INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian football team is set to begin their spring football practices on Tuesday, March 21, and the Knights have assembled their coaching staff for the spring season under head coach Ted Karras Jr. Karras has brought in six new faces to the staff for the 2023 season, with three members returning to coach at Marian for a second stint in their coaching careers. 

Below is the full list of Karras' coaching staff for the spring season, with the group working over the next five weeks as spring practice begins. In addition to the staff list, a quick breakdown of the new hires is included to learn the new faces of the Marian football coaching staff.

2023 Spring Marian Football Coaching Staff

Head Coach - Ted Karras Jr.
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach/Recruiting Coordinator - B.J. Coad
*Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach - Justin Robinson
*Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach - Steve Tutsie
Linebackers Coach/Academic Coordinator - Clay Emmrich
Offensive Line Coach/Football Operations - Dan Smith
Running Backs Coach/Player Development - Henry Brown
*Wide Receivers Coach/Return Specialists Coach - JaQuan Patilla
*Wide Receivers Coach - Sean Wilson
Specialists Coach - Jack Fleck
*Defensive Line Coach - Derelle Hankins
*Nickels Coach - Leodis Moore
Football Operations/Film Coordinator - Tyler Valentine
* identifies new member of the 2023 coaching staff

New Coaching Hires Quick Hitters

Justin Robinson - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach

• Robinson joins the Knights after previously working as the defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin) in 2022
• Robinson coached two all-conference defensive linemen in 2022 with his unit ranking top-25 in the NCAA FCS in sacks and tackles for loss
• Prior to UT Martin, Robinson spent four seasons as the defensive line coach at Hanover College
• Also served as the recruiting coordinator at Hanover
• Developed nine all-conference players at Hanover over four seasons
• Prior to collegiate coaching, Robinson served as either a defensive line coach or defensive coordinator for three high school programs. 
• Robinson is a 2012 graduate of the University of Indianapolis where he was a member of the Greyhound football program for five seasons
• Robinson earned his master's degree from Indiana Wesleyan in 2016

Steve Tutsie - Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach/Assistant Head Coach

• Tutsie returns to the Knights after taking a year away from coaching in 2022
• Tutsie began working with Marian in 2016, coaching the Knights corners, nickels, and special teams
• The veteran coach worked with seven all-MSFA cornerbacks over six seasons
• In his first season as a Marian coach, helped lead Eric Price to the NAIA lead in interceptions, with Price graduating as the program's career leader in INT's
• Prior to working with the Knights, Tutsie earned his pedigree as a successful high school head coach and assistant coach
• Was named the 2006 Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year after leading Warren Central High School to an IHSAA State Championship
• In his time at Warren Central, Tutsie developed over 125 collegiate football players, with 11 going on to play in the NFL
• Won four ISHAA State Championships as an assistant coach with Warren Central
• Has degrees in education from IUPUI, Ball State, and Marian University

JaQuan Patilla - Wide Receivers Coach

• Patilla is a Marian University alum, earning his degree in exercise studies and sports performance from Marian
• Patilla was a team MVP for the Marian football team, serving as a team captain in his time on the field
• In addition to football, Patilla was a member of the track and field team, competing in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and long jump
• Patilla ranks fourth all-time in Marian football history in receiving yards and touchdowns, and third all-time in receptions
• Patilla has worked as a personalized trainer and fitness director

Sean Wilson - Wide Receivers Coach

• Wilson is a veteran coach with over 15 years of collegiate or high school coaching experience
• Wilson last served as the offensive coordinator for Mt Vernon (Fortville) High School
• In his collegiate experience, Wilson has coached either tight ends or wide receivers at Anderson, Earlham, UIndy, Marian, and Ball State
• Wilson worked with the Knights from 2007 through the end of the 2012 season as the Marian football receivers coach and equipment manager
• Has a master's degree from Concordia University (Irvine) and his bachelors degree from Ball State

Leodis Moore - Nickels Coach

• Moore joins the Knights after two seasons of coaching at the high school level at Warren Central
• Moore has served as the defensive backs coach for the Warriors in 2021 and 2022, coaching a pair of All-MIC defensive backs in 2022
• Moore played collegiate football at Eastern Kentucky, earning team captain honors three times
• The crafty cornerback at EKU earned First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, and earned defensive MVP honors for EKU
• Moore completed his degree from Eastern Kentucky in Criminal Justice

Derelle Hankins - Defensive Line Coach

• Hankins returns to Marian University for a third time in his life, with this his second as an assistant coach
• Hankins played on the Marian defensive line for 2009-11 after transferring from Indiana State
• Hankins was a member of the Marian coaching staff from 2015-17, working with the defensive line
• In his first go around as a coach at Marian, Hankins led all-MSFA linemen Dillon Dittemore, and worked with members of the program's all-time sack list including Mac Dutra and Dwayne Beckford
• Hankins' unit helped Marian lead the NAIA in sacks in both 2015 and 2016, playing a role in the Knights 2015 NAIA National Championship
• After coaching at Marian, Hankins spent time in 2018 as an assistant coach at Pike High School, and from 2019-2021 as an assistant at Butler University

Internal Position Changes

• B.J Coad has been elevated to the offensive coordinator title, and will now coach the quarterbacks
• Dan Smith has changed sides of the ball, and will move from the defensive line to the offensive line
• Henry Brown has shuffled back to running backs after working with the defensive backs in 2022

The Marian University spring football practices will begin on March 21. The annual spring football game will be held on April 22 at 12 p.m. from St. Vincent Field.

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