Purdue announces defensive staff structure
Purdue re-made its defensive staff in the offseason, as Jeff Brohm brought in four new coaches. Today, Brohm announced how the staff will be structured.
• Brad Lambert, Co-DC/Linebackers
• Ron English, Co-DC/Secondary
• Mark Hagen, Co-DC/Defensive line
• James Adams, Cornerbacks
• Marty Biagi, Special teams coordinator/linebackers
“I am really looking forward to working with this group in 2021,” Brohm said in a statement. “When we brought these coaches together, it was our goal is to have a collaborative process where the entire staff contributes to the development of our defensive philosophy and scheme. We believe this structure fits that theme.”
Brohm said Lambert will be the one who calls the defense, but he will collaborate with Hagen and English in forming a game plan. Brohm wouldn't say where Lambert will be positioned on game days: The press box or sideline.
Lambert was tabbed in January to be co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after working at Marshall the last two years as coordinator. Prior to that, the 56-year-old Lambert was the first ever head coach at Charlotte, going 22-48 from 2011-18. He also has been a coordinator at Wake Forest.
English was hired in the offseason in January as Purdue's cornerbacks coach after spending the previous three seasons as safeties coach at Florida. He will now co-cooradinate and work with the secondary. The 53-year-old English has head coaching experience, leading Eastern Michigan from 2009-13 and going 11-46. English also has extensive experience as a coordinator, running defenses at Michigan, Louisville and San Jose State.
Hagen was brought in to coach the line in January and has added a co-coordinator title. He previously coached at Purdue from 2000-10. Hagen was at Texas in 2020 and also has coached at Northern Illinois, Indiana and Texas A&M. Hagan was a co-coordinator in his second stint at IU (2015-18).
In April, Purdue added Adams from Navy, but the hire never was announced--until today. Adams will coach cornerbacks. He also has coached at Western Michigan (2019) and at Charlotte, where he worked as defensive backs and special teams coach for Lambert.
Biagi was hired prior to the 2020 season and his role remains unchanged, as he'll again run special teams and help with the linebackers.
Brohm also announced recruiting and graduate assistant positions:
• Nate Dennison, Director of Recruiting
• Tyson Street, Associate Director of Recruiting
• Justin Sinz, Assistant Director of Recruiting
• TJ McCollum, Recruiting Associate
• Jontavius Morris, Recruiting Associate
Mason Petrino and former Purdue running back DJ Knox will serve as graduate assistant coaches in the 2021 season.Petrino is the son of Idaho head coach Paul Petrino and the nephew of Missouri State coach Bobby Petrino.
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