Brett Diersen - Football Coach

Brett Diersen

Title:
Outside Linebackers / Special Teams Coordinator
Email:
brett.diersen@temple.edu
Phone:
215-204-4694

Brett Diersen came to Temple in July 2019, as associate special teams coordinator with over 20 years of college coaching experience. This is the third time that he and Rod Carey have worked together. They originally met at Wisconsin-Stout in 2000.

Diersen came to Temple from SMU where he coached the defensive line in 2018. He moved to SMU to be with Kevin Kane, SMU’s defensive coordinator, after the two spent four years together at Northern Illinois.

NIU ranked 26th in the nation in total defense in 2017, leading the nation in tackles for loss (8.8) and ranking second in sacks (3.31 per game) and fourth in defensive TDs (5). NIU ranked seventh nationally in yards per play allowed at just 4.52, trailing only Alabama, Clemson, Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio State and Michigan. They also ranked in the top 20 in 3rd down conversion percentage defense (11th), rushing defense (16th) and first downs allowed (19th). In 2016, NIU ranked 17th nationally and led the MAC in red zone defense.

Diersen helped the Huskies to four bowl games during his five-year tenure and a pair of MAC Championships. He coached five All-MAC selections, including two-time selection Perez Ford (2014-15), Jason Meehan (2014), and Ken Bishop and Joe Windsor (2013).

Diersen spent the 2012 season at Florida Atlantic University where he coached the Owls’ defensive line and served as special teams coordinator. In 2011, he was the defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Indiana after spending the 2008-10 seasons on the University of Nebraska coaching staff, where he assisted in working with special teams and a defensive line that featured Ndamukong Suh, who was named the Associated Press National Player of the Year and won the Bronko Nagurski, Rotary Lombardi, Outland and Chuck Bednarik awards.

The connection between Carey and Diersen dates back to 2000 when Carey took over as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Wisconsin-Stout, where Diersen was a graduate assistant on a Blue Devils team that went into the Division III playoffs undefeated. After coaching the defensive line, outside linebackers and special teams at the University of Dubuque from 2001-03, Diersen returned to UWStout as defensive coordinator in 2004. The two remained with the Blue Devils through 2006.

A native of Appleton, Wis., Diersen spent the 2007 campaign as defensive line coach at Minnesota State-Mankato before going to Nebraska the next season.

As a player, Diersen was a three-time all-conference defensive end at Huron (S.D.) University from 1994-98, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1998. He added a master’s degree in education from UWStout in 2005.

Diersen and his wife, Jenna, have two sons, Brody and Hudson and daughter, Mila.