Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Announces Assistant Coaching Staff
3/2/2010 7:00:00 AM | Football
March 2, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The 2010 Bucknell football coaching staff is now complete. On Tuesday, new Bison head coach Joe Susan announced the eight members of his first staff, including offensive coordinator Bryan Bossard, defensive coordinator Clayton Carlin and returning coaches Mike O'Connor and R.D. Montgomery. Additionally, former Bison player Matt Borich, Valparaiso co-offensive coordinator Chip Taylor, Ohio State grad assistant Chad Rogosheske and former Cornell assistant Ross Pennypacker have joined Susan's staff.
"I feel very fortunate to have these guys here with me," said Susan, who was hired as Bucknell's 26th head coach in late January. "They bring a lot of experience and will serve as role models to our players both on and off the field. I know they will do a great job teaching our players."
Bossard will take over duties as the offensive coordinator, and will also coach the wide receivers and running backs. Last year O'Connor mentored the defensive line, but this year he will coach the quarterbacks, a position he played in college, and share running back duties with Bossard. Rogosheske will also be involved on offense, coaching the offensive line, while Montgomery will oversee the tight ends.
In addition to his duties as defensive coordinator, Carlin will coach the linebackers. Borich (defensive line), Taylor (cornerbacks/special teams) and Pennypacker (safeties) will also concentrate their efforts on the defensive side of the ball.
Bryan Bossard
Like Susan, Bossard is a graduate of Delaware and a former Bucknell assistant, having played for the Blue Hens from 1985-88 and coached the Bison in 1992 and 1993. At Delaware, he was a three-time letterwinner and was voted the team's defensive MVP as a senior, when he was also a second-team all-conference selection and piled up 122 tackles.
Recently, Bossard has been on the staffs at Pittsburgh (2008-09) and Maryland (2005-07). At both places, he coached the wide receivers and returners, while also recruiting in the Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C., areas.
While with the Panthers, Bossard worked under former NFL coach Dave Wannstedt. Bossard had previously worked for Wannstedt in a pair of NFL summer coaching internships with the Chicago Bears in 1996-97. Pittsburgh posted a solid 19-7 record and appeared in a pair of bowl games during Bossard's tenure.
Two receivers Bossard coached were selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey was a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders, while Pittsburgh's Derek Kinder was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round. Heyward-Bey was a Freshman All-American under Bossard's watch in 2006. A year later he also helped Terps wideout LaQuan Williams earn Freshman All-America accolades.
Prior to his time at Maryland, Bossard spent three years coaching the receivers and returners at his alma mater. He helped lead the Blue Hens to the 2003 Division I-AA national title with a 15-1 mark. During that championship season, Delaware had three different receivers catch 50 passes or more. Bossard was also a member of the Blue Hens' coaching staff from 1994-98 in the same capacity, helping Delaware to three consecutive national semifinal appearances.
Bossard broke into the collegiate coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at Delaware. He then coached defensive backs at Morehouse College (1991) and West Chester University (spring 1992), before arriving at Bucknell for a two-year stint in Lewisburg, where he worked with the defensive backs and returners.
In 1999, Bossard coached the receivers at Army before moving on to a defensive back coaching position at Wyoming during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Bossard's degree from Delaware is in agricultural business management.
Clayton Carlin
Carlin, a 1987 graduate of Juniata College, returns to Pennsylvania after a number of stops at both the FCS and FBS levels. For the last six years he was an assistant coach at Ivy League institution Cornell. During that span he served two stints at defensive coordinator, covering four seasons. In his first year (2004) the Big Red finished seventh nationally in rush defense and 13th nationally in scoring defense (18.1 ppg). After a two-year tenure as the team's offensive coordinator, Carlin returned to the defensive side of the ball and was once again responsible for defensive play calling and game planning.
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While Carlin was Cornell's offensive coordinator, the Big Red ranked 10th nationally in rushing (2005), had two 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in program history and averaged better than 27 points per game (2005), the best at Cornell in more than 50 years.
Prior to Cornell, Carlin spent one year as the special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and safeties coach at New Mexico State. It was his second stint with the Aggies, having also been wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator from 1997-99.
In between his stays at New Mexico State, Carlin spent one year as defensive backs coach at Villanova and two at Buffalo.
Carlin got his start at the Division I level as a graduate assistant at Nebraska under legendary coach Tom Osborne from 1994-96. During that span the Cornhuskers went 36-2 and won two national titles.
Following his graduation from Juniata with a degree in communications, Carlin, who also has a master's degree in educational administration from Nebraska, was a head coach at St. Joseph's Prep High School in Philadelphia, Pa., for four years. His first foray into college coaching came at Delaware Valley College, where he was the defensive backs coach in 1992 and 1993.
Matt Borich
A standout defensive lineman and linebacker at Bucknell from 1997 to 2000, Borich earned three varsity letters, received the Coaches Award for Leadership and was a member of Bucknell's class with the most wins in school history (29) during his time as a Bison. He totaled 62 tackles in 32 career games and graduated in May of 2001 with a degree in economics.
A native of nearby Winfield, Pa., who played football at Selinsgrove High School, Borich spent the last six years coaching the defensive line at Princeton. In addition to on-field coaching duties, he recruited student-athletes in 11 states, mainly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest.
No stranger to coaching in the Patriot League, Borich spent one year as a defensive line coach at Lafayette.
Borich broke into the coaching profession at Dickinson College. He was the outside linebackers coach at the Division III school in 2001 and 2002.
Chip Taylor
Taylor has spent six of the last seven years coaching at Valparaiso and has steadily moved up the staff, culminating in an appointment as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this past fall. In his only year in that role, Taylor helped the Crusaders improve upon their pass completion percentage, passing yards and touchdown passes from 2008.
Taylor got his start at Valparaiso as a graduate assistant in 2003. During his two-year stint coaching the wide receivers, Taylor was the main tutor for Second Team All-America wide receiver Rob Giancola, who broke 14 school records. Additionally, the Crusaders won the 2003 Pioneer League title and finished second in the nation in pass offense.
After a year (2005) as an assistant at Rose-Hulman, Taylor returned to Valparaiso and served as the squad's special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for three years. During that stint he helped the Crusaders block five kicks and rank among the nation's leaders in pass defense (13th), punt returns (19th) and turnover margin (21st).
A 2002 graduate of Illinois State with a degree in physical education, Taylor was a three-year letterwinner with the Redbirds football program. He was both a wide receiver and cornerback and served as the team's starting punt returner in 2001. Illinois State experienced plenty of success during Taylor's career as he played on the first playoff team in school history in 1998 and helped the 1999 squad win the conference championship and advance to the national semifinal game.
Taylor, who performed internships with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals the past two summers, owns a master's degree in sports administration from Valparaiso.
Chad Rogosheske
A veteran mentor with 12 years of college football coaching experience, Rogosheske comes to Bucknell after three years as a graduate assistant at Ohio State. During that span the Buckeyes won three Big Ten titles, competed in the Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl, and played in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
While at Ohio State, Rogosheske worked directly with the specialists, including long snappers, punters and kickers, coordinated the defensive scout team and assisted with the offensive line.
A native of Minneapolis, Minn., Rogosheske is a 1994 graduate of Columbia Heights High School, where he was an all-conference running back and also played hockey and tennis. After playing in the Minnesota high school all-star game, he played football at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., from 1994-97.
Rogosheske earned all-conference and academic all-conference honors as a senior running back at Hamline and played one year of collegiate hockey. He graduated cum laude in 1999 with a degree in social studies and physical education and an education certification.
Rogosheske began his coaching career at Hamline as a part-time running backs coach for three years while he taught middle school physical education. He then spent one year as the receivers coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, before returning to Hamline for five seasons. Rogosheske coached the running backs in 2002 and 2003, served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2004 and defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, his defense led the nation in turnovers, averaging 4.1 takeaways per game.
Ross Pennypacker
Like Carlin, Pennypacker comes to Bucknell from Cornell, having served as the cornerbacks coach for the Big Red the previous two seasons.
Prior to his stint at Cornell, Pennypacker was a grad assistant and assistant coach at Villanova for two years. His duties with the Wildcats included serving as the team's video coordinator and assisting with the defensive backs. Pennypacker also recruited the state of Ohio for the Wildcats. He helped Villanova to a 6-5 mark in 2006 and a 7-4 record in 2007 in the powerful Colonial Athletic Association.
Before arriving at Villanova, Pennypacker was an intern assistant coach at Allegheny College where he coached the outside linebackers. He also was responsible for recruiting in Pennsylvania during his one-year stint at Allegheny.
Pennypacker began his coaching career as a student assistant coach at Millersville University. While at Millersville, he assisted with coaching the outside linebackers and safeties.
During his playing days, Pennypacker played linebacker at Millersville, where he graduated from in 2005 with a degree in social sciences.
Mike O'Connor
One of two returning members from last year's staff is O'Connor, who like Susan, previously coached at Rutgers under former Bison football player Greg Schiano.
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O'Connor, who started his tenure at Rutgers in 2005 as a player development graduate assistant, will coach the defensive line at Bucknell. While with the Scarlet Knights, O'Connor tutored the defensive ends, linebackers and safeties. He also assisted with all aspects of special teams and organized and prepared all film breakdowns and scouting reports. In 2007, with O'Connor a member of the defensive staff, Rutgers ranked fifth in the nation in pass defense.
A 2004 graduate of Lafayette, O'Connor was a two-year letterwinner with the Leopards. He earned Second Team Academic All-America honors in 2002 and was a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection, posting a GPA of nearly 3.5 while majoring in economics and business.
Prior to attending Lafayette, O'Connor was a three-sport standout at Lewisburg Area High School where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.
O'Connor began his coaching career at Columbia as a video coordinator in 2004 while working towards his master's degree in psychology.
O'Connor is the son of former Bucknell assistant football coach Mike O'Connor and the grandson of former Bucknell head coach Fred Prender.
R.D. Montgomery
Montgomery returns for a second season at Bucknell as well. He joined the staff last August and worked predominantly with the tight ends.
A 2004 graduate of Wake Forest, Montgomery was a four-year member of the Demon Deacons' football squad and also played one season of basketball.
Prior to his appointment at Bucknell, Montgomery worked for Friends of Terry McAuliffe as a field organizer. He acted as a campaign representative for McAuliffe's campaign for Virginia governor. Montgomery helped McAuliffe win 17 precincts as he managed the Get Out The Vote efforts.
Bucknell Assistant Coaches
Bryan Bossard (OC/WR/RB)
Clayton Carlin (DC/LB)
Matt Borich (DL)
R.D. Montgomery (TE)
Mike O'Connor (QB/RB)
Ross Pennypacker (S)
Chad Rogosheske (OL)
Chip Taylor (CB/ST)
