More about Rossi ->
Joe Rossi joined the Minnesota football staff in January 2017. He was named interim defensive coordinator on Nov. 4, 2018, after being named defensive line coach in January 2018. Rossi worked as a quality control assistant at Minnesota in 2017.
Rossi spent 2012-15 at Rutgers, which included two years as the defensive coordinator. Rossi was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014 after serving in an interim role in 2013 and held the role until after the 2015 season. He was the special teams coordinator at Rutgers from 2012-13.
In 2013, Rutgers scored five special teams touchdowns (two kickoff returns, one punt return, one blocked punt return and one fake field goal) and true freshman Janarion Grant earned All-AAC Second Team honors as a return specialist.
The Scarlet Knights put together a strong special teams unit in 2012, ranking first in the nation with eight blocked kicks, ninth in kickoff return yardage defense (18.09) and 34th in kickoff return average (23.21).
Rossi was at Maine from 2007-11 and took over as defensive coordinator after the 2008 season. Maine annually had one of the top defensive units in the Football Championship Subdivision under Rossi. In 2011, the Black Bears ranked No. 26 in the nation in sacks, No. 31 in pass defense and No. 25 in pass efficiency defense.
Rossi’s first coaching stop was at Division III Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., where he was from 2001-2006. He coached Thiel's defensive line from 2001-02 and was the defensive coordinator from 2003-06. In 2006, Thiel led the President's Athletic Conference in scoring defense, total defense, rush defense and pass defense.
Rossi graduated from Allegheny in 2001 with a degree in history. He played defensive line for the Gators and his 12 sacks in 2000 is tied for the program record for the most in one season. Rossi was named All-NCAC three times (first team in 1999 and 2000 and second team in 1998) and started all 41 games of his collegiate career. His was team captain in 2000 and his 23 career sacks ranks fourth in program history.
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