North Texas Names Chris Cosh As Defensive Coordinator

[Harry]

DENTON – North Texas head football coach Dan McCarney has announced the hiring of Chris Cosh as defensive coordinator.

Cosh comes to North Texas with a wealth of experience having served as a defensive coordinator for 16 of his 30 seasons in coaching, including time at Kansas State, Maryland, South Carolina, Michigan State and Illinois. Cosh spent the 2014 season as the defensive line coach at the University of Buffalo. He will replace John Skladany who retired at the end of the season.

“Chris has a tremendous blend of experience and success and comes highly recommended by some of the most respected football coaches at both the collegiate and professional levels,” McCarney said. “He has a proven track record as a coordinator and linebacker coach in the Big 10 Conference, the SEC and the Big 12 and his reputation as a tireless recruiter precedes him. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chris to the Mean Green family.”

Cosh, 55, was the defensive coordinator at South Florida in 2012 and in his one season in Tampa he helped produce two All-Big East defenders.

From 2009-11, Cosh was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State, where he helped rebuild the Wildcat defense culminating with a Cotton Bowl appearance in 2011. The Wildcats defense was ranked 37th in the nation in 2011 and produced three All-Big 12 performers, including Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Arthur Brown. The Wildcats finished the season with a 10-3 record.

In 2010 Cosh guided the Wildcat defense and saw true freshman Ty Zimmerman earn freshman All-America honors after recording 74 tackles, three interceptions, three PBUs and two fumble recoveries.

In 2009 under Cosh, K-State’s defense made tremendous strides, from 117th nationally in total defense in 2008 to No. 39 in 2009. The 2009 Wildcat defense yielded just 105.4 yards per game on the ground, which ranked 16th nationally, and surrendered 339.9 total yards per contest.

As defensive coordinator at Maryland, the Terrapins (7-5) ended the 2008 regular season 35th nationally in scoring defense (21.4 ppg) and were led by All-ACC performers Alex Wujciak at linebacker and Jeremy Navarre on the defensive line.

In 2007, the Terrapin defense was highlighted by first-team All-ACC performers Erin Henderson and Dre Moore. Henderson led the league in tackles from his weakside linebacker spot, while Moore, a defensive tackle, went on to become a fourth-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in the 2008 NFL Draft.. Cosh’s defense ended the year at No. 24 nationally in scoring defense (21.5 ppg) and No. 33 in pass defense.

In 2006, Cosh was responsible for a unit that contributed to the school’s first nine-win season since 2003 and a victory in the Champs Sports Bowl. The Terps defense held the opposition to an average of 21.8 points per game. Under Cosh’s leadership, the defense marked breakout performances by cornerback Josh Wilson and Henderson, who each earned All-ACC honors. Wilson went on to become a second-round choice of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Prior to his stint at Maryland, Cosh made his first stop at Kansas State for two seasons, 2004-05, under head coach Bill Snyder as linebackers coach. The Wildcat defense ranked 30th nationally in 2005 allowing an average of 128.9 rushing yards per game. Junior linebacker Brandon Archer was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2005, an accolade which came a year after Cosh helped coach the newcomer to second-team honors in his first year as a starter.

In the five years prior to his first stop in Manhattan, Cosh served under Lou Holtz as linebackers coach (1999-2002) and defensive coordinator (2003) at South Carolina.

While at South Carolina, he helped produce some of the Southeastern Conference’s top linebackers, including Kalimba Edwards (two-time first team all-league, Butkus and Lombardi Awards finalist in 2001). His resume as a position coach also includes tutoring New York Jets’ first-round pick and Pro Bowler John Abraham (1999) and freshman All-American Lance Laury (2002). During his time in Columbia, S.C., the Gamecocks won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history.

Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121714aaa.html

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[NorthTexan95]

Say "Coach Cosh" ten times as fast as you can.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Say "Coach Cosh" ten times as fast as you can.

Or "Coach Chris Cosh" just two times.

[MeanGreenZen]

Oh no! This dude was the DC at Kansas State when Lance Dunbar rushed for 270 yards against them. Hope opposing RBs don't carve us up like that!

[eulessismore]

Oh no! This dude was the DC at Kansas State when Lance Dunbar rushed for 270 yards against them. Hope opposing RBs don't carve us up like that!

Dude, Dunbar was playing out of his mind that day. If I recall, Dunbar WAS our offense that day. I'm not sure we had a healthy scholarship quarterback by that point. But, the whole day was just a foot race, and a day that defensive coaches all want to forget. When are we getting Kansas State in Denton again?

[UNT90]

Dude, Dunbar was playing out of his mind that day. If I recall, Dunbar WAS our offense that day. I'm not sure we had a healthy scholarship quarterback by that point. But, the whole day was just a foot race, and a day that defensive coaches all want to forget. When are we getting Kansas State in Denton again?

Kansas St. was awful that year against the run. And not just against us. We really thought we had a chance before that game was played because they were so bad against the run.

Problem was, we were worse.

Doesn't mean anything about whether Cosh will be a good DC here or not, but lets not revise history to make ourselves feel better.

[TheFranchise]

Dude looks like he could pass as Gary Patterson's older brother.

[jdennis82]

Dude looks like he could pass as Gary Patterson's older brother.

Maybe that's the strategy. Get a kid to sign before he realizes he'll be in CUSA instead of the Big12?

[greenminer]

Dude, Dunbar was playing out of his mind that day. If I recall, Dunbar WAS our offense that day. I'm not sure we had a healthy scholarship quarterback by that point. But, the whole day was just a foot race, and a day that defensive coaches all want to forget. When are we getting Kansas State in Denton again?

Dunbar had a fantastic day. But it looks like Kansas State's D that year is nothing to write home about...

http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense/sort/totalYards/year/2010