Football
- Title:
- Corner Backs Coach/Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
- Email:
- rwest4@richmond.edu
- Phone:
- 289-8938
Rod West is in his fourth season on head coach Russ Huesman’s staff at the University of Richmond and his sixth season overall with Huesman. West was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator following the 2019 season after spending last year cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. He spent his first two years as the dimes coach and was also the co-special teams coordinator in 2018.
West was named to the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 for 2021. The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.
Last year, the Spiders finished first in the Colonial Athletic Association in pass defense. Richmond held opponents to just 194.8 yards per game against and a league-low 179 completions allowed.
Senior captain Daniel Jones was named to the CAA All-Conference Team. He finished third on the team with 84 tackles, including a team-high 52 solo tackles. His 7.0 tackles per game ranks 16th in the CAA this season while his 52 solo tackles ranks fourth in the conference.
Jones recorded two interceptions and five pass breakups on the year. He tallied the game-clinching interception at the goal line in the closing seconds of the Spiders’ win at No. 18 Maine and had an interception of CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year Jeff Undercuffler of UAlbany. He also added 3.0 tackles for loss on the year and finished his career starting the last 23 games of his career.
In his first year at Richmond, West helped the Spiders finish fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association last year in passing defense at 197.7 yards per game.
Prior to Richmond, West spent two seasons with Huesman at Chattanooga he was the cornerbacks/dimes coach along with the recruiting coordinator. During his time with the Mocs, he coached four All-SoCon honorees, including Dee Virgin who finished with 40 tackles and was a cornerstone on the Mocs' highly-rated defense.
Prior to joining the Mocs, West was the defensive backs and special teams coach at Morehead State. He coached five Eagles to All-Pioneer League honors. He spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Commerce, where he worked with defensive backs and punt returners. In 2012, the Lions ranked first in the Lone Star Conference in passing yards allowed and second in opponent first downs and red zone defense.
He also had brief stints as the defensive backs coach at Morehouse (Ga.) and Delta State (Miss.). He worked at Morehouse during the spring semester of 2011 and was as a graduate assistant at Delta State during the 2010 campaign.
Delta State won the Gulf South Conference in 2010 and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. Under his guidance the Statesmen had a Third-Team All-American and two all-conference selections. He also assisted in the areas of recruiting and academics.
West began his coaching career in 2009 at NAIA school Kentucky Christian, where he worked with defensive backs and assisted with academics. The Knights ranked second nationally in passing yards allowed.
West earned four letters in football from 2005-08 and was a two-year starter at Southwestern Athletic Conference member Alabama State. He was a member of the Dean’s List his final three years and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English in 2009.
He and his wife, Marcie, were married in 2013. They have one daughter, Maya, and one son, Major. Marcie was a three-time All-American volleyball player at the University of Florida and played in four NCAA Tournaments from 2004-07.
