Roy Tesh - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Roy Tesh

Title:
Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
Email:
teshrw@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517

Roy Tesh was hired at James Madison University in June 2017 as an assistant coach working with the outside linebackers and serving as special teams coordinator.

In his first year with the program, JMU’s special teams was one of the best in the CAA in nearly every area. The Dukes led the CAA and ranked fourth in the FCS in punt-return defense (3.33) and was 10th in punt-return average (13.0). They were also ninth nationally in net punting (38.8) and top 30 in kickoff returns (21.8).

He coached two players to All-CAA status, which included John Miller being named CAA Special Teams Player of the Year. In addition to Miller’s First Team All-CAA honor, punter Harry O’Kelly was voted to the All-CAA Second Team.

D’Angelo Amos and Miller were the CAA’s top-two punt returners, as they averaged 15.8 and 11.7 yards per return, respectively. O’Kelly was second in the league in punting (41.3) and Ethan Ratke ranked second in the CAA in field goals (14) and fourth in percentage (.778). JMU’s combined 23 field goals between Ratke and Tyler Gray was well ahead of every other CAA squad.

Tesh joined the JMU staff after spending the previous three seasons at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and this marks the fourth different institution he has been part of the same coaching staff as Houston.

During his time as The Citadel’s defensive line coach, the Bulldogs went 24-13 and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

In 2016, The Citadel finished 10-2 overall and won the Southern Conference title for the second straight year with a perfect 8-0 record. It set multiple school records, including a record 10-game win streak. The Bulldogs also set a program mark for most road victories in a season, with six, and turned in the SoCon’s seventh perfect conference record in 84 years to earn the No. 6 overall seed for the playoffs.

The Bulldogs’ defense ranked seventh nationally in pass defense and eighth in in total defense, allowing just 302.7 yards of offense per game. They led the conference with 2.5 touchdowns allowed per game (30), and were second with 28 sacks, tied for the third-highest single-season total in school history.

Tesh’s defensive line was led by First Team All-SoCon performer Joe Crochet, who additionally was named a Second Team Academic All-American honoree. He also directed Ken Allen to Second Team All-SoCon status. As a unit the defensive line recorded 24.5 sacks, which accounted for 88 percent of the team’s 28 total sacks, and 49 tackles for loss, which was more than 50 percent of the team’s season total.

During the 2015 season, The Citadel was co-champions of the SoCon behind a then-school-record-tying six conference wins. The Bulldogs finished 9-4 to advance to the FCS playoffs for only the second time in school history under JMU’s current head coach, Mike Houston. The Bulldogs had a +117 scoring margin, including +100 in SoCon play, and earned the program’s first road playoff win in a 41-38 triumph at Coastal Carolina.

The Bulldogs’ defense led the FCS with a school-record 515 interception return yards and five interception return touchdowns. The Citadel also led the Southern and ranked third in FCS with 20 interceptions, the third-highest single-season total in program history, and with 31 turnovers forced. Under Tesh’s tutelage Mitchell Jeter was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-America status, while Mark Thomas was a Second Team All-SoCon selection and Allen made the All-Freshman Team. In his first year in 2014, Jeter earned second team all-conference accolades.

Prior to his arrival at The Citadel, Tesh spent the previous six seasons with Houston at Lenoir-Rhyne, where he coached the running backs in 2008 and oversaw the defensive line from 2009-13. He was part of L-R’s 2013 team that advanced to the NCAA Division II national championship game after leading the South Atlantic Conference in total defense, rushing defense, sacks and scoring defense.

He coached three players to All-America status between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, as the Bears defense led the SAC in total defense from 2010-13. During the 2008 season, while he coached running backs, L-R’s rush attack ranked fifth nationally with more than 250 rushing yards per game.

Tesh also had stints as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Brevard (2006-07) and linebackers coach and strength & conditioning coordinator at his alma mater, Greensboro College (2003-05).

“I’ve had experience with Coach Trott’s and Coach Houston’s defense for a long time now,” Tesh said. “I bring to the table a background of understanding of how to fit in quickly. I have an aggressive coaching style. I like to get in there, put a hard hat on and get to work. I also believe you have to build a relationship with the kids, and that’s very important in this day and age. Kids don’t care what you know until they know you care about them, so it’s a big deal for me right away to meet the players in my position group and learn how to let them know I care and they’re part of my family.”

“He knows our defensive scheme inside and out, having run it with me for several years,” Houston said. “He’ll bring the mindset we currently have in place, and there won’t be a drop off in any area, so we can continue the same high level from last season. I’ve run the same special teams scheme for the past eight years, so he’ll be a great fit to pick up where we left off with tremendous success in the all phases of the kicking and return game.”

Tesh was a four-year all-conference offensive lineman at Greensboro, graduating in 2004. He played for the Carolina Ghostriders of the American Indoor Football League, serving as a defensive lineman and fullback during his playing days.

Tesh and his wife, Kimberly, have a daughter, Sadie.