers high-powered offense to 183 yards (292 yards below their average).
Auburn Tigers
In 2002, coach Tommy TubervilleTommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
offered Rhoads a job to fill a vacant spot for defensive coordinator at Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. Having completed only his second season at Pitt, Rhoads passed on the job with Tuberville eventually hiring Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
. However, when Will Muschamp
Will Muschamp
William Larry "Will" Muschamp is an American college football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida. He is a native of Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, where he played for the Georgia Bulldogs...
resigned at the conclusion of the 2007 season, coach Tuberville again offered the job with Rhoads accepting to head the 2008 Tigers
2008 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2008 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Tommy Tuberville served his tenth season as head coach at Auburn...
defense on January 17, 2008. As head of Auburn's defense, Rhoads also coached defensive backs, as did the Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
' last four defensive coordinators.
While the 2008 Auburn defense started exceptionally (ranking in the top25 nationally in 6 defensive categories after week 6, including the 2nd ranked scoring defense), the Tigers struggled down the stretch finishing 5-7. The highly touted defense fell to an overall defensive ranking of 27th out of 119 Division I FBS squads, but did finish 15th in scoring.
Iowa State Cyclones
Following the departure of Tommy TubervilleTommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
at Auburn, Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
(then head coach at Iowa State) returned to Auburn as head coach. Rhoads was not retained by the new head coach and was subsequently chosen to replace Chizik as head coach at Iowa State. Rhoads was introduced as the 31st head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones
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...
on December 20, 2008. Rhoads had previously spent time at Iowa State as an assistant coach in the late nineties and was raised only 20 miles from the school's football facilities. His contract was reported to be a 5-year deal worth $5.75 million and includes incentives that could increase his salary. Rhoads opened his ISU career with a win over FCS North Dakota State. He also led Iowa State to a victory at Kent State in his first year, ending a 17 game road losing streak. On October 17, 2009, Rhoads and the Cyclones defeated Baylor to end an 11 game losing stretch against conference opponents. On October 24, 2009, the Cyclones defeated the University of Nebraska in Lincoln
Lincoln
Lincoln commonly refers to:* Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States* Lincoln, England* Lincoln, Nebraska, the state's capital* Lincoln , a luxury brand of the Ford Motor Company* Lincoln , people with the surname Lincoln...
for the first time since 1977, inciting his post game speech which became nationally recognized. Paul Rhoads is the first Iowa State coach to win six games in his initial season since 1915, when Charles Mayser coached the Cyclones to a 6–2–1 record.
On December 31, 2009, Paul Rhoads and the Cyclones capped off their season with an Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
victory over the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
.
In 2010, Rhoads captured a milestone win over the #22 Texas Longhorns by a 28–21 margin. It was only the fourth ever road win over a ranked team in Iowa State history, and the first occurrence since a 33–31 victory over Oklahoma in 1990. It was also the first ever win by an Iowa State football team over Texas.
In 2011, Iowa State started off the season 3-0 including a triple overtime win over Iowa in Ames, and a win over Connecticut in East Hartford. The Cyclones would drop the next four games, starting out 0-4 in conference play but quickly bounced back. The Cyclones rebounded with a 41-7 win on October 29th at No. 19 Texas Tech. In the process of that game, Iowa State managed to rack up 512 total yards, the most since the Nov. 22nd, 2008 game at Kansas State (626 yards at KSU). Several other school records were broken, including first-ever win in Lubbock, Texas (1-5 all-time), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent (previous: 22-point margin of victory against No. 20 Nebraska, 2002), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent as an unranked team (previous: 21-point margin of victory against No. 8 Missouri, 1981), largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent on the road (previous: 7-point margin of victory at No. 22 Texas, 2010), and most points scored against a ranked opponent since Nov. 9, 1996 (42 at No. 7 Colorado).
On November 18, Iowa State faced off against undefeated No. 2 Oklahoma State, Heisman frontrunner Brandon Weeden, and star wide receiver Justin Blackmon in Ames. Down 24-7 early in the second half, Iowa State came back with 17 unanswered points to force overtime. In overtime, Iowa State scored on its first play from scrimmage, but Oklahoma State answered back with one. In the second overtime, Iowa State forced an interception and ran three run plays to beat Oklahoma State 37-31, smashing Oklahoma State's chances of playing for a national championship and Brandon Weeden's Heisman shot. Iowa State became bowl eligible with the win and improved to 6-4. The win over Oklahoma State marks Iowa State's first ever win against an opponent in the top 6 (AP polls).