Mike Hankwitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mike Hankwitz | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Title | Defensive Coordinator | |
| College | Northwestern University | |
| Sport | Football | |
| Born | December 14, 1947 | |
| Place of birth |  Ludington, MI |
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| Career highlights | ||
| Overall | 1–7 | |
| Bowls | 0–1 | |
| Coaching stats | ||
| College Football DataWarehouse | ||
| Playing career | ||
| 1967-1970 | Michigan | |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||
| 2003 | Arizona (DC/interim HC) | |
Mike Hankwitz, Defensive Coordinator, Northwestern University. (born December 14, 1947 in Ludington, Michigan) played college football for The Michigan Wolverines. His head coaching stint was a 7-game interim stretch at The University of Arizona after John Mackovic was fired where he earned his career 1-6 record. His only win came against the University of Washington on November 8, 2003 at Arizona Stadium. Mike Stoops eventually took over for him at Arizona.
Hankwitz was a candidate for the head coaching job at Western Michigan University in 2005. He is also mentioned as a potential assistant coach at Michigan should coaching changes be made.
[edit] Coaching experience
Including his work as a graduate assistant at Michigan and his stints as an interim head coach, Mike Hankwitz has made 11 different coaching stops. Hankwitz is considered an X's and O's guru, having built top 5 defenses at multiple stops. Hankwitz's resume includes a vast array of experience working with a who's who in coaching, including Bo Schembcheler at Michigan, Jim Young at Purdue, Bill McCartney at Colorado, Glen Mason at Kansas, R.C. Slocum at Texas A&M, John Mackovic at Arizona and Gary Barnett at Colorado.
In his first campaign with the Badgers in 2006, Hankwitz fashioned one of the nation’s very best defenses. Wisconsin was No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (84.19 rating), No. 2 in passing yards allowed per game (138.3), No. 2 in scoring defense (12.1 ppg) and No. 5 in total defense (253.1 ypg). The Badgers limited six of their opponents to 10 points or less and allowed just three foes to reach the 20-point mark. Eight of the 11 defensive starters from the 2006 squad received at least honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition, including first-team cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu and second-teamers DL Matt Shaughnessy and FS Roderick Rogers
Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Hankwitz spent the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Colorado. He served as the program’s interim head coach for the Buffaloes’ 2005 Champs Sports Bowl appearance against Clemson. CU won the Big 12 North Division title in both 2004 and 2005. Hankwitz had gone to Colorado after serving as Arizona’s defensive coordinator (and later interim head coach) in 2003.
Prior to his stint at Arizona, Hankwitz was the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach (he also coached inside linebackers and punters) at Texas A&M (1997-2002) where he guided the Aggies’ famed “Wrecking Crew” defense. During that span he had three top-10 ranked defenses, two top-20 defenses, won two South Division titles and one Big 12 championship. Among Hankwitz’s standout players at Texas A&M was Dat Nguyen, who won the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, as well as being named Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.
Hankwitz spent two seasons (1995-96) as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for head coach Glen Mason at Kansas. The 1995 Jayhawks recorded the school’s first 10-win season since 1905, played in the Aloha Bowl and were ranked 10th in the final national polls.
Hankwitz enjoyed a highly successful 10-year run as defensive coordinator (along with responsibilities for outside linebackers, inside linebackers, the secondary, punters and the punt team) at Colorado from 1985-94. Colorado put together the nation’s fifth-best record (58-11-4) from 1989-94, including a national title in 1990, three Big 8 titles, two appearances each in the Orange and Fiesta Bowls and six national top-20 rankings (including three top-five finishes). The Buffs’ 1989 and 1991 teams set the school record for fewest points allowed (150) in a season. Among Hankwitz’s standout players at CU were Jim Thorpe Award winners Deon Figures (1992) and Chris Hudson (1994), and Butkus Award winner Alfred Williams (1990). Hankwitz was defensive coordinator (with additional responsibilities for the secondary, punters, punt team) at Western Michigan from 1982-84, where he led the #1 scoring defense in the country, and outside linebackers and punting coach at Purdue from 1977-81. Prior to his time at Purdue, Hankwitz was the outside linebackers and secondary coach (along with punt return / punt rush) at Arizona from 1973-76. Hankwitz began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (1970-72) at his alma mater, Michigan, under head coach Bo Schembechler. As a defensive G.A., Hankwitz helped the Wolverines to two Big Ten titles, a 30-3 record, three top-10 national rankings and a 1971 Rose Bowl appearance.
Teams for which Hankwitz has coached have had a winning record in 31 of his 37 years. Ten of those clubs won conference titles and 13 more were league runners-up. He has coached in 22 bowl games. Hankwitz also has coached 14 first-team All-Americans (including four straight punters at Colorado), five conference defensive players of the year, 45 first-team all-conference choices and 11 team MVPs. He has recruited eight players who went on to play in the NFL. As a coordinator, Hankwitz has won 176 games and seven championships.
He was a three-year football letterwinner for the Wolverines and started on the 1969 Big Ten championship squad that played in the Rose Bowl. Hankwitz earned a B.S. in education in 1970. He and his wife, Cathy, have a son, Jacob.
Coaching positions held by Hankwitz:
- graduate assistant at Michigan from 1970-1972
- assistant at Arizona from 1973-1976
- assistant at Purdue from 1977-1981
- defensive coordinator at Western Michigan from 1982-1984
- assistant and defensive coordinator at Colorado from 1985-1994
- defensive coordinator for Kansas from 1995-1996
- defensive coordinator at Texas A&M from 1997-2002
- defensive coordinator at Arizona in 2003
- head coach at Arizona in 2003 (1-6 in the interim role for John Mackovic)
- defensive coordinator at Colorado from 2004-2005
- defensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2006-2007
- defensive coordinator at Northwestern from 2008-present
Hankwitz wears a national championship ring from the 1990 season at Colorado. He will surely earn several more sooner rather than later at Northwestern.
| Preceded by John Mackovic |
University of Arizona Head Football Coach 2003 |
Succeeded by Mike Stoops |
[edit] External links
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