Rick was Jesse’s biggest coaching influence growing up and helped him get his foot in the door early in his coaching career. Now Jesse continues to utilize his father’s knowledge and experience on his staff.
Rick, 71, has nearly 50 years of coaching experience, including a decade as the head coach at the University of Cincinnati (1994-2003) and as a defensive coordinator at eight different places.
Rick and Jesse started working together at Notre Dame in 2006, when Rick was the defensive coordinator. They coached linebackers together at Indiana State in 2010, one year before Rick recommended his son for his first defensive coordinator job.
They reunited at Georgia State in 2016, for the first time with Jesse as Rick’s boss as the defensive coordinator and Rick as his defensive line coach.
“It was a role reversal,” Rick said. “I got to see him in a true leadership role. I started to see how he put things together, how he analyzes the game.
“It’s very impressive how he’s able to break down an opposing offense, put together a workable plan, get the players to buy in. He’s done that at Michigan, he’s done it with the Chargers, but he’s been doing it for a long time.”