STrib: Gophers defensive coordinator Joe Rossi learned the ropes in Division-III

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
62,323
Reaction score
19,027
Points
113
per Randy:

Before joining the Gophers, Rossi was a defensive coordinator at Maine and Rutgers. To fully understand his background, a chat with Jack Leipheimer is a good place to start.

Rossi, 39, lists Leipheimer among his biggest coaching influences. The two go back to the late 1990s, when an undersized but overachieving defensive lineman out of Pittsburgh Central Catholic came under the wing of the defensive coordinator at Division III Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

“Motor running 100 miles an hour all the time — practice, games,” Leipheimer said of Rossi.

At Allegheny, Rossi was a three-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference pick as a versatile defensive lineman who once had a 12-sack season.

“I hate to use this word, but it’s apropos for him: He was a natural,” Leipheimer said. “He had a nose for the football.”

Rossi also caught the coaching bug at Allegheny and asked Leipheimer for some on-the-job training.

“I showed him how to break down film,” Leipheimer said. “He did a lot of stuff for me from a preparation standpoint as a player. He’s the only player I ever had do that.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...-learned-the-ropes-in-division-iii/503391302/

Go Gophers!!
 




Top Bottom