Marian University Ind.

With a storied high school coaching resume, Rodney Deckard returns to Marian in 2023 for his second stint as a Knights assistant coach. In the 2025 offseason, Deckard was promoted to the Associate Head Coach, while switching defensive duties by taking over the defensive line unit. 

Rodney Deckard makes his return to Marian University in 2023, as the former Knights co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach comes back with over 40 years of coaching experience. Deckard got his start in coaching at Roncalli High School after completing his B.S. in Education and M.S. in Physical Education at IUPUI, working as an assistant football coach and the head softball coach. Deckard shifted gears and earned his first head coaching stint in high school football in 1993 at Arlington High School, and after two years moved to Scecina High School to serve in the same role. Deckard moved again in 1999 to teach and coach football and baseball at Tri-West High School, working in each capacity until 2007, when he was brought on as Marian's first running backs coach under Coach Karras. 

Deckard played an instrumental role in helping launch the Marian football program, guiding many of the program's all-time greats on defense. In his tenure, Deckard helped guide Marian to their first NAIA FCS appearance and MSFA Mideast Championship, culminating in the Knights' first NAIA National Championship in 2012. Following his time at Marian, Deckard returned to the high school ranks as a defensive coach, teaching and coaching at Lebanon, Pike, and Carmel High Schools. In his career as a high school coach, Deckard has won multiple sectional titles in football and baseball, and helped coach Tri-West to a pair of IHSAA State Championships, along with Carmel's state title in 2019. He was named an All-Star assistant coach in 2004 and selected as one of the nation's most inspirational coaches in 2002.

Deckard retired after 32 years as an educator in 2023 before returning to collegiate coaching with the Knights.