Darrell Funk named BYU offensive line coach

PROVO, Utah — BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake today announced the hiring of Darrell Funk as the offensive line coach on the Cougars’ staff. Funk comes to BYU with more than 30 years of coaching experience, including 10 seasons as a coordinator.

“Darrell is an exceptional football coach with extensive experience teaching tough, physical offensive line play,” Sitake said. “I’m excited to have him join Coach Roderick and our offensive staff and start working with the great young men we have in our program. He knows BYU from his days at Colorado State as a player and then as a coach under Sonny Lubick, and also at San Diego State working with Brady Hoke. We are happy to now welcome Darrell to Provo to be part of Cougar football.”  

A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Funk joins BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick’s staff serving along side passing game coordinator and receivers coach Fesi Sitake, tight ends coach Steve Clark and running backs coach Harvey Unga. 

“What an honor it is for me to join the BYU football program as the offensive line coach,” Funk said. “I am really excited by this opportunity to join Coach Sitake, Coach Roderick and the rest of the staff as we work to build on the tremendous 2020 season. BYU has an unbelievable tradition of excellence, both on and off the field, and I am looking forward to helping build on that success. I’m looking forward to meeting the players I’m going to coach and to get to work.”

A 33-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Funk has coached offensive line for 25 seasons, including overseeing the offensive fronts at schools like Michigan, Purdue, San Diego State, Colorado State and Ball State. Funk comes to BYU most recently from UTSA, where he helped tackle Josh Dunlop and guard Spencer Burford earn All-Conference USA honorable mention in 2019. That season the Roadrunners produced the No. 3 rushing game in program history with 320 yards against UTEP while running back Sincere McCormick went on to earn Freshman All-America honors running for 983 yards and eight touchdowns and break the program's single-season all-purpose yardage mark with 1,177 yards.

Before UTSA, Funk was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Indiana State in 2017, where his line helped pave the way for All-Missouri Valley Conference honorable mention running back LeMonte Booker, who rushed for 941 yards. Funk was Purdue’s offensive line coach in 2016, where a pair of his linemen—Jason King and Jordan Roos—earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades. Funk served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Akron in 2015, helping the Zips earn their first bowl victory in school history while mentoring offensive tackle Isaiah Williams to third-team All-Mid-American Conference honors.
 
Prior to Akron, Funk spent four seasons as the offensive line coach at Michigan from 2011-14, where his line produced the Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in three of his four seasons in Ann Arbor. Center David Molk won the award in 2011, while offensive tackle Taylor Lewan earned the honor in 2012 and 2013. Molk won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center in 2011 while earning Consensus All-America recognition before going to the NFL. Lewan became Michigan’s first two-time All-American since Jake Long in 2006-07 and a semifinalist for the Lombardi award before being selected as a first-round NFL draft pick.

Funk also tutored tackle Michael Schofield and guards Graham Glasgow and Patrick Omameh in Ann Arbor on their way to NFL careers, with Schofield and Glasgow each being third-round draft picks. Funk’s lines at Michigan produced three 1,000-yard rushers, including Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011, who became the first pair of 1,000-yard rushers for the Wolverines since 1975 (Gordon Bell and Rob Lytle). Michigan finished 11-2 and earned a Sugar Bowl victory that season, while ranking second in the Big Ten in rushing offense (221.8 yards per game), third in total offense (404.7 ypg) and third in sacks allowed.

Funk also served as offensive line coach at San Diego State (2009-10), Ball State (2008), Colorado State (2004-07), Rhode Island (1998-99) and Mesa State College (1993-97). Additionally, he was the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Colorado State (2003), tight ends coach at Northern Illinois (2002), defensive coordinator at Rhode Island (2000-01) and defensive coordinator (1991-92) and defensive line coach (1990-92) at Muskingum College.

In 2010, Funk’s line at San Diego State finished No. 5 nationally in fewest sacks allowed while helping the Aztecs finish the season ranked 12th nationally in passing offense and 16th in total offense (456.7 ypg). In his two years in San Diego, he helped SDSU go from 2-10 the year before his arrival to earning the program’s first bowl bid in 12 seasons and achieving its first bowl victory since 1969. Funk mentored left tackle Tommie Draheim before he went to the NFL while his line helped future NFL running back Ronnie Hillman rush for 1,532 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010.

In his lone year at Ball State in 2008, Funk’s offensive line ranked No. 4 nationally in fewest sacks allowed protecting the quarterback while producing holes in the run game that saw running back MiQuale Lewis rush for 1,736 yards and 22 touchdowns. His group's outstanding play helped Ball State rank No. 17 in total offense producing 442.5 yards per game, while the Cardinals achieved a 12-2 record, the MAC West Division title and a trip to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Funk helped develop four future NFL linemen in Robert Brewster, Dan Gerberry, Andre Ramsey and Mike Switzer.

A Colorado State alumnus, Funk spent five seasons with the Rams under head coach Sonny Lubick (2003-07), including the final four working with the offensive line. He coached, recruited and assisted in the development of nine different linemen who became future NFL players, including Erik Pears (Bills), Mike Brisiel (Texans, Raiders), Clint Oldenburg (Washington), Albert Bimper (Colts), Josh Day (Vikings), Shelley Smith (Texans, Dolphins), Cole Pemberton (Texans), Tim Walter (Bears) and Adrian Martinez (Seahawks).

Coaching CSU’s special teams and tight ends in his first season with CSU in 2003, Funk tutored tight end Joel Dreessen before he was drafted and played eight years in the NFL with the Jets, Texans and Broncos. Funk joined Lubick’s staff at his alma mater after a one-year stint at Northern Illinois as tight ends coach, where he began the development of future NFL tight end Brad Cieslak. He also made stops at Rhode Island (1998-2001), Mesa State College (1993-97) and Muskingum College (1990-92) coaching on both sides of the ball. As defensive coordinator at Rhode Island his final two seasons he helped defensive end Fearon Wright advance to the NFL, while as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Mesa State he tutored offensive tackle Seth Littleton who earned an NFL opportunity.

Funk was a graduate assistant at Illinois (1988-89), where he earned a master’s degree in athletic administration in 1990. He got his start in coaching in 1987 as a student assistant at his alma mater, Colorado State, earning his bachelor’s degree in social sciences in 1988.

As a player, Funk was a three-year starter at CSU from 1983-86, playing on both the offensive and defensive line and at tight end. Funk and his wife, Teresa, have two sons, Tyler and Dustin, and one daughter, Courtney.

Darrell Funk Coaching Experience
• 2018-2019: UTSA — Offensive Line Coach
• 2017: Indiana State — Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
• 2016: Purdue — Offensive Line Coach
• 2015: Akron — Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
• 2011-14: Michigan — Offensive Line Coach
• 2009-10: San Diego State — Offensive Line Coach
• 2008: Ball State — Offensive Line Coach
• 2004-07: Colorado State — Offensive Line Coach
• 2003: Colorado State — Special teams Coordinator/Tight End Coach
• 2002: Northern Illinois — Tight End Coach
• 2000-01: Rhode Island — Defensive Coordinator
• 1998-99: Rhode Island — Offensive Line Coach
• 1995-97: Mesa State College — Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
• 1993-94: Mesa State College — Offensive Line Coach
• 1991-92: Muskingum College — Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
• 1990: Muskingum College — Defensive Line Coach
• 1988-89: Illinois — Graduate Assistant Coach
• 1987: Colorado State — Student Assistant Coach