Tino Sunseri - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Tino Sunseri

Title:
Quarterbacks/Pass Game Coordinator
Email:
sunsersm@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517

Tino Sunseri was hired on May 18, 2021, as James Madison University’s quarterbacks coach and added the title of pass game coordinator following his first season with the program.

In both seasons with the Dukes, his starting quarterbacks have both major honors while setting top passing performances to lead the offense.

In his second season and JMU’s first in the FBS, Todd Centeio was voted Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year while also being voted Virginia Sports Information Directors Offensive Player of the Year. He was a four-time SBC Offensive Player of the Week and three-time Manning Award Stars of the Week after throwing for 2,697 yards and 25 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Centeio also added 393 rushing yards and seven touchdowns to account for more than 3,000 total yards, as he was named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2022 and midseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Manning Award and CFPA National Performer of the Year.

The passing attack aided JMU in ranking top 30 nationally in six FBS offensive areas. That included sixth in time of possession (33:44), seventh in yards per completion (14.54), 13th in scoring (37.0), 16th in pass efficiency (157.2), 29th in total offense (452.5) and 30th in passing touchdowns.

His first season with the Dukes saw one of the top passing performances in single-season program history with Cole Johnson as the signal caller.

Johnson set JMU single-season records for passing yards (3,779), passing touchdowns (41) and completions (287) on his way to winning the CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year and finishing fourth for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award. In addition to earning multiple All-America honors, Johnson was voted CAA Offensive Player of the Year and a CoSIDA Academic All-District member.

His 2021 quarterback room aided in the Dukes ranking fifth nationally in scoring (38.3) and 17th in passing yards per game (276.3). They were also third in both completion percentage (67.6%) and pass efficiency (171.0) and eighth in fewest interceptions (5). JMU threw for more than 300 yards in six games and had five or more touchdown passes in five outings.

Sunseri came to Harrisonburg after a two-and-a-half year stint on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, where he served as an offensive analyst, working primarily with the quarterbacks.

While in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide went 24-2 between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which included going 13-0 in 2020 and winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.

He worked closely with a pair of Heisman Trophy finalists and NFL first-round draft picks in Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. In 2020, Jones set the national completion percentage record (77.4%) on their way to the 2020 national title. Sunseri was additionally responsible for daily breakdown of film, self-scout breakdown, writing scripts for practice and breaking down upcoming opponents.

Prior to Alabama, Sunseri spent the 2018 season at Tennessee and two seasons at on the Jimbo Fisher staff at Florida State (2016-17).

Sunseri is a former starting quarterback at Pitt (2008-12), where he made 39 consecutive starts for the Panthers. While at Pitt, where he was at one point coached by Curt Cignetti’s brother, Frank Jr., Sunseri learned and executed four different offensive systems.

A 2010 Big East Conference champion, he completed his career ranking second in Pitt history in total offense (8,591) and third in passing yards (8,590). As a senior in 2012, he completed 65% of his passes, throwing for 3,288 yards and 21 touchdowns with only three interceptions. His passing total was the second-most in single-season history for the program.

After college, he played three seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2013-15). He was a 2013 Grey Cup champion and helped the Roughriders to the 2014 playoffs as the team’s starter.

Sunseri graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor of arts in communications with a minor in history. He is the son of Sal Sunseri, a coaching veteran of nearly four decades between the collegiate and NFL ranks. His father previously served on Saban’s staff at Alabama before becoming defensive tackles coach at Colorado ahead of the 2023 season.