Rutgers Football Adds Jim Panagos As Defensive Line Coach

by | Dec 16, 2019 | Headlines, RRSN News | 0 comments

Rutgers Football Adds Jim Panagos As Defensive Line Coach

Panagos appeared in three bowls in four previous seasons at RU 

 

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Dec. 14, 2019) – Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano announced that Jim Panagos, who previously coached at RU in 2012-15, will coach the defensive line. Panagos returns “On the Banks,” following a season at Minnesota in the same role.

 

“Jim has a wealth of knowledge coaching defensive linemen and it is proven in the countless players he has developed during his career,” said Schiano. “Ask any of his past players, and they rave about his energy and passion, but most of all, they talk about his care and commitment for them individually. We are excited to welcome him and his family back to Rutgers.”

 

Panagos spent the 2019 season in the Big Ten as defensive line coach at Minnesota, where he helped the Gophers to a 10-2 record and berth to the Outback Bowl. Minnesota peaked as high as eighth in the College Football Playoff rankings. Prior to his time at Minnesota, he had a brief stay at Georgia Tech and before that, two seasons at Temple.

 

While at Temple, he coached the defensive line and was elevated to assistant head coach in 2018. With the Owls, he was part of a staff that helped Temple rank among the top three nationally with eight defensive touchdowns (first), 31 forced turnovers (third) and 13 fumble recoveries (third). Temple was also one of the American Athletic Conference’s top teams in total defense (second), passing defense (second), three-and-outs (second) and scoring defense (third) in 2018.

 

Panagos was nominated for the Broyles Award (nation’s top assistant coach) in 2017 after the Owls recorded 39 sacks and 92 tackles for loss.

 

Prior to Temple, he was a defensive consultant at Pittsburgh in 2016 and coached the defensive line at Rutgers from 2012-15. In 2012, Panagos made an immediate impact on the Scarlet Knights as the defensive unit finished fourth in the nation in scoring defense and 10th in total defense. The defensive line played a huge part in the scheme by cumulating 7.3 tackles-for-loss (16th ranked in the country) and holding opponents to 97.2 rushing yards per game (sixth).  He also tutored DT Scott Vallone, who had a career-high 52 tackles and first-team All-Big East honors.

 

Then in 2014, Panagos steered DT Darius Hamilton and DE Kemoko Turay, a second-round draft pick, to all-conference honors during the Scarlet Knights’ transition into the Big Ten. Hamilton led the defense with 11.5 tackles-for-loss, including a career-best six sacks. Turay picked up a team-high 7.5 sacks, ranking eighth among Big Ten players. The Scarlet Knights won the Quick Lane Bowl following the season, also appearing in the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl and 2013 New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

 

Panagos also coached the defensive line at UCF from 2007-11. With the Knights, he was named FootballScoop’s National Defensive Line Coach of the Year in 2009 and helped coach the nation’s No. 4-ranked defense in 2011.

 

Panagos was with the Minnesota Vikings from 2002-05. He was a quality control assistant from 2002-04 and was a defensive line assistant in 2005.

 

His career also included a four-year stop from 1994-97 at the C.R. James Alternative School in Tampa, Fla., where he was an assistant coach and taught mathematics.

 

Panagos played defensive line at Maryland from 1989-92 and led the Terrapins with five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 1992. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in criminal justice and then worked at his alma mater as a defensive line assistant that same year.

 

Panagos and his wife, Maureen, have two sons and a daughter. Jack, who was a Rutgers graduate and member of the Scarlet Knight golf team, as well as Hayden and Olivia.

 

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