What is Jay Norvell's coaching history and record? CSU Rams HC's career explored
Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell has been all over the news in the lead-up to the Rams' blockbuster encounter against Deion Sanders' Buffaloes. The inter-state rivalry is set to air nationally on ESPN and the ESPN app.
In the build-up to the game, much has been made of CSU coach Jay Norvell, especially following his fiery comments about Sanders. What does Norvell's coaching history look like? Let's take a look:
Jay Norvell's coaching history
Norvell played his only season in the NFL as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Then, he turned his attention toward his coaching career after joining the Iowa Hawkeyes as a graduate assistant.
Between 1988 and 2001, he was an assistant coach at multiple reputed programs. His first role was as an assistant coach with the Northern Iowa Panthers. Subsequently, he moved from one program to another, with stops at Wisconsin and Iowa State.
He moved to the NFL as an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts and the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders starting in 2002. But his time in the big league was short-lived and he soon returned to college football.
In 2004, Norvell took on his first job as an offensive coordinator with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he played a vital role in the career of Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. He followed this with another job as an offensive coordinator, for UCLA in 2007.
He soon transitioned to the role of an assistant offensive coordinator for the Sooners between 2008 and 2010 before being promoted to offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. He stayed with the receivers until 2015 before joining the Longhorns as the wide receivers coach that same year.
In 2017, Norvell earned his first job as an FBS head coach when the Nevada Wolf Pack hired him. He served as their coach until 2021, during which the team made four bowl appearances, emerging victorious in two.
In his five seasons at Nevada, he finished with an overall record of 33-26, which was significant given the program's 3-9 start in Norvell's first season. However, in late 2021, he announced his decision to join the Colorado State Rams.
During his first season with the Rams, the team finished with an uninspiring 3-9 record. While the team has had a rocky tenure under Norvell so far, especially after another loss in their season opener, the matchup against Sanders and the Buffaloes presents a golden opportunity for the Rams to make a statement win.