Jim O'Neil - Football Coach - Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Louisiana

Sep 20 (Sat)

3:30 p.m.

Jim O'Neil

Title:
Safeties/Recruiting Coord.

Jim O’Neil, a former assistant coach at Towson is starting his third year as the defensive safeties coach at Eastern Michigan University. He will also serve as the Eagles’ recruiting coordinator.

O’Neil has provided expertise on the outside, as EMU’s interceptions totals have increased from 11 in 2005 to 16 in 2007.

Under his guidance in 2007, defensive back Ryan Downard ranked 12th in the country in interceptions with six. Additionally, defensive back Jacob Wyatt was elected one of the team captains for the 2008 campaign.

O’Neil joined the EMU football staff after serving as an assistant coach and graduate assistant coach at four universities. In 2005, he was the defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach and punt return coach at Towson University in Baltimore, Md. From 2003-05 he was a graduate assistant football coach at Northwestern University and was part of the staff that directed the Wildcats to a berth in the Motor City Bowl. In the 2002 season he was an assistant offensive line coach at the University of Pennsylvania and helped that team win the 2002 Ivy League title. Prior to that stop he was an assistant offensive line/tight ends coach at the University of Albany.

The 29-year-old O’Neil (8-26-78) was a three-year starter and letterman as a football player at Towson University before completing his bachelor’s degree in sports management/business administration in 2001. He went on to complete a master’s degree in education at the University of Albany in 2003, and completed a second master’s at Northwestern University in liberal studies in 2005.

A native of Philadelphia, Pa., O’Neil graduated from Central Bucks West High School in 1997 where he was an All-Conference football player and a three-year football starter.

O’Neil and his wife, Stacy (Ring) reside in Superior Township with their son, Daniel (5-28-08).