Tiffin University has finalized its coaching staff heading into the spring season.
Coaches and their assignments are Seth Duerr – Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers Coach; Joe Horn – Pass Game Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach; Mark Spencer – Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers Coach; Steve Gilbert – Running Backs Coach; Tyler Johns – Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach; Bert Bathiany – Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs Coach; and David Price – Run Game Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach. Harold Smith will serve as the Video Coordinator.
Duerr, Spencer, Johns, Bathiany, and Price are all recent additions to the Dragons football family.
Duerr previously served as Head Coach for five seasons for the Beloit College football program in 2018. Despite fielding a very small roster in his first season, Duerr led the Bucs to an improved record of 3-7. That win total matched the team's combined wins for the three previous seasons prior to Duerr's arrival. The Bucs placed 17 players on the All-MWC team during Duerr's tenure as head coach. Furthermore, the Bucs excelled academically during Duerr's leadership, boasting a team GPA of over 3.0 the last two years. Duerr coordinated the special teams and coached the linebackers for the Bucs.
Prior to arriving at Beloit College, Duerr was the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator from 2012-13 at Tiffin University.
Spencer spent the 2018 season at Capital University. Prior to that he coached running backs at Kent State University for two seasons, eventually becoming the school's recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator in 2016. Before joining the Golden Flashes, Spencer worked with running backs and wide receivers at Miami University (Ohio) from 2011-13. Three receivers earned All-Mid-American Conference honors at Miami under Spencer's tutelage.
Johns coached the previous two seasons at Ohio Dominican, coaching the offensive line and acting as recruiting coordinator. Prior to that he served for three years as an assistant at Illinois.
Two of his linemen were named First Team All-Great Midwest in 2017 while two others also picked up all-conference accolades as the unit helped power an offense that led the nation in completion percentage, passing efficiency and fewest turnovers committed. ODU also ranked second in third down conversions, third in passing offense and fourth in total offense while also allowing just 13 sacks in 10 games.
Bathiany spent the last five seasons coaching for Denison University. During that time, Denison rose to prominence in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Big Red broke eight single-season team records in 2018 and the defense posted a 42-0 shutout of Allegheny and held No. 22 Wabash scoreless until the final four minutes of the contest. Denison ranked third in the NCAC in sacks, third in red zone defense and fourth in total defense. After consecutive 7-3 seasons in 2014 and 2015, Denison responded with an 8-2 campaign in 2016. The defense allowed only 18.1 points per game that season, ranking third in the NCAC in scoring defense and second in total defense (295.7 yards per game).
From 2011 to 2013, Bathiany served as the defensive line coach and head strength and conditioning coach at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky where he helped the team earn 15 wins in the first three seasons of varsity football at the college.
Price spent the 2018 season at Wheeling Jesuit University. Prior to WJU, Price spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio Northern.
Price spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach at Hiram College, where he coached the linebackers and defensive line, was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach.
As the defensive coordinator at Hiram, Price helped the Terriers to their best season in 30 years and a top-8 ranking nationally in takeaways.