Football
- Title:
- Defensive Line
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Chris Wilson, whose 22-year collegiate coaching career has included handling the defensive line at Oklahoma, Colorado, Mississippi State and Georgia, is in his second year (2014-15) at USC at the defensive line coach. He joined the USC staff in January of 2014. In 2014, defensive end Leonard Williams made All-American first team and All-Pac-12 first team, and he was the sixth pick of the NFL draft. USC played in the 2014 Holiday Bowl. Wilson, 46, spent 2013 as Georgia's defensive line coach. The Bulldogs, who played in the 2014 Gator Bowl, were 28th nationally in sacks in 2014. He spent the previous 3 seasons (2010-12) at Mississippi State handling the defensive line. He also was the Bulldogs' co-defensive coordinator in 2010 before becoming defensive coordinator the final 2 years. In 2010, MSU was 15th nationally in rushing defense and 17th in tackles for a loss. The Bulldogs improved in 7 defensive statistical categories in 2011, including ranking 16th nationally in scoring defense (19.7), tied for eighth in fumble recoveries and tied for 14th in interceptions. Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox was a 2011 All-American and an NFL first round draft pick. MSU played in the 2011 and 2013 Gator Bowls and 2011 Music City Bowl. Wilson came to Mississippi State after 5 seasons (2005-09) coaching the defensive ends at Oklahoma, his alma mater. He also was the special teams coordinator the final 3 years there. The Sooners led the Big 12 in sacks in 2007 and then in 2009 they were eighth nationally in rushing defense and total defense and seventh in scoring defense. Oklahoma played in the 2005 Holiday Bowl, 2007 and 2008 Fiesta Bowls, 2009 BCS Championship Game and 2009 Sun Bowl. Before that, he was Colorado's defensive line coach for 5 years (2000-04). The Buffaloes won 3 Big 12 North titles during that time and were 15thnationally in sacks in 2004. Colorado played in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, 2002 Alamo Bowl and 2004 Houston Bowl. He was the defensive line coach at Illinois State for 2 seasons (1998-99), with the Redbirds' winning the Gateway Conference title and advancing to the NCAA Division I-AA semifinals in 1999. He then handled the same duty in the spring of 2000 at Army before going to Colorado. He began his coaching career in 1993 as a graduate assistant at Indiana State, then became the Sycamores' linebackers coach in 1994. He handled the outside linebackers at Northern Illinois in 1995, then was the defensive line coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College in 1996 before returning to Indiana State in 1997 as the outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. He had NFL minority internships with the Dallas Cowboys (1995), Arizona Cardinals (1997) and Miami Dolphins (1998). He was a 4-year (1988-91) letterman linebacker at Oklahoma, recording 303 career tackles. He twice was named team captain. He was a member of Sooners' squads that played in the 1989 Citrus Bowl and 1991 Gator Bowl. He was a 12th round NFL Draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1992. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Oklahoma in 1992. He starred in football and track at Richardson (Tex.) High. He was born on Jan. 8, 1969. He and his wife, Tina, have a son, Caleb, 18, and a daughter, Colby, 14. WILSON SNAPSHOT BIRTHDAY: Jan. 8, 1969 FAMILY: Wife, Tina; Son, Caleb, 18; Daughter, Colby, 14 HIGH SCHOOL: Richardson (Tex.) HS EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, communications, Oklahoma, 1992 PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Richardson (Tex.) HS Oklahoma, linebacker, 1988-91 COACHING EXPERIENCE: 22 years
NFL STARS:Â Fletcher Cox, Leonard Williams |
