Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Stockstill tabs Shafer to run defense
1/20/2017 8:16:00 AM | Football
Former head coach at Syracuse
MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee head football coach Rick Stockstill announced today the hiring of Scott Shafer as the Blue Raiders' new defensive coordinator. Shafer takes over for Tyrone Nix who served in the role the past five seasons.
"We are all very excited about Scott and his wife Missy joining the Blue Raider family," said Stockstill. "Scott brings a wealth of experience as a defensive coordinator and we can't wait until he gets started and puts his plan in place. He will have a positive impact on the program and university as our defensive coordinator."
Regarded as one of the foremost defensive minds in the nation, Shafer spent 2016 out of football and the previous seven seasons at Syracuse, including the last three as head coach. He led the Orange to a victory in the Texas Bowl in 2013 to become just the second head coach in Syracuse history to win a bowl game in his inaugural season.
"I am elated to join Coach Stockstill and his accomplished staff at Middle Tennessee State University," said Shafer. "We will put a physical, attacking, multiple defense on the field that will excel in fundamentals and tackling. I look forward to teaching the system right away, preparing them for spring practice, and being with them through this critical first stage of football."
Prior to his time as head coach of the Orange, Shafer was the school's defensive coordinator under Doug Marrone. As coordinator, Shafer helped raise the level of the Orange defense. In 2008, its final season pre-Shafer, the Orange ranked 101st in total and scoring defense. In 2010, Shafer's unit was the seventh-best nationally in total defense, allowing only 301.1 yards per game, and 17th in scoring defense giving up just 19.3 points per game. As a result, Shafer was a 2010 AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year nominee.
A proponent of an attacking defense, Shafer's 2012 squad ranked sixth nationally and topped the BIG EAST in tackles for loss at 7.7 per game. That team claimed a share of the BIG EAST Championship and defeated West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Shafer has earned a reputation as an excellent defensive teacher during his 25 years as a coach, developing 44 all-conference performers, including four All-Americans. He helped tutor defensive lineman Chandler Jones, who became the first Syracuse player selected in the first round in 10 years in 2012.
In 2009, Shafer mentored fifth-round NFL draft pick Arthur Jones, who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.
Prior to Syracuse, Shafer had stops at Michigan and Stanford. He was the defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2008.
As assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh in 2007, Shafer's defense improved in every NCAA statistical category. Durkin was also on that Stanford coaching staff with Harbaugh and Shafer.
Prior to his time in Palo Alto, Shafer oversaw the defense at Western Michigan and in 2006 helped the unit lead the nation in interceptions (24) and sacks (46), while finishing sixth in run defense and seventh in turnover margin. As a result, Shafer was nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach.
Shafer served as the defensive backs coach at Illinois in 2004 and as the defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois from 2000-2003. In 2003, the Northern Illinois defense ranked third nationally in interceptions.
Shafer also served as the defensive backs coach at Northern Illinois and had stints at Rhode Island and Indiana. He started his playing career as a quarterback for Ohio before transferring to Baldwin-Wallace.
Shafer is a native of Painesville, Ohio where he attended Riverside High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1990 from Baldwin-Wallace College and his Master's in 1993 from Indiana.
He and his wife, Missy, have a son, Wolfgang, who just completed his career as a quarterback at Ithaca College, and a daughter, Elsa, who is a freshman at Maryland.
"We are all very excited about Scott and his wife Missy joining the Blue Raider family," said Stockstill. "Scott brings a wealth of experience as a defensive coordinator and we can't wait until he gets started and puts his plan in place. He will have a positive impact on the program and university as our defensive coordinator."
Regarded as one of the foremost defensive minds in the nation, Shafer spent 2016 out of football and the previous seven seasons at Syracuse, including the last three as head coach. He led the Orange to a victory in the Texas Bowl in 2013 to become just the second head coach in Syracuse history to win a bowl game in his inaugural season.
"I am elated to join Coach Stockstill and his accomplished staff at Middle Tennessee State University," said Shafer. "We will put a physical, attacking, multiple defense on the field that will excel in fundamentals and tackling. I look forward to teaching the system right away, preparing them for spring practice, and being with them through this critical first stage of football."
Prior to his time as head coach of the Orange, Shafer was the school's defensive coordinator under Doug Marrone. As coordinator, Shafer helped raise the level of the Orange defense. In 2008, its final season pre-Shafer, the Orange ranked 101st in total and scoring defense. In 2010, Shafer's unit was the seventh-best nationally in total defense, allowing only 301.1 yards per game, and 17th in scoring defense giving up just 19.3 points per game. As a result, Shafer was a 2010 AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year nominee.
A proponent of an attacking defense, Shafer's 2012 squad ranked sixth nationally and topped the BIG EAST in tackles for loss at 7.7 per game. That team claimed a share of the BIG EAST Championship and defeated West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Shafer has earned a reputation as an excellent defensive teacher during his 25 years as a coach, developing 44 all-conference performers, including four All-Americans. He helped tutor defensive lineman Chandler Jones, who became the first Syracuse player selected in the first round in 10 years in 2012.
In 2009, Shafer mentored fifth-round NFL draft pick Arthur Jones, who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.
Prior to Syracuse, Shafer had stops at Michigan and Stanford. He was the defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2008.
As assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh in 2007, Shafer's defense improved in every NCAA statistical category. Durkin was also on that Stanford coaching staff with Harbaugh and Shafer.
Prior to his time in Palo Alto, Shafer oversaw the defense at Western Michigan and in 2006 helped the unit lead the nation in interceptions (24) and sacks (46), while finishing sixth in run defense and seventh in turnover margin. As a result, Shafer was nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach.
Shafer served as the defensive backs coach at Illinois in 2004 and as the defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois from 2000-2003. In 2003, the Northern Illinois defense ranked third nationally in interceptions.
Shafer also served as the defensive backs coach at Northern Illinois and had stints at Rhode Island and Indiana. He started his playing career as a quarterback for Ohio before transferring to Baldwin-Wallace.
Shafer is a native of Painesville, Ohio where he attended Riverside High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1990 from Baldwin-Wallace College and his Master's in 1993 from Indiana.
He and his wife, Missy, have a son, Wolfgang, who just completed his career as a quarterback at Ithaca College, and a daughter, Elsa, who is a freshman at Maryland.
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