Zach Sparber - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Zach Sparber

Title:
Linebackers
Phone:
540-568-6517

Zach Sparber completed his first season with the James Madison football program in 2024, as he served as the linebackers coach.

In his first year with the team, he was part of a staff whose defense ranked 21st in scoring defense (20.5) and 23rd in total defense (321.8).

The Dukes led the country in turnover margin (1.54) and was third in takeaways (29), sixth in sacks (3.15) and fumble recoveries (12), seventh in pass efficiency defense (111.48), 12th on third-down defense (32.3%) and 18th in tackles for loss (7.1)

His linebacker corps accounted for 23 tackles for loss, nine sacks and five fumble recoveries, led by Jacob Dobbs, who was Second Team All-Sun Belt and First Team All-State. Dobbs ranked fifth nationally in fumble recoveries, with three, while Gannon Weathersby was tied for 19th with a pair. Trent Hendrick also ranked third on the team with 9.0 TFL, which led all JMU linebackers.

Sparber joined the Dukes after spending three seasons on the staff at Duke as a defensive analyst working with the linebackers in 2023 after two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant in 2021 and 2022.

In his three seasons with the Blue Devils, the team turned in a combined 20-18 record, which included back-to-back winning seasons and bowl wins in both 2022 and 2023.

The 2023 season saw Duke finish with an 8-5 overall record, highlighted by a season-opening victory over #9 Clemson and a triumph against Troy in the 76 Birmingham Bowl. Sparber coached Tre Freeman to Second Team All-ACC honors, and the Duke defense ranked 10th nationally in red-zone defense (.744) and 16th in scoring defense (19.0), which led the ACC.

In 2022, Duke posted a 9-4 overall record and defeated UCF in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md. Sparber mentored Shaka Heyward to All-ACC honors, as the linebacker finished his Duke career tied for eighth in fumble recoveries (5), 12th in tackles for loss (32.5), 13th in tackles (339) and tied for 14th in sacks (11.5). He later signed with the Cincinnati Bengals after competing in the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Combine.

During his first season in 2021, he also coached Heyward to his first All-ACC laurel after he led the team and ranked fifth in the ACC with 98 total tackles.

Prior to Duke, Sparber spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Virginia Tech (2018-20), where he worked under longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster. While with the Hokies, Sparber helped the program win 19 games and make two bowl game appearances at the 2018 Military Bowl and the 2019 Belk Bowl.

Before his arrival in Blacksburg, Sparber spent the 2017 season as an offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, assistant strength and conditioning coach at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J. During his one season with the program, the Crusaders finished 10-2, claimed the Group IV State Championship and were a top-25 team nationally, including a No. 1 ranking in the state of New Jersey. All five of Bergen Catholic’s offensive linemen went on to play college football, including all-state tackle Bryan Felter, who started at Rutgers.

In 2016, Sparber served as a defensive line coach at Stonehill College. While on staff, Sparber’s defensive unit led the Northeast-10 in fewest rushing yards allowed.

Sparber was a four-year letterwinner at Brown University, earning Second Team All-Ivy League honors as a senior. He was also awarded the Lawrence Rubida “Iron Man” Award and “Bill Perry” Defensive Lineman Award during his tenure as a Bear.

Sparber graduated from Brown in December 2015, with a degree in business entrepreneurship and organization. He also earned a master’s degree in education from Virginia Tech in 2020 and management studies from Duke in 2022.

Sparber is married to the former Alli Komrower.