After coaching the offensive line in 2012, Chris Wiesehan moves to running backs coach this season.
Last season, Wiesehan helped coach freshman center Ben Clarke, who received all-Mountain West honorable- mention honors and received the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
Wiesehan came to UH after serving as wide receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. In 2011, he helped Winnipeg to the Grey Cup, while in his first year he coached a group which boasted the second leading receiver in the league in Terrence Edwards, who finished with 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wiesehan spent the 2009 season at UCLA as tight ends coach. The Bruins participated in the Eagle Bank Bowl and tight ends Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen signed with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, respectively.
From 2007-08, Wiesehan was the offensive line coach at Syracuse. During his tenure, the Orange had their first 1,000-yard rusher in five seasons and two of his players were either drafted or signed by NFL teams. In addition, his offensive line cut the number of sacks allowed in half during his second year.
Prior to Syracuse, Wiesehan served as the offensive line coach at James Madison in 2006. In his only season, the Dukes won the Atlantic 10 South Division and led the conference in rushing. JMU also ranked 11th nationally in rushing and qualified for NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
Wiesehan gained NFL experience by working as an offensive assistant for Tampa Bay in 2005. Prior to that, he coached at Northern Arizona from 2001-04, where he spent two seasons each as wide receivers coach and offensive line coach. At NAU, the line allowed the fewest sacks in the Big Sky while helping produce a 1,000-yard rusher, and six linemen earned all-conference honors. NAU also won the 2003 Big Sky Championship and qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 2001 and ’03.
Wiesehan spent two seasons at Buffalo (1999-2000), coaching the wide receivers and tight ends during his first season and offensive line in his second year.
In 1997 and ’98, he was on staff at Notre Dame as the tight ends coach where the Irish participated in the Independence Bowl and the Gator Bowl. He spent the 1996 season coaching the tight ends at Purdue and mentored three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriot Matt Light.
He began his coaching career at Fort Hays State from 1994-95 as the receivers coach, where he coached two All-Americans and four all-conference players. The school won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and participated in the Division II National Playoffs.
As a player, Wiesehan was a wide receiver and kick returner at Wabash College (1990-93). As a senior, he served as team captain and earned All-America honors while being named his team’s Receiver of the Year for the third time.
Wiesehan and his wife, Renee, have one son, Colton.
The Wiesehan File
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.
Family: Wife, Renee
Education
Wabash College, 1994, Bachelor’s in English
Playing Experience
1990-93, Wabash College, Wide Receiver
Coaching Experience
2013: Hawai‘i, Running Backs
2012: Hawai‘i, Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
2010-11: Winnipeg (CFL), Receivers
2009: UCLA, Tight Ends
2007-08: Syracuse, Offensive Line
2006: James Madison, Offensive Line
2005: Tampa Bay (NFL), Offensive Assistant
2001 & ’04: Northern Arizona, Receivers
2002-03: Northern Arizona, Offensive Line
2000: Buffalo, Offensive Line
1999: Buffalo, Receivers
1997-98: Notre Dame, Tight Ends
1996: Purdue, Tight Ends
1994-95: Fort Hays State, Receivers
