Bowling Green State University football coach Gregg Brandon has announced that Adam Gonzaga has been named defensive backs coach for the Falcons and will begin his duties immediately. Gonzaga comes to BGSU after spending the last five seasons at Northwood (Michigan) University where he was the defensive coordinator.
"I'm very excited to have Adam as part of our coaching staff," said Brandon. "He is an impressive individual who has a tremendous track record and will be a great asset to our defensive unit."
Gonzaga saw four of his defensive players earn All-American honors during his tenure as the Timberwolves were one of just two teams in the country to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs each of the last three years.
"Having the opportunity to work with Coach Brandon and Coach John Lovett is a great opportunity for me," said Gonzaga. "At the Naval Academy and at Northwood, I had the opportunity to work with a scheme that is similar to what Coach Lovett likes to run at BGSU. Having been in Michigan the last few years, I had the opportunity to watch very closely the success that has occurred at BGSU and I am very excited about the direction that Bowling Green has gone in."
This past year, his defense was sixth in the country in turnover margin as theyforced 29 turnovers and allowed 279 yards per game. In 2005, Northwood remained strong under Gonzaga. Northwood ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense (18.3 ppg) while placing three players on the First Team All-GLIAC team (Kyle Clement, Charleston Hughes, Jon Horn). NU also led the conference with 21 interceptions and a total of 30 forced turnovers on defense. The Timberwolves held their opponents under 20 points seven times in 12 games. In 2004, Northwood scored a total of six defensive touchdowns and won a GLIAC championship. In 2003, Northwood finished finished No. 1 against the pass in the conference, allowing teams to gain just 140.5 yards per game through the air
Gonzaga came to Northwood from the United States Naval Academy, where he coached the linebackers during the 2001 season. He also had a successful two-year stint at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois from 1999-2000. While at Greenville, Gonzaga served as the defensive coordinator and the squad posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in nine years. He coached two All-Americans and the 1999 squad was co-SLIAC conference champions.
In 1998, Gonzaga coached the defensive ends and outside linebackers at the University of Connecticut. UConn went 10-3 and advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Semifinals during his one season on the staff.
"I'm very excited to work with the outstanding young men that are here at Bowling Green," said Gonzaga. "I plan on having a very strong relationship with the players that I get to teach. The X's and O's, while very important, is just a small part of what I hope to bring to the players I am fortunate to work with. The relationship is the key because the stronger the relationship is that you have with them, the harder you can push them. We are here to help these kids get an education and I believe that I am an educator and football is my classroom."
Gonzaga has also had stints at Division I-AA Lafayette (1997), where he coached the defensive line; Montana State (1996), where he coached the secondary; the University of the Pacific (1993-95), where he coached the special teams, linebackers and secondary; and was the football recruiting assistant at Stanford (1992).
Gonzaga is a 1992 graduate of Asuza Pacific University with a bachelor's degree in education. He and his wife, Heidi, have two daughters - Alexis and Addison.
