EAST LANSING -- Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio announced on Tuesday the restructuring of his offensive staff for the 2011 season.
Dan Roushar, who has served as the offensive line coach since Dantonio’s arrival at MSU, has been promoted to offensive coordinator, filling the position left by Don Treadwell, who is now the head coach at Miami-Ohio. Roushar will also coach the tight ends. In addition, Mark Staten will take over full duties of the offensive line and second-year running backs coach Brad Salem will now also serve as the program’s recruiting coordinator, while Dave Warner will continue coaching the quarterbacks. A search is still ongoing for a new wide receivers coach.
“First off, I want to congratulate Don Treadwell again for getting the job at Miami University and thank him for all his hard work and commitment to MIchigan State University throughout the past four years,” Dantonio said. “Due to his departure, we have had to reorganize our offensive staff and have decided to promote from within. We have outstanding offensive coaches and all of them in their own right were considered as possible coordinators. I’m pleased to announce that Dan Roushar will be promoted to offensive coordinator.
“As Dan steps into the coordinator’s role, he underscores the importance of staff continuity and stability to our players, as we continue to build on the foundation that has been established. We are excited about the future of Michigan State Football.”
A 27-year coaching veteran, this marks the fifth time that Roushar will be an offensive coordinator in his career. Roushar most recently served as offensive coordinator at Illinois during the 2004 season, and has also directed offenses at Northern Illinois (1998-2002), Ball State (1994) and Butler (1989-92). In his last four seasons coaching the offensive line at Michigan State, Roushar’s linemen earned All-Big Ten recognition on eight occasions.
“Dan has coached a multitude of positions throughout his career,” Dantonio said. “He has been an offensive coordinator at four different schools, including experience in the Big Ten when he was at Illinois. He has worked extensively with the offensive line, and has also coached running backs, quarterbacks and tight ends. He’s well-versed in all aspects of the offense and is extremely organized. He has developed great relationships with our players and coaches throughout the six years he has been with us on staff, both at Cincinnati (2005-06) and Michigan State (since 2007). Dan will do an outstanding job and we look forward to continuing our progress offensively as a football team.”
“It’s a great opportunity,” Roushar said. “Certainly being an offensive coordinator at a few other schools will make the transition smooth. To have most of the staff in tact also makes it really nice. Obviously we have to replace Coach Treadwell, and we’ll get a great candidate that will come in and do a heck of a job. We all have a good idea of who our players are, what they do very well and what they need to work on. Since we’ve been together as a staff, I think it’s going to move us forward quickly.
“I don’t see us doing a lot of things different with our offense. We hope to continue to run it well, and also see if we can improve in areas. It’s a system we’ve now been in for seven years. We want to make it better and refine it, while playing to the strengths of our personnel. We have a running back corps that’s very solid, very deep; there will be a lot of competition there. We have receivers that can make plays. We have some talented tight ends, and we’ll have to put the line back together. I think we have a lot of pieces to work with. Certainly you have a veteran quarterback in Kirk Cousins and a guy right behind him (Andrew Maxwell) that’s awfully talented. We feel very good about our offense for this upcoming season.”
Roushar arrived in East Lansing after serving as offensive line coach under Dantonio at Cincinnati for two seasons (2005-06). Prior to joining the Cincinnati coaching staff, he worked with the running backs at Illinois for two seasons (2003-04), adding the duties of offensive coordinator in 2004.
Roushar spent six years as offensive line coach at Northern Illinois (1997-2002), where he also served as the offensive coordinator for the final five seasons. During his tenure at NIU, the Huskies earned a share of back-to-back Mid-American Conference West Division titles in 2001 and 2002. In his six years in DeKalb, NIU also produced four 1,000-yard rushers, including Michael Turner who finished second in the NCAA in rushing in 2002 while averaging 159.6 yards per game. In 2000, the Huskies ranked among the national leaders in rushing offense (No. 12 at 228.1 ypg.), total offense (No. 19 at 427.8 ypg.) and scoring offense (No. 12 at 37.2 points per game). The 427.8 total yards per game marked the second-best single-season average in NIU history and the school’s best figure since 1963.
A two-year letterman as a quarterback at Northern Illinois under Hall of Fame coach Bill Mallory, Roushar launched his coaching career at his alma mater as a student assistant in 1984 while completing his bachelor’s degree. Roushar spent seven seasons at Butler, the first three (1986-88) as offensive backfield coach and the final four (1989-92) as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. The Bulldogs won five conference titles and made two Division II playoff appearances during his tenure.
Roushar also has made coaching stops at Rhode Island (1993) and Ball State (1994), where he also served as offensive coordinator. During his first two-year stint at Illinois, he worked with the Illini quarterbacks in 1995 before taking over the offensive tackles and tight ends in 1996. Roushar earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Northern Illinois in 1984.
Staten, who has coached tight ends and tackles while also serving as the recruiting coordinator the past four seasons, will take over as offensive line coach.
“Mark Staten has worked alongside Dan Roushar for the last six years, so Mark’s transition into an expanded role should be a smooth one,” Dantonio said.
The Spartans have had a tight end earn postseason recognition from the Big Ten all four years under Staten, and three of those years a tackle on the offensive line has garnered all-conference honors, including D.J. Young in 2010. Charlie Gantt, a second-team All-Big Ten pick and honorable mention All-America selection by SI.com this past season, finished his career ranked tied for third in TD receptions (9) and sixth in both receptions (65) and receiving yards (951) among all Spartan tight ends in program history. In Staten’s first season at MSU, he tutored Kellen Davis, who recently completed his third year in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.
As recruiting coordinator, Staten helped put together a 2009 recruiting class that analysts ranked among the nation’s Top 25 (MaxPreps/Tom Lemming No. 12, PrepStar No. 15, Rivals.com No. 17 and Scouts, Inc. No. 21). The Spartans followed that effort with another stellar class in 2010 that was ranked among the nation’s Top 30 (MaxPreps/Tom Lemming No. 22, Rivals.com No. 29).
Following the 2006 regular season, Staten was one of eight assistant coaches to follow head coach Mark Dantonio from Cincinnati to East Lansing. In 2006, Staten tutored team MVP Brent Celek, who set Cincinnati career records for receptions (88), receiving yards (1,114) and touchdowns (14) by a tight end. Celek, a second-team All-BIG EAST selection as a senior, was chosen by the Philadelphia in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and just finished his fourth season with the Eagles.
Prior to joining Cincinnati’s coaching staff in 2004, Staten spent two seasons at Ohio State (2002-03), where he contributed to the Buckeyes’ 2002 National Championship.
Salem, who compiled a 31-26 record in five seasons as head coach at NCAA Division II Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., joined Dantonio’s staff at Michigan State last February.
“Brad Salem’s experience as a college head coach and his previous history at Michigan State will prove invaluable in his new role as recruiting coordinator,” Dantonio said. “His extremely innovative approach to recruiting will serve us well in 2011 and beyond.”
Under Salem’s direction, Michigan State’s running backs improved their totals from a year ago with a resurgent running attack, led by first-team All-Big Ten selection Edwin Baker. Baker became just the sixth sophomore in MSU history to reach the 1,000-yard milestone as he compiled 1,201 yards. He ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 30th nationally in rushing, averaging 92.4 ypg, and led the team with 13 rushing touchdowns. In addition, Le’Veon Bell was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team by ESPN.com for his 605 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs as a true freshman.
Salem led Augustana College to back-to-back 8-4 records and consecutive trips to the Mineral Water Bowl in 2008-09. The eight wins matched the school single-season record. In its first two seasons as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, Augustana finished fourth and tied for third, respectively, in the final standings and had 10 players earn South Division first-team all-conference honors.
Prior to being promoted to head coach at Augustana in 2005, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach under Jim Heinitz, serving as quarterbacks coach in 2003 and offensive coordinator in 2004. Before returning to his alma mater in 2003, Salem coached the quarterbacks at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, S.D., during the 2002 season.
He previously spent three years as passing game and recruiting coordinator at South Dakota (1999-2001) and two seasons as offensive and recruiting coordinator at Luther College (1997-98) in Decorah, Iowa. In 1996, Salem filled the role of defensive coordinator at Everett High School in Lansing, Mich. From 1994-95, he served as a graduate assistant under George Perles and Nick Saban at Michigan State, working with the quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Under the direction of Dave Warner the last four seasons, Spartan quarterbacks have been posting record numbers.
“Coaches are leaders, and Dave Warner has done a tremendous job of transforming the quarterback position into an area of strength for out football team,” Dantonio said. “First, we saw his efforts pay off in the development of Brian Hoyer from a two-year starter into a valuable NFL backup, and now in the great strides Kirk Cousins has made in his two seasons as our starting quarterback.”
In his second year as the starter, Cousins blossomed his junior season in 2010. He posted one of best statistical seasons in Spartan history, ranking among MSU’s Top 10 season leaders in completion percentage (second at .669), pass completions (third with 226), passing yards (third with 2,825 yards), touchdown passes (tied for fourth with 20), total offense (fourth with 2,689 yards) and pass attempts (sixth with 338).
Cousins played his best when the game was on the line, as his 170.1 second-half passing efficiency rating ranked No. 11 among all NCAA FBS
quarterbacks. In the second halves of games, Cousins completed 70 percent of his passes (102-of-146) for 11 TDs and three interceptions. During the course of the 2010 season, Cousins tied a Michigan State record by throwing a touchdown pass in 16 consecutive games (dating back to 2009), and he also had one stretch of six consecutive 200-yard passing games. For his efforts, he was named one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is presented to the nation’s top quarterback. The two-time team captain, who owns a 16-9 record as a starter, is moving up the Michigan State career charts as well. He ranks among MSU’s career leaders in passing yards (fourth with 5,815 yards), total offense (fourth with 5,727 yards) pass completions (sixth with 456), touchdown passes (sixth with 41) and pass attempts (eighth with 709).
In Cousins’ first year as a starter, the sophomore finished the 2009 season completing 60 percent of his passes for 2,680 yards and 19 touchdowns. His pass efficiency rating of 142.6 ranked third in the Big Ten and 25th nationally, while also ranking eighth in MSU single-season history. Warner also tutored Keith Nichol, who played significant minutes in his first season for the Green and White. Nichol threw for 764 yards and seven touchdowns while compiling a 143.2 quarterback rating.
With their successful seasons, Cousins and Nichol combined to give Michigan State the No. 2 passing attack in the Big Ten Conference, averaging nearly 270 yards per game. The Spartans also ranked No. 1 in the league and 17th in the nation in passing efficiency with their 145.1 quarterback rating. MSU established a school record with 28 touchdown passes in 2009, and the 3,502 passing yards ranked second in the school record books.
Warner mentored Brian Hoyer in 2007 and 2008, and Hoyer responded by becoming one of the most productive quarterbacks in Spartan history. Hoyer ranks among MSU’s career leaders in pass attempts (No. 2 at 896), passing yards (No. 3 with 6,159), pass completions (No. 3 at 500) and TD passes (No. 7 with 35). Warner also developed Hoyer’s game management skills, as the senior captain accumulated a 16-11 record and led the Spartans to back-to-back bowl appearances. After signing a free agent contract in April 2009, Hoyer has worked his way into the back-up quarterback role for the New England Patriots the past two seasons.
Warner has been a quarterbacks coach and/or offensive coordinator or passing game coordinator for 21 of his previous 26 seasons as a college assistant.
