Meet the Coaches: Chad Wilt, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach
Editor's Note: Indiana has five new football coaches this year, including two new coordinators. In our five-part ''Meet the Coaches'' series, we'll introduce you to all of them, and in our second installment, meet new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Chad Wilt.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Chad Wilt's football roots were planted in small-town Indiana as a two-time NAIA All-American defensive end at Taylor University in Upland. He was a coach's son growing up and considers himself, his wife and three kids an Indiana family. And now, Wilt has the chance to represent the state as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Hoosiers.
During his introductory press conference on Jan. 22, Wilt made a few historical references when defining what coaching means to him.
"I really believe coaching is teaching," Wild said. "When you look up the word coach, it goes back to the 1500s and France and Hungary, of literally to carry, to take, to transport."
Wilt is trying to carry the Indiana defense to the next level, a job he compared to a stagecoach who delivered someone from point A to point B in the Wild West. His coaching style also mirrors his father's, who was the head coach of Wingate College and Taylor University, which is reflected in the way he builds relationships with players.
"My dad taught me as a coach that it's never about the person, it's always about the action," Wilt said. "That you coach the action negatively, not the person negatively. Praise the person. Don't coach the person negatively, coach the action negatively."
Wilt has coached in 10 bowl games for various schools, but his coaching career started at Central Connecticut State in 2001 as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator.
Wilt then chose to pursue a master's degree at Virginia, where he also took on a role as a graduate assistant. The sports management major said Virginia taught him to be a life-long learner, and he now considers himself a 22nd-year learner as he continues to challenge himself to improve as a coach.
Chad Wilt meets with the media after being hired as Indiana's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. (Photo courtesy of IU Athletics)
After leaving Virginia, Wilt coached defensive linemen at seven different schools including Liberty, Richmond, Ball State, Maryland, Army, Cincinnati and Minnesota. At Richmond, Wilt coached Martin Parker to All-American status in 2010, a player who went on to win Super Bowl XLVI with the New York Giants.
Wilt coached three eventual 2016 NFL Draft picks at Maryland before leaving to coach at Army. In 2018, Wilt guided Army's defense to the nation's top-ranked third-down conversion and fourth-down conversion defense and the No. 8 total defense and scoring defense.
In Wilt's only season at Cincinnati, the Bearcats ranked first in total defense, were victorious in the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl and finished No. 21 in the final AP top 25 poll. Most recently, Wilt coached defensive linemen at Minnesota for two season, who finished third in the nation in total defense in 2021.
And when looking for a new coaching role, Wilt said he could not have asked for a better fit than head coach Tom Allen, whose character and belief system aligns well with Wilt's. Allen will call defensive plays for the Hoosiers in 2022 and said Wilt will serve as his right-hand man in meetings and the go-to guy for organizational purposes, even during the game.
Wilt replaces Charlton Warren, who left Indiana to become the co-defensive coordinator for North Carolina. Wilt inherits a defense that allowed more points per game than any Big Ten team in 2021. Last year, the Indiana defense ranked eighth in rushing yards and 11th in passing yards allowed per game.
Wilt will also be tasked with replacing an All-American-sized hole in the middle of the defense, as Micah McFadden has entered the NFL Draft. Indiana added two linebackers in the transfer portal – Myles Jackson from UCLA and Jared Casey from Kentucky – to fill this void.
Linebacker Cam Jones and cornerback Tiawan Mullen return as leaders for the Indiana defense. And while coaching at Minnesota, Wilt watched plenty of Indiana's defensive film.
"They play with a passion," Wilt said. "I still want to challenge that group to continue to grow in that and take that next step. But you also see a group that doesn't play scared."
In 2022, Wilt does not want Indiana to play with a bend-don't-break mentality. He wants his defense to attack. For Wilt, this means a focus on tackles for loss, sacks, pass breakups, interceptions and forced fumbles.
He's also excited to coach the freshmen that comprised Indiana's all-time best recruiting class in 2022, especially Dasan McCullough, who is Indiana's highest ranked recruit of all time.
"We've just got to take that and continue to build it, shape it, refine it, develop it," Wild said. "And help them play at or above their God-given abilities."
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