Temple University Athletics
Football
Wiesehan, Chris
Chris Wiesehan
- Title:
- Offensive Line Coach
- Email:
- wiesehan@temple.edu
- Phone:
- 215-204-4694
Chris Wiesehan (pronounced WEEZ-uh-han) completed his fifth season with the Owls and second consecutive with the offensive line / run game coordinator. During his 24-year coaching career, Wiesehan has coached four of the five offensive positions producing NFL draft picks at each spot along the way. In his four seasons at Temple, he has sent eight players to the NFL, including 2017 second round pick, Dion Dawkins.
2018 might have been Wiesehan's finest season and it resulted in his nomination for the Broyles Award. He cross-trained his linemen to play multiple positions throughout the spring and it paid dividends during the year. He broke in two true freshmen at the tackle positions with Adam Klein earning first-team ECAC Rookie of the Year honors by season's end. In fact, all five linemen - Klein, center Matt Hennessy, tackle Jaelin Robinson, and guards Jovahn Fair and Vincent Picozzi - earned All-ECAC honors. When Hennessy, a Rimington Trophy candidate, went down for two games, Picozzi moved to center and the offense didn't miss a beat averaging over 600 yards and 50 points at #9 UCF and at Houston.
In 2017, Wiesehan returned to coach the offensive line in a season that tested the depth and development of the unit. In all, Wiesehan started 10 different players and used five different line combinations. At Army in week 8, the unit featured four players making their first career start, not to mention QB Frank Nutile also making his starting debut, and the Owls rushed for 217 yards. The success resulted in two players signing NFL free agent contracts – Cole Boozer (Buccaneers) and Leon Johnson (Broncos) – and Brian Carter earning second team all-conference honors.
During the 2016 season, Wiesehan helped develop the running back duo of second- team all-conference selection Jahad Thomas and sophomore Ryquell Armstead. The two rushed for a combined 1,836 yards while scoring 27 rushing TDs. They were the only pair of RBs in the nation to each rush for 900+ yards and 13 TDs that season.
The 2015 offensive unit for the Owls had three All-American Athletic Conference players in Kyle Friend, Eric Lofton, and Dion Dawkins. The O-line paved the way for running back Jahad Thomas, also an all-conference selection, to rush for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns that year.
In his first season at Temple, Wiesehan oversaw an offensive line that cut its sack total by over 33% from the previous year. The line allowed just 21 sacks (down from 32) which was the third lowest total in 29 seasons. In fact, Temple quarterbacks were sacked just once every 19.2 pass attempts - the best mark in school history. The line performed admirably considering a midseason stretch of six games with six different line combinations.
Wiesehan’s methods seemed to impact junior center Kyle Friend the most. Working with his third position coach in as many seasons, Friend earned recognition on every all-conference list as well as the Rimington Watch List. Friend has since spent time with the NY Jets, Pittsburgh, and Carolina in the NFL.
Wiesehan came to Philadelphia from the University of Hawaii where he began as an offensive line/run game coordinator. He helped coach freshman center Ben Clarke, who received All-Mountain West honorable mention honors and received the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award. After coaching the offensive line in 2012, Wiesehan moved to running backs/run game coordinator in 2013 and produced Joey Iosefa as a draft choice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also held the title of offensive recruiting coordinator.
Wiesehan traveled to UH after serving as wide receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. In 2011, he helped Winnipeg to the Grey Cup. In his first year, he coached a group which boasted the second leading receiver in the league, Terrence Edwards, who finished with 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was named offensive coordinator following the Grey Cup.
Wiesehan spent the 2009 season at UCLA as tight ends coach. The Bruins participated in the Eagle Bank Bowl (against Temple) and tight ends Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen signed with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, respectively.
From 2007-08, Wiesehan served as the offensive line coach at Syracuse. During his tenure, the Orange had their first 1,000-yard rusher in five seasons and two of his players were either drafted or signed by NFL teams, including Ryan Durant who was an All-Big East performer and signed with the Tennessee Titans. In addition, his offensive line cut the number of sacks allowed in half during his second year.
Prior to Syracuse, Wiesehan served as the offensive line coach at James Madison in 2006. In his only season, the Dukes won the Atlantic 10 South Division and led the conference in rushing. JMU also ranked 11th nationally in rushing and qualified for NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. JMU’s tackle, Corey Davis, signed as a free agent with the New York Giants.
Wiesehan gained NFL experience by working as an offensive assistant for Tampa Bay in 2005, when the Buccaneers posted an 11-5 record and were NFC South Champions. Prior to that, he coached at Northern Arizona from 2001-04, where he was the assistant head coach and spent two seasons each as wide receivers coach and offensive line coach. His top pupil was receiver Clarence Moore who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. At NAU, the line allowed the fewest sacks in the Big Sky while helping produce a 1,000-yard rusher, and six linemen earned all-conference honors. NAU also won the 2003 Big Sky Championship and qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 2001 and ’03. Wiesehan was named offensive coordinator following the 2004 season but moved on to the NFL.
Wiesehan spent two seasons at Buffalo from 1999-2000, coaching the wide receivers and tight ends during his first season and offensive line in his second year. Those two seasons produced three NFL players under Wiesehan – receivers Andre Forde (Chicago) and Drew Haddad (Buffalo) and tackle David Pruce (Baltimore).
During 1997-98, he was on staff at Notre Dame as the tight ends coach where the Irish participated in the Independence Bowl and the Gator Bowl. Jabari Holloway (New England) and Dan O’Leary (Buffalo) were drafted into the NFL. He spent the 1996 season coaching the tight ends at Purdue and mentored three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriot Matt Light.
He began his coaching career at Fort Hays State from 1994-95 as the receivers coach, where he coached two All-Americans and four all-conference players. The school won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and participated in the Division II National Playoffs.
As a player, Wiesehan was a wide receiver and kick returner at Wabash College (1990-93). As a senior, he served as team captain and earned All-America honors while being named his team’s Receiver of the Year for the third time. He still holds the national record for all-purpose yards per play.
Inducted into the Wabash Hall of Fame in 2014, Wiesehan has coached five players who have earned similar honors – Matt Light (New England Patriots HOF), Terence Edwards (Winnipeg Blue Bombers HOF), Clarence Moore (NAU HOF), Drew Haddad (University of Buffalo HOF), and Lance Schwindt (Fort Hays State HOF).
Wiesehan and his wife, Renee, have one son, Colton.
2018 might have been Wiesehan's finest season and it resulted in his nomination for the Broyles Award. He cross-trained his linemen to play multiple positions throughout the spring and it paid dividends during the year. He broke in two true freshmen at the tackle positions with Adam Klein earning first-team ECAC Rookie of the Year honors by season's end. In fact, all five linemen - Klein, center Matt Hennessy, tackle Jaelin Robinson, and guards Jovahn Fair and Vincent Picozzi - earned All-ECAC honors. When Hennessy, a Rimington Trophy candidate, went down for two games, Picozzi moved to center and the offense didn't miss a beat averaging over 600 yards and 50 points at #9 UCF and at Houston.
In 2017, Wiesehan returned to coach the offensive line in a season that tested the depth and development of the unit. In all, Wiesehan started 10 different players and used five different line combinations. At Army in week 8, the unit featured four players making their first career start, not to mention QB Frank Nutile also making his starting debut, and the Owls rushed for 217 yards. The success resulted in two players signing NFL free agent contracts – Cole Boozer (Buccaneers) and Leon Johnson (Broncos) – and Brian Carter earning second team all-conference honors.
During the 2016 season, Wiesehan helped develop the running back duo of second- team all-conference selection Jahad Thomas and sophomore Ryquell Armstead. The two rushed for a combined 1,836 yards while scoring 27 rushing TDs. They were the only pair of RBs in the nation to each rush for 900+ yards and 13 TDs that season.
The 2015 offensive unit for the Owls had three All-American Athletic Conference players in Kyle Friend, Eric Lofton, and Dion Dawkins. The O-line paved the way for running back Jahad Thomas, also an all-conference selection, to rush for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns that year.
In his first season at Temple, Wiesehan oversaw an offensive line that cut its sack total by over 33% from the previous year. The line allowed just 21 sacks (down from 32) which was the third lowest total in 29 seasons. In fact, Temple quarterbacks were sacked just once every 19.2 pass attempts - the best mark in school history. The line performed admirably considering a midseason stretch of six games with six different line combinations.
Wiesehan’s methods seemed to impact junior center Kyle Friend the most. Working with his third position coach in as many seasons, Friend earned recognition on every all-conference list as well as the Rimington Watch List. Friend has since spent time with the NY Jets, Pittsburgh, and Carolina in the NFL.
Wiesehan came to Philadelphia from the University of Hawaii where he began as an offensive line/run game coordinator. He helped coach freshman center Ben Clarke, who received All-Mountain West honorable mention honors and received the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award. After coaching the offensive line in 2012, Wiesehan moved to running backs/run game coordinator in 2013 and produced Joey Iosefa as a draft choice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also held the title of offensive recruiting coordinator.
Wiesehan traveled to UH after serving as wide receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. In 2011, he helped Winnipeg to the Grey Cup. In his first year, he coached a group which boasted the second leading receiver in the league, Terrence Edwards, who finished with 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was named offensive coordinator following the Grey Cup.
Wiesehan spent the 2009 season at UCLA as tight ends coach. The Bruins participated in the Eagle Bank Bowl (against Temple) and tight ends Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen signed with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, respectively.
From 2007-08, Wiesehan served as the offensive line coach at Syracuse. During his tenure, the Orange had their first 1,000-yard rusher in five seasons and two of his players were either drafted or signed by NFL teams, including Ryan Durant who was an All-Big East performer and signed with the Tennessee Titans. In addition, his offensive line cut the number of sacks allowed in half during his second year.
Prior to Syracuse, Wiesehan served as the offensive line coach at James Madison in 2006. In his only season, the Dukes won the Atlantic 10 South Division and led the conference in rushing. JMU also ranked 11th nationally in rushing and qualified for NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. JMU’s tackle, Corey Davis, signed as a free agent with the New York Giants.
Wiesehan gained NFL experience by working as an offensive assistant for Tampa Bay in 2005, when the Buccaneers posted an 11-5 record and were NFC South Champions. Prior to that, he coached at Northern Arizona from 2001-04, where he was the assistant head coach and spent two seasons each as wide receivers coach and offensive line coach. His top pupil was receiver Clarence Moore who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. At NAU, the line allowed the fewest sacks in the Big Sky while helping produce a 1,000-yard rusher, and six linemen earned all-conference honors. NAU also won the 2003 Big Sky Championship and qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 2001 and ’03. Wiesehan was named offensive coordinator following the 2004 season but moved on to the NFL.
Wiesehan spent two seasons at Buffalo from 1999-2000, coaching the wide receivers and tight ends during his first season and offensive line in his second year. Those two seasons produced three NFL players under Wiesehan – receivers Andre Forde (Chicago) and Drew Haddad (Buffalo) and tackle David Pruce (Baltimore).
During 1997-98, he was on staff at Notre Dame as the tight ends coach where the Irish participated in the Independence Bowl and the Gator Bowl. Jabari Holloway (New England) and Dan O’Leary (Buffalo) were drafted into the NFL. He spent the 1996 season coaching the tight ends at Purdue and mentored three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriot Matt Light.
He began his coaching career at Fort Hays State from 1994-95 as the receivers coach, where he coached two All-Americans and four all-conference players. The school won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and participated in the Division II National Playoffs.
As a player, Wiesehan was a wide receiver and kick returner at Wabash College (1990-93). As a senior, he served as team captain and earned All-America honors while being named his team’s Receiver of the Year for the third time. He still holds the national record for all-purpose yards per play.
Inducted into the Wabash Hall of Fame in 2014, Wiesehan has coached five players who have earned similar honors – Matt Light (New England Patriots HOF), Terence Edwards (Winnipeg Blue Bombers HOF), Clarence Moore (NAU HOF), Drew Haddad (University of Buffalo HOF), and Lance Schwindt (Fort Hays State HOF).
Wiesehan and his wife, Renee, have one son, Colton.
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