Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football
Blaney, Brandon
vs
Louisiana
Sep 20 (Sat)
3:30 p.m.
Brandon Blaney
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Co-Offensive Run Game Coordinator/Tight Ends
- Email:
- bblaney@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.2160
Entering his fourth year at EMU is Brandon Blaney, who came to Ypsilanti after spending the two years at the University of Michigan. Blaney serves as EMU’s tight ends coach, and Co-Offensive Run Game Coordinator.
Blaney owns 27 years of coaching experience in the college and professional ranks having coached in the NFL, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and the Gateway Football Conference. Furthermore, Blaney has also won a pair of national championships as a part of the coaching staffs at the University of Oklahoma (2000) and Youngstown State University (1997).
Both the EMU running game and it’s individual ball carriers thrived in the 2022 campaign. Eastern Michigan ran for 25 touchdowns, the most rushing TDs in the MAC. The EMU running attack produced a total of 1,830-yards, averaging 3.6 yards-per-carry and 140.8-yards-per-game.
Along with the running backs, Blaney’s tight ends produced for Eastern’s efficient offense as well. Gunnar Oakes led the tight end room, catching 27 passes for a total of 279-yards with an average of 10.33 yards-per-reception. Andreas Paaske contributed as well, using his 6-foot-7 frame to catch 10 passes for 206-yards, averaging a whopping 20.60 yards-per-catch, the highest on the team. Paaske was also named an Academic All-MAC selection.
Blaney was a key piece in Eastern’s offensive scheming during the 2021 campaign. EMU’s offense was one of the best scoring units in the Mid-American Conference regular season in 2021. Averaging 31.0 points per game, EMU put up 372 total points on 46 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 45 extra points. In total, 14 different Eagles found the pay dirt in 2021, including five players who scored multiple touchdowns.
Another successful season for Blaney’s tight ends, he mentored Thomas Odukoya en route to All-MAC accolades. Considered one of the most prolific blocking tight ends in the nation, Odukoya was impressive in his senior campaign. A multiple-time watch list honoree for the Campbell Trophy, Wuerffel Trophy, and Mackey Award, Odukoya hauled in 13 receptions for 130 yards during the 2021 He scored a touchdown in EMU’s game at Bowling Green, Oct. 23, and has started each contest for the Eagles. 2021 marked the first All-MAC honors for Odukoya. Meanwhile, Bryson Cannon had a breakthrough year for EMU, catching 20 passes to finish fourth on the team in that category, while going for 272 total yards, three touchdowns, and a 13.6 yards per catch average.
Under the leadership of Blaney, Odukoya was one of 13 athletes from nine countries selected to compete for a spot in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program in 2022. Instituted in 2017, the program aims to provide elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Blaney played a pivotal role in the development of a much-improved EMU offense in 2020. Eastern was incredibly effective in the red zone on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State). The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line this season, a 22.5 percent improvement over last season’s efficiency. In total, 21 of EMU’s red zone trips resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020, a considerable improvement from EMU’s 2019 numbers (3.8 trips per game).
Within his own unit, Blaney helped Eastern’s tight ends become very effective scoring options. Tight ends notched 14 percent of the grabs (18-of-126), and 33 percent of the scores (4-of-12) that the offense tallied in 2020.
Individually, Blaney helped senior Thomas Odukoya garner status on the 2020 Phil Steele All-MAC team, while being named to the watch lists for the Wuerffel Trophy and John Mackey Award. Odukoya was also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. On the field, Odukoya competed in all six games as the Eagles’ starting tight end in 2020. He hauled in two passes, both for touchdowns, in EMU’s first game, against Kent State, Nov. 4. The scores were the first of his career. He recorded career-bests in both yards (33), and longest reception (20 yards) just one week later at Ball State, Nov. 11. Odukoya finished the season with five receptions for 48 yards and two scores.
Before coming to Ypsilanti, Blaney spent two years with Michigan as a senior offensive analyst within with the offensive line. The Wolverines tallied a 19-7 record in his two seasons in Ann Arbor, finishing ranked in the Top-25 in both campaigns. In 2019, the offense was led by quarterback Shea Patterson, who became just the third Wolverine passer to eclipse the 3,000 yards passing mark. Meanwhile in 2018, running back Karan Higdon became the first Michigan running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011.
Before joining the Michigan staff, Blaney was a defensive assistant for the Tennessee Titans (2015-17) and the offensive line coach at Iowa State University (2014-15). Under legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the Titans rallied from a 21–3 halftime deficit in the opening round of the 2017 NFL Playoff to defeat Kansas City 22–21 for the franchise’s first playoff victory since 2003.
The Cyclone offense ranked in the top-50 nationally in passing yardage (248.4), as Blaney tutored a pair of All-Big 12 lineman in his first year in Ames. Center Tom Farniok and tackle Jacob Gannon both were honorable mention All-Big 12 picks in 2014. Farniok ended his career as a three-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection for the Cyclones, starting 47 career games. Farniok was on the Rimington Award watch list and played in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Additionally, Jake Campos and Oni Omoile each make their way to NFL practice squads.
In 2015, Iowa State featured the nation’s best freshman rusher (Mike Warren) with 1,339 yards, the fifth-best season total in ISU history and tops by an ISU rookie. In league games only, Warren led the Big 12 in rushing by averaging 131.7 yards per game. For his efforts, he earn First-Team Freshman All-American honors by the Sporting News, USA Today and the Football Writers Association of America.
Prior to his arrival in Ames, Iowa, Blaney spent the 2011 season serving as the Jaguars’ defensive quality control coach and was promoted to defensive assistant coach in 2012.
Blaney came to Iowa State with already strong ties to the Cyclone program and a wealth of experience and success in the Big 12. He was a mainstay at the University of Kansas during Mark Mangino’s run as head coach, serving under Mangino during his entire eight-year tenure at KU (2002-09).
The turnaround made by the Kansas football program upon the arrival of Mangino and Blaney is one of the most remarkable in college football history. The duo arrived in Lawrence and inherited a program that had just gone through six consecutive losing seasons.
During the time Mangino and Blaney coached together, the Jayhawks enjoyed unprecedented success, the pinnacle of which was a 12-win season in 2007 that ended with a share of the Big 12 North title and an upset victory of No. 5 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Blaney served as recruiting coordinator, assistant offensive line coach and tight ends coach, as the two worked to build a prolific Kansas offense.
Working with the offensive line and tight ends, Blaney helped build a line that, in 2007, cleared the way for the nation’s second-best scoring offense (42.8 ppg) and eighth-best total offense (479.8), en route to tallying 64 touchdowns to only 46 punts.
Blaney also helped produce the top-three offenses in school history during his eight-year tenure with the Jayhawks. KU won back-to-back bowl games (2007 and 2008) for the first and only time in school history with Blaney on staff.
As a position coach, Blaney also experienced success placing players in the NFL. Derek Fine, a tight end under Blaney, was a fourth-round draft choice by the Buffalo Bills in 2008. Offensive tackles Adrian Jones (2004) and Anthony Collins (2008) were also NFL draft picks after being coached by Blaney at Kansas.
Prior to coming to Kansas, Blaney was on the coaching staff of two national championship teams, starting with his alma mater Youngstown State. Serving under Head Coach Jim Tressel from 1995-1998, Blaney and the Penguins won the 1997 NCAA Division 1-AA national championship.
Blaney was then hired by Head Coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma (1999-2000). In his second season with the Sooners, OU went undefeated, winning the 2000 BCS National Championship. He was then hired back once again by Tressel at Ohio State University, where he coached during the 2001 season before assisting Mangino at Kansas.
Blaney graduated from Youngstown State in 1999 with a degree in education.
He has a wife, Sarah and two sons, Max and Rex.
Blaney owns 27 years of coaching experience in the college and professional ranks having coached in the NFL, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and the Gateway Football Conference. Furthermore, Blaney has also won a pair of national championships as a part of the coaching staffs at the University of Oklahoma (2000) and Youngstown State University (1997).
Both the EMU running game and it’s individual ball carriers thrived in the 2022 campaign. Eastern Michigan ran for 25 touchdowns, the most rushing TDs in the MAC. The EMU running attack produced a total of 1,830-yards, averaging 3.6 yards-per-carry and 140.8-yards-per-game.
Along with the running backs, Blaney’s tight ends produced for Eastern’s efficient offense as well. Gunnar Oakes led the tight end room, catching 27 passes for a total of 279-yards with an average of 10.33 yards-per-reception. Andreas Paaske contributed as well, using his 6-foot-7 frame to catch 10 passes for 206-yards, averaging a whopping 20.60 yards-per-catch, the highest on the team. Paaske was also named an Academic All-MAC selection.
Blaney was a key piece in Eastern’s offensive scheming during the 2021 campaign. EMU’s offense was one of the best scoring units in the Mid-American Conference regular season in 2021. Averaging 31.0 points per game, EMU put up 372 total points on 46 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 45 extra points. In total, 14 different Eagles found the pay dirt in 2021, including five players who scored multiple touchdowns.
Another successful season for Blaney’s tight ends, he mentored Thomas Odukoya en route to All-MAC accolades. Considered one of the most prolific blocking tight ends in the nation, Odukoya was impressive in his senior campaign. A multiple-time watch list honoree for the Campbell Trophy, Wuerffel Trophy, and Mackey Award, Odukoya hauled in 13 receptions for 130 yards during the 2021 He scored a touchdown in EMU’s game at Bowling Green, Oct. 23, and has started each contest for the Eagles. 2021 marked the first All-MAC honors for Odukoya. Meanwhile, Bryson Cannon had a breakthrough year for EMU, catching 20 passes to finish fourth on the team in that category, while going for 272 total yards, three touchdowns, and a 13.6 yards per catch average.
Under the leadership of Blaney, Odukoya was one of 13 athletes from nine countries selected to compete for a spot in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program in 2022. Instituted in 2017, the program aims to provide elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Blaney played a pivotal role in the development of a much-improved EMU offense in 2020. Eastern was incredibly effective in the red zone on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State). The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line this season, a 22.5 percent improvement over last season’s efficiency. In total, 21 of EMU’s red zone trips resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020, a considerable improvement from EMU’s 2019 numbers (3.8 trips per game).
Within his own unit, Blaney helped Eastern’s tight ends become very effective scoring options. Tight ends notched 14 percent of the grabs (18-of-126), and 33 percent of the scores (4-of-12) that the offense tallied in 2020.
Individually, Blaney helped senior Thomas Odukoya garner status on the 2020 Phil Steele All-MAC team, while being named to the watch lists for the Wuerffel Trophy and John Mackey Award. Odukoya was also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. On the field, Odukoya competed in all six games as the Eagles’ starting tight end in 2020. He hauled in two passes, both for touchdowns, in EMU’s first game, against Kent State, Nov. 4. The scores were the first of his career. He recorded career-bests in both yards (33), and longest reception (20 yards) just one week later at Ball State, Nov. 11. Odukoya finished the season with five receptions for 48 yards and two scores.
Before coming to Ypsilanti, Blaney spent two years with Michigan as a senior offensive analyst within with the offensive line. The Wolverines tallied a 19-7 record in his two seasons in Ann Arbor, finishing ranked in the Top-25 in both campaigns. In 2019, the offense was led by quarterback Shea Patterson, who became just the third Wolverine passer to eclipse the 3,000 yards passing mark. Meanwhile in 2018, running back Karan Higdon became the first Michigan running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011.
Before joining the Michigan staff, Blaney was a defensive assistant for the Tennessee Titans (2015-17) and the offensive line coach at Iowa State University (2014-15). Under legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the Titans rallied from a 21–3 halftime deficit in the opening round of the 2017 NFL Playoff to defeat Kansas City 22–21 for the franchise’s first playoff victory since 2003.
The Cyclone offense ranked in the top-50 nationally in passing yardage (248.4), as Blaney tutored a pair of All-Big 12 lineman in his first year in Ames. Center Tom Farniok and tackle Jacob Gannon both were honorable mention All-Big 12 picks in 2014. Farniok ended his career as a three-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection for the Cyclones, starting 47 career games. Farniok was on the Rimington Award watch list and played in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Additionally, Jake Campos and Oni Omoile each make their way to NFL practice squads.
In 2015, Iowa State featured the nation’s best freshman rusher (Mike Warren) with 1,339 yards, the fifth-best season total in ISU history and tops by an ISU rookie. In league games only, Warren led the Big 12 in rushing by averaging 131.7 yards per game. For his efforts, he earn First-Team Freshman All-American honors by the Sporting News, USA Today and the Football Writers Association of America.
Prior to his arrival in Ames, Iowa, Blaney spent the 2011 season serving as the Jaguars’ defensive quality control coach and was promoted to defensive assistant coach in 2012.
Blaney came to Iowa State with already strong ties to the Cyclone program and a wealth of experience and success in the Big 12. He was a mainstay at the University of Kansas during Mark Mangino’s run as head coach, serving under Mangino during his entire eight-year tenure at KU (2002-09).
The turnaround made by the Kansas football program upon the arrival of Mangino and Blaney is one of the most remarkable in college football history. The duo arrived in Lawrence and inherited a program that had just gone through six consecutive losing seasons.
During the time Mangino and Blaney coached together, the Jayhawks enjoyed unprecedented success, the pinnacle of which was a 12-win season in 2007 that ended with a share of the Big 12 North title and an upset victory of No. 5 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Blaney served as recruiting coordinator, assistant offensive line coach and tight ends coach, as the two worked to build a prolific Kansas offense.
Working with the offensive line and tight ends, Blaney helped build a line that, in 2007, cleared the way for the nation’s second-best scoring offense (42.8 ppg) and eighth-best total offense (479.8), en route to tallying 64 touchdowns to only 46 punts.
Blaney also helped produce the top-three offenses in school history during his eight-year tenure with the Jayhawks. KU won back-to-back bowl games (2007 and 2008) for the first and only time in school history with Blaney on staff.
As a position coach, Blaney also experienced success placing players in the NFL. Derek Fine, a tight end under Blaney, was a fourth-round draft choice by the Buffalo Bills in 2008. Offensive tackles Adrian Jones (2004) and Anthony Collins (2008) were also NFL draft picks after being coached by Blaney at Kansas.
Prior to coming to Kansas, Blaney was on the coaching staff of two national championship teams, starting with his alma mater Youngstown State. Serving under Head Coach Jim Tressel from 1995-1998, Blaney and the Penguins won the 1997 NCAA Division 1-AA national championship.
Blaney was then hired by Head Coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma (1999-2000). In his second season with the Sooners, OU went undefeated, winning the 2000 BCS National Championship. He was then hired back once again by Tressel at Ohio State University, where he coached during the 2001 season before assisting Mangino at Kansas.
Blaney graduated from Youngstown State in 1999 with a degree in education.
He has a wife, Sarah and two sons, Max and Rex.
| The Brandon Blaney File | ||
| Name: | Brandon Neil Blaney | |
| High School: | Lamar H.S. - Lamar, Mo. | |
| College: | Youngstown State University - Bachelor’s degree in Education - 1999 | |
| Family: | Wife - Sarah; Sons - Max and Rex | |
| Coaching Experience | ||
| Year | School | Position |
| 2021-Present | Eastern Michigan University | Assistant Coach/Tight Ends/Co-Offensive Run Game Coordinator |
| 2020 | Eastern Michigan University | Assistant Coach/Tight Ends |
| 2018-19 | University of Michigan | Senior Offensive Analyst/Offensive Line |
| 2016-17 | Tennessee Titans | Defensive Assistant |
| 2014-15 | Iowa State University | Assistant Coach/Offensive Line |
| 2011-13 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Defensive Assistant Coach |
| 2009 | University of Kansas | Assistant Coach/Tight Ends/Assistant Offensive Line/Recruiting Coord. |
| 2006-08 | University of Kansas | Assistant Coach/Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2002-05 | University of Kansas | Assistant Coach/Tight Ends |
| 2001 | Ohio State University | Graduate Assistant/Linebackers |
| 1999-2000 | University of Oklahoma | Graduate Assistant/Offensive Line |
| 1995-98 | Youngstown State University | Student assistant |
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