Eastern Michigan Athletics
Chris Wiesehan Named EMU Football Assistant Coach
1/30/2025 3:00:00 PM | Football
Wiesehan will serve as Eastern’s offensive line coach
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Chris Wiesehan, an assistant with Temple University for the past three seasons, has been named an assistant football coach at Eastern Michigan University, Head Coach Chris Creighton announced today, Jan. 30. A veteran coach with more than 30 years of experience, Wiesehan will serve as EMU's offensive line coach.
"I first met Chris Wiesehan nearly 25 years ago and have admired his ever since," said Creighton. "He is made of the right stuff and will make us better. We are all excited to get started, and I'm thankful that he is with us."
One of the nation's most versatile offensive coaches, Wiesehan's 31 years of coaching includes experience at both the collegiate and professional levels. His stops include: Temple, Georgia Tech, Hawai'i, UCLA, Syracuse, James Madison, Northern Arizona, Buffalo, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Fort Hayes State, as well as stints with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Renee, Colton, and I are excited to join the EMU family and Ypsilanti community," Wiesehan added. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work and learn under Coach Creighton. We are looking forward to making a meaningful impact on our student-athletes and continue to chase Mid-American Conference Championships."
Wiesehan's versatility as an offensive coach has been evident throughout his career, as he has coached every offensive position except for quarterback and had multiple players selected in the NFL Draft at each position during the course of his career. In his five seasons at Temple alone (2014-18), 13 of Wiesehan's pupils went on to play in the NFL, including 2017 second-round pick Dion Dawkins (Buffalo Bills) and 2020 third-round pick Matt Hennessy (Atlanta Falcons).
His resume includes stints with Hawai'i (running backs/offensive line – 2012-13), the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers (wide receivers – 2010-11), UCLA (tight ends – 2009), Syracuse (offensive line – 2007-08), James Madison (offensive line – 2006), the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (offensive assistant – 2005), Northern Arizona (wide receivers/offensive line – 2001-04), Buffalo (wide receivers/offensive line – 1999-2000), Notre Dame (tight ends – 1997-98), Purdue (tight ends – 1996) and Fort Hays State (wide receivers – 1994-95).
He has also coached five student-athletes who have been inducted into various Halls of Fame — Matt Light (New England Patriots HOF), Terrence Edwards (Winnipeg Blue Bombers HOF), Clarence Moore (Northern Arizona University HOF), Drew Haddad (University at Buffalo HOF) and Lance Schwindt (Fort Hays State HOF).
Wiesehan rejoined the Temple Football staff in January 2022 as the Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator. It marked Wiesehan's second stint with the Owls, as he previously served as an assistant coach under Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins.
In 2022, the Owls had a patchwork offensive line, starting a different combination of five in 10 of the 12 games, while not starting the same line in consecutive weeks all season. Isaac Moore was the bookend on the line starting every game at left tackle, breaking the school record for consecutive games played with 57. Temple allowed only 10 sacks this season, which ranked eighth in the FBS.
Wiesehan spent three seasons as Georgia Tech's tight ends and tackles coach, as well as offensive special teams coordinator (field goal/PAT/kickoff and punt returns).
Most notably, Wiesehan oversaw the return of tight ends to GT for the first time since 2007. His first group of Tech tight ends was led by Tyler Davis, who would go on to become the highest-drafted tight end in school history when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Davis was the first Georgia Tech tight end to be drafted since 1992.
Prior to Georgia Tech, Wiesehan spent five seasons at Temple. As the Owls' offensive line coach/run-game coordinator in 2018, all five of his regular starters – including two true-freshman tackles – earned all-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) recognition while paving the way for running back Ryquell Armstead to rank second in the American Athletic Conference and 14th nationally in rushing (109.8 ypg).
In recognition of his efforts, Wiesehan was nominated for the 2018 Broyles Award, given to college football's top assistant coach.
His five years at Temple included four seasons as the Owls' offensive line coach (2014-15; 2017-18) and one as running backs coach (2016). In his lone season with TU's running backs, he coached the only pair of RBs in the nation to each rush for at least 900 yards and 13 touchdowns (Jahad Thomas and Armstead).
At Hawai'i, Wiesehan initially coached the offensive line in 2012 before shifting to the running backs role. He helped freshman center Ben Clarke receive all-Mountain West honorable-mention honors and received the team's Offensive Player of the Year award.
Wiesehan served as wide receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League from 2010-11. 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 Commanders, 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 2003.
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 1998, 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.
Wiesehan was an all-America wide receiver at Wabash (Ind.) College from 1990-93 and still holds the NCAA Division III national record for all-purpose yards per play in a career (16.0 – 4,825 total yards in 301 plays). He graduated from Wabash in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in English and was inducted into the school's athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
A St. Louis, Mo., native, Wiesehan and his wife, Renee, have a son, Colton.
"I first met Chris Wiesehan nearly 25 years ago and have admired his ever since," said Creighton. "He is made of the right stuff and will make us better. We are all excited to get started, and I'm thankful that he is with us."
One of the nation's most versatile offensive coaches, Wiesehan's 31 years of coaching includes experience at both the collegiate and professional levels. His stops include: Temple, Georgia Tech, Hawai'i, UCLA, Syracuse, James Madison, Northern Arizona, Buffalo, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Fort Hayes State, as well as stints with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Renee, Colton, and I are excited to join the EMU family and Ypsilanti community," Wiesehan added. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work and learn under Coach Creighton. We are looking forward to making a meaningful impact on our student-athletes and continue to chase Mid-American Conference Championships."
Wiesehan's versatility as an offensive coach has been evident throughout his career, as he has coached every offensive position except for quarterback and had multiple players selected in the NFL Draft at each position during the course of his career. In his five seasons at Temple alone (2014-18), 13 of Wiesehan's pupils went on to play in the NFL, including 2017 second-round pick Dion Dawkins (Buffalo Bills) and 2020 third-round pick Matt Hennessy (Atlanta Falcons).
His resume includes stints with Hawai'i (running backs/offensive line – 2012-13), the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers (wide receivers – 2010-11), UCLA (tight ends – 2009), Syracuse (offensive line – 2007-08), James Madison (offensive line – 2006), the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (offensive assistant – 2005), Northern Arizona (wide receivers/offensive line – 2001-04), Buffalo (wide receivers/offensive line – 1999-2000), Notre Dame (tight ends – 1997-98), Purdue (tight ends – 1996) and Fort Hays State (wide receivers – 1994-95).
He has also coached five student-athletes who have been inducted into various Halls of Fame — Matt Light (New England Patriots HOF), Terrence Edwards (Winnipeg Blue Bombers HOF), Clarence Moore (Northern Arizona University HOF), Drew Haddad (University at Buffalo HOF) and Lance Schwindt (Fort Hays State HOF).
Wiesehan rejoined the Temple Football staff in January 2022 as the Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator. It marked Wiesehan's second stint with the Owls, as he previously served as an assistant coach under Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins.
In 2022, the Owls had a patchwork offensive line, starting a different combination of five in 10 of the 12 games, while not starting the same line in consecutive weeks all season. Isaac Moore was the bookend on the line starting every game at left tackle, breaking the school record for consecutive games played with 57. Temple allowed only 10 sacks this season, which ranked eighth in the FBS.
Wiesehan spent three seasons as Georgia Tech's tight ends and tackles coach, as well as offensive special teams coordinator (field goal/PAT/kickoff and punt returns).
Most notably, Wiesehan oversaw the return of tight ends to GT for the first time since 2007. His first group of Tech tight ends was led by Tyler Davis, who would go on to become the highest-drafted tight end in school history when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Davis was the first Georgia Tech tight end to be drafted since 1992.
Prior to Georgia Tech, Wiesehan spent five seasons at Temple. As the Owls' offensive line coach/run-game coordinator in 2018, all five of his regular starters – including two true-freshman tackles – earned all-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) recognition while paving the way for running back Ryquell Armstead to rank second in the American Athletic Conference and 14th nationally in rushing (109.8 ypg).
In recognition of his efforts, Wiesehan was nominated for the 2018 Broyles Award, given to college football's top assistant coach.
His five years at Temple included four seasons as the Owls' offensive line coach (2014-15; 2017-18) and one as running backs coach (2016). In his lone season with TU's running backs, he coached the only pair of RBs in the nation to each rush for at least 900 yards and 13 touchdowns (Jahad Thomas and Armstead).
At Hawai'i, Wiesehan initially coached the offensive line in 2012 before shifting to the running backs role. He helped freshman center Ben Clarke receive all-Mountain West honorable-mention honors and received the team's Offensive Player of the Year award.
Wiesehan served as wide receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League from 2010-11. 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 Commanders, 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 2003.
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 1998, 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.
Wiesehan was an all-America wide receiver at Wabash (Ind.) College from 1990-93 and still holds the NCAA Division III national record for all-purpose yards per play in a career (16.0 – 4,825 total yards in 301 plays). He graduated from Wabash in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in English and was inducted into the school's athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
A St. Louis, Mo., native, Wiesehan and his wife, Renee, have a son, Colton.
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