Virginia Tech Hires Joe Rudolph As Offensive Line Coach And Run Game Coordinator

By: David Cunningham | Managing Editor
Joe Rudolph is Virginia Tech’s new offensive line coach and run game coordinator. (Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire)

Virginia Tech and Brent Pry announced the hiring of Joe Rudolph as the football program’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator on Monday.

Rudolph, a Wisconsin graduate and a member of Barry Alvarez’s first recruiting class, comes to Blacksburg where he served as the Badgers’ associate head coach and offensive line coach. He was also the program’s offensive coordinator from 2015 until 2021, and he served as the run game coordinator this past season.

Before coaching at Wisconsin, Rudolph was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for Paul Chryst at Pitt from 2012-14. He also coached the Wisconsin tight ends from 2008-11, the Nebraska tight ends in 2007, and he was the Ohio State strength coordinator in 2006.

After his college career was over, Rudolph played in the NFL for two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Carnegie Mellon afterwards.

A former Badgers captain who helped Wisconsin to Big Ten and Rose Bowl titles in the 1993 season, Rudolph has had his hand in many successful programs. He coached on Ohio State’s 2007 BCS National Championship staff in addition to three Rose Bowls, a Fiesta Bowl, a Cotton Bowl and an Orange Bowl, among many others.

While Pry never coached on the same staff as Rudolph, the two crossed paths many times in the Big Ten when Rudolph was at Wisconsin.

For a full list of Brent Pry’s coaching staff hires and related articles, click here.

Players Coached

In his first five seasons at Wisconsin, Rudolph mentored five First Team All-Americans on the offensive line. Ryan Ramczyk and Tyler Biadasz were Consensus All-Americans, and Biadsz claimed the 2019 Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center. Ramczyk, who was selected by New Orleans in the 2017 NFL Draft, was a First Team All-Pro selection in 2019. Rudolph also coached two-time First Team All-American Beau Benzschawel.

Three of Rudolph’s offensive lineman were named All-Americans for the 2017 season. Benzschawel at right guard and David Edwards at right tackle were first team selections, and left tackle Michael Deiter was named to the second team. That offensive line paved the way for Jonathan Taylor, who ran for 1,977 yards to set the FBS freshman rushing record.

That line was consistent in 2018, too, as was Taylor. The sophomore rushed for 2,194 yards and 16 touchdowns en route to winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back.

In 2019, Rudolph’s group also helped the Badgers excel through the air. Junior quarterback Jack Coan completed a school-record 236 passes for 2,727 yards, the third-highest single-season total in Wisconsin history.

As Pitt’s offensive coordinator, the Panthers ranked No. 3 in the ACC in total offense and No. 5 in the league in scoring offense in 2014. James Conner, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, helped lead the way with 1,765 rushing yards and an ACC single-season record 26 touchdowns. Rudolph also coached wide receiver Tyler Boyd, who was a two-time All-ACC performer and earned Freshman All-America honors in 2013.

Four Wisconsin tight ends that played under Rudolph earned playing time in the NFL in Travis Beckum, Garrett Graham, Lance Kendricks and Jake Byrne. The first three were each selected in the NFL Draft. Kendricks was a finalist for the John Mackey Award as well, given annually to the nation’s best tight end. He was a First Team All-American and led the Badgers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

Brent Pry’s Staff

With the hiring of Rudolph, eight of Brent Pry’s 10 assistant coaching positions have been filled. Tyler Bowen’s hire has been reported but is not official yet due to NFL contract rules. The only role that has not been filled is the wide receiver coach.

Pry has made two support staff hires: Dwight Galt IV and Mike Villagrana. Reports suggest Michael Hazel, the Senior Director of Football Operations at Penn State, will be Pry’s next hire as the program’s Chief of Staff.

Rudolph is just one of two members of Pry’s 12 assistant coaches and support staff hires that don’t have connections with Pry from a previous stop. The breakdown, in chronological order from Pry’s career path:

Virginia Tech: 2 – J.C. Price, Pierson Prioleau
Western Carolina: 1 – Stu Holt
Louisiana: 1 – Shawn Quinn
Memphis: 1 – Derek Jones
Vanderbilt: 2 – Chris Marve, Dwight Galt IV (also Penn St.)
Penn State: 3 – Tyler Bowen (reported, not official), Mike Villagrana, Michael Hazel

The two with no previous connection: Brad Glenn and Joe Rudolph.

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  1. Pry hires are an indication of Tech becoming more of a physical and “smashmouth” type team in style and approach. This is returning Tech to it’s framework of success. Physical linemen, strong and powerful running game, efficient / effective usage of TE’s in passing game, with explosive / over the top / take the lid off the stadium deep passing game to speed receivers.

    Defensively, the style will be aggressive with physicality and speed. Look for interior linemen to be more massive but very lean-tall DE’s with speed and athleticism. LB’s will be heavier and taller (Micah Parson type) and DB’s would be good in both coverage and tackling as reflected by the people he has on the defensive side of the ball. He has some players on the staff and who fit the profile of what he desires and S&C will be very important this offseason to begin to mold these model players. The transfer portal will be equally important to fit these pieces into this desired style of play.

  2. Reading about these hires is a little bit like watching a recruit’s highlight film- you see the good stuff, but are left to wonder what wasn’t so good. Nonetheless, it looks like a strong staff and an upgrade over the previous one. I’m anxious to see how this translates to the field.

  6. Who cares why he’s leaving. I’ll take that resume coaching in the BIG10 any day. He eventually wants to be a HC so he needs to show he can be successful at other schools and get it done. I get it and then some. Doubt he will be long tenured coach at VT before either moving up or getting hired away. He’s that good and I have no doubt he will be successful at building a solid OL at VT. Come on down coach Rudolph.

  7. Could be coming for a 1000 reason: location, family, health, future retirement, wants to work for Pry, maybe an increase in pay, etc.

  8. Didn’t we have a similar “named” OL coach, only to have him leave for LSU the next season. I am wondering the motivation. Hopefully, will see the fruits of his labor.

  9. This is a HUGE coup for Coach Pry and might be the most important hire on the entire staff; bring on old school, blue collar, smash mouth football!

  10. Why is Pierson so low? Seems like $200, even $150 is more in keeping with the staff’s structure

  13. Nice article.
    The second paragraph reads little weird:
    “ comes to Blacksburg where he served as the Badgers’ associate head coach, offensive line coach and run game coordinator.”

  14. appears to be a great hire, but would love to know why he’s leaving his alma mater for similar role at VT

      1. An article I read said he volunteered/requested to not be the OC as it was difficult between series to get the OL ready and also get ready for the next set of plays. It read that it was voluntary.

        1. As someone who lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin for 28 years, maybe he just got tired of the cold ass weather

    2. Agree . Seems to be a great hire. Speculate he sees more opportunities at VT or after VT. Also suspect that he like Pry.

    3. would love to know why he’s leaving his alma mater for similar role at VT>>>>

      There’s always a backstory.- a story that we’ll never know – as we hear his side – and we here their side. Like a triangle. 🙂

    4. My question exactly. Wisconsin is big boy, Big 10 football. Granted, the ACC has Clemson but overall the Big 10 is well .. bigger and better.

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