Marian University Ind.

Jacob Topp is beginning his first season as an assistant coach with the 2012 NAIA Football national champion Knights. Topp brings extensive coaching and playing experience to Marian University.

Topp comes to Marian University after a season as an assistant coach with Aurora University in Illinois. In one season with Aurora, Topp served as the offensive line and tight ends coach as well as the director of football operations. He guided a pair of student-athletes to first team all-conference honors and guided one offensive lineman to all-north region second team honors. His offensive line led NCAA Division III in sacks allowed as the team gave up just three sacks in 10 games last season during a 5-5 season in 2012. His offensive line also had the highest yards per carry average in a decade at Aurora with 4.6 yards per carry last season. Under his tutelage, the offensive line was vital in the improvement of the offense from 21 points per game in 2011 to 33.5 per game in 2012.

Before taking the job at Aurora, Topp served a season as an assistant coach at Wartburg College. In 2011, he served as an assistant coach for the defensive line and was an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Knights. He assisted with a team that was ranked first in scoring defense in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and ranked second in sacks per game. Topp also saw two of his athletes earn All-IIAC honors as well as coached a third team all-american.

He spent one calendar year as an assistant coach for the offensive line with Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010 where he led the team to an improved yards per carry average as well as an improved number of sacks allowed. He began his coaching career with NCAA Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State University where he was a graduate assistant working with the offense. He managed recruiting visits and spent the majority of his time breaking down film and creating offensive scouting reports as well as managing the defensive scout team. GVSU was the GLIAC champion and the NCAA Division II national runner-up in 2009.

Topp was a four-year letter winner at Grand Valley State University where he was part of two national championship teams in 2005 and 2006. During his time at GVSU, the Lakers won four conference titles and earned all-conference honors as a senior. He was also a two-time Academic All-GLIAC honoree.

Topp resides in Indianapolis.