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Houston Hires Steve Shankweiler as New Offensive Line Coach
1/24/2018 2:00:00 PM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Head Coach Mike Houston announced Wednesday the hiring of Steve Shankweiler, as he will serve as the offensive line coach for the Dukes in 2018.
Shankweiler brings more than four decades of coaching experience to Harrisonburg, including 35 seasons at the NCAA Division I level and 20 as an offensive coordinator.
"We're fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to hire someone with the caliber of Steve Shankweiler, Houston said. "His experience and proven track record at the college football level and at various institutions will lend itself to be a great asset to our staff and to our young men on the offensive line. I'm really excited what he brings to both groups."
"I look at myself as a teacher, I take a lot of pride in taking kids somewhere when they couldn't do it by themselves and I think that's a mark of a good teacher," Shankweiler said. "I'm very detailed in what I do and I think I do a pretty good job of evaluating in what a player can physically and mentally handle. It's a different animal to play the offensive line position. It's an unnatural position we ask kids to play naturally and that requires a great deal of teach. That's what I enjoy about the game and what I look forward to bringing here."
Most recently, Shankweiler spent the past season at NC State, where he was a defensive analyst. In that capacity, he analyzed opponents' offenses to help the defensive staff and student-athletes prepare game plans.
Prior to his year-long stint with the Wolfpack, he spent four seasons at FIU (2013-16), where he was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. In his time with the Panthers, they set the single-season rushing record in 2016 behind all-time rushing leader Alex Gardner. The year prior, FIU produced the second-most passing yards and third-highest scoring average.
Shankweiler was a three-year offensive line coach at USF (2010-12) under Skip Holtz, and in 2011, despite the loss of three seniors to the line, the Bulls led the Big East in both rushing and sacks allowed.
Most notably, Shankweiler has served three separate five-year runs at ECU, spanning three decades. He most recently was offensive coordinator from 2005-09 and was also the OC from 1987-91. He was also the offensive line coach from 1998-02. The Pirates would play in seven bowl games during his time in Greenville, which included their historic 1991 season in which they won the Peach Bowl and finished the year ranked ninth – a program record.
"He's going to be the perfect fit with our staff. He has the team-unity type of mindset with the way he goes about doing things," Houston said. "He doesn't want to be anything other than a part of the group. Certainly he's tremendously experienced but he's also a great motivator. Watching film of his units the past several years, they play the way we want to play. He'll bring a tremendous amount of expertise in to develop a young yet talented group of offensive linemen. It's the perfect fit, it's exactly what we were looking for."
"I'm a very hands-on, aggressive style of teacher," Shankweiler said. "I set pretty high standards and won't compromise those standards either for myself or the kids I'm working with. I'm going to push them to be better than they think they can be, and I'll expect that kind of effort both in the classroom and on the field. I set a high standard and I expect they'll buy into it and expect them to do everything to reach that standard."
Shankweiler has also had collegiate stops at South Carolina (2004 – OL Coach) under legendary coach Lou Holtz, Cincinnati (2003 – OL Coach), Georgia Tech (1992-94 – OC/OL Coach), Western Kentucky (1984-86 – OC/OL Coach) and The Citadel (1980-83 – DL Coach/OL Coach/Special Teams).
Additionally, he spent three years as a high school head coach in Georgia between his stops at Georgia Tech and ECU the second time. Shankweiler was head coach at Glyn Academy High School for one season (1995) before moving on to Griffin High School, where he led the football program and was the athletic director for two years (1996-97).
Shankweiler began his coaching career in the 1970s in Georgia, as he was the offensive line coach at Avondale High School (1974-75) and head coach at Redan High School (1976-79), where he won the Georgia state championship in 1979.
A six-time football and track letterwinner, Shankweiler graduated with his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in 1974. He was an All-Southern Conference honoree and captain of the track program his senior season. He later earned his master's degree from Georgia State in 1980.
Shankweiler and his wife Patti have two daughters, Lori and Jennifer, and a son, Kort.
Shankweiler replaces Bryan Stinespring, who departed JMU for the same position at Maryland. He will start at JMU on February 5.
Shankweiler Coaching File
Shankweiler brings more than four decades of coaching experience to Harrisonburg, including 35 seasons at the NCAA Division I level and 20 as an offensive coordinator.
"We're fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to hire someone with the caliber of Steve Shankweiler, Houston said. "His experience and proven track record at the college football level and at various institutions will lend itself to be a great asset to our staff and to our young men on the offensive line. I'm really excited what he brings to both groups."
"I look at myself as a teacher, I take a lot of pride in taking kids somewhere when they couldn't do it by themselves and I think that's a mark of a good teacher," Shankweiler said. "I'm very detailed in what I do and I think I do a pretty good job of evaluating in what a player can physically and mentally handle. It's a different animal to play the offensive line position. It's an unnatural position we ask kids to play naturally and that requires a great deal of teach. That's what I enjoy about the game and what I look forward to bringing here."
Most recently, Shankweiler spent the past season at NC State, where he was a defensive analyst. In that capacity, he analyzed opponents' offenses to help the defensive staff and student-athletes prepare game plans.
Prior to his year-long stint with the Wolfpack, he spent four seasons at FIU (2013-16), where he was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. In his time with the Panthers, they set the single-season rushing record in 2016 behind all-time rushing leader Alex Gardner. The year prior, FIU produced the second-most passing yards and third-highest scoring average.
Shankweiler was a three-year offensive line coach at USF (2010-12) under Skip Holtz, and in 2011, despite the loss of three seniors to the line, the Bulls led the Big East in both rushing and sacks allowed.
Most notably, Shankweiler has served three separate five-year runs at ECU, spanning three decades. He most recently was offensive coordinator from 2005-09 and was also the OC from 1987-91. He was also the offensive line coach from 1998-02. The Pirates would play in seven bowl games during his time in Greenville, which included their historic 1991 season in which they won the Peach Bowl and finished the year ranked ninth – a program record.
"He's going to be the perfect fit with our staff. He has the team-unity type of mindset with the way he goes about doing things," Houston said. "He doesn't want to be anything other than a part of the group. Certainly he's tremendously experienced but he's also a great motivator. Watching film of his units the past several years, they play the way we want to play. He'll bring a tremendous amount of expertise in to develop a young yet talented group of offensive linemen. It's the perfect fit, it's exactly what we were looking for."
"I'm a very hands-on, aggressive style of teacher," Shankweiler said. "I set pretty high standards and won't compromise those standards either for myself or the kids I'm working with. I'm going to push them to be better than they think they can be, and I'll expect that kind of effort both in the classroom and on the field. I set a high standard and I expect they'll buy into it and expect them to do everything to reach that standard."
Shankweiler has also had collegiate stops at South Carolina (2004 – OL Coach) under legendary coach Lou Holtz, Cincinnati (2003 – OL Coach), Georgia Tech (1992-94 – OC/OL Coach), Western Kentucky (1984-86 – OC/OL Coach) and The Citadel (1980-83 – DL Coach/OL Coach/Special Teams).
Additionally, he spent three years as a high school head coach in Georgia between his stops at Georgia Tech and ECU the second time. Shankweiler was head coach at Glyn Academy High School for one season (1995) before moving on to Griffin High School, where he led the football program and was the athletic director for two years (1996-97).
Shankweiler began his coaching career in the 1970s in Georgia, as he was the offensive line coach at Avondale High School (1974-75) and head coach at Redan High School (1976-79), where he won the Georgia state championship in 1979.
A six-time football and track letterwinner, Shankweiler graduated with his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in 1974. He was an All-Southern Conference honoree and captain of the track program his senior season. He later earned his master's degree from Georgia State in 1980.
Shankweiler and his wife Patti have two daughters, Lori and Jennifer, and a son, Kort.
Shankweiler replaces Bryan Stinespring, who departed JMU for the same position at Maryland. He will start at JMU on February 5.
Shankweiler Coaching File
- 43 years of coaching experience
- 35 years as a Division I coach
- 20 years as a FBS offensive coordinator
- 10 bowl appearances
- B.A., History – Davidson College (1974)
- M.E., Physical Education – Georgia State (1980)
| 2017 | NC State | Defensive Analyst |
| 2013-16 | FIU | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
| 2010-12 | USF | Offensive Line |
| 2005-09 | ECU | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
| 2004 | South Carolina | Offensive Line |
| 2003 | Cincinnati | Offensive Line |
| 1998-02 | ECU | Offesnive Line |
| 1996-97 | Griffin High School (GA) | Head Coach/Athletic Director |
| 1995 | Glynn Academy High School (GA) | Head Coach |
| 1992-94 | Georgia Tech | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
| 1987-91 | ECU | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
| 1984-86 | Western Kentucky | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
| 1980-83 | The Citadel | Defensive Line/Offensive Line/Special Teams |
| 1976-79 | Redan High School (GA) | Head Coach |
| 1974-75 | Avondale High School (GA) | Offensive Line |
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