WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue head football coach Jeff Brohm has announced the structure of his defensive staff and their coaching positions for the upcoming 2021 season. Additional recruiting and graduate assistant positions have also been announced.
"I am really looking forward to working with this group in 2021," Brohm said. "When we brought these coaches together, it was our goal is to have a collaborative process where the entire staff contributes to the development of our defensive philosophy and scheme. We believe this structure fits that theme."
Defensive Staff
As was previously announced in January, Lambert will serve as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, after spending the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Marshall. He will assume the roles of lead assistant coach on the Purdue defensive staff and gameday play-caller. Lambert was the head coach at Charlotte for eight seasons and served as the defensive coordinator for three years at Wake Forest.
English also came to the Boilermaker coaching staff in January and will supervise Purdue's secondary along with forming the defense with Lambert and Hagen. In addition to spending five seasons as the head coach at Eastern Michigan, English has spent time as the defensive coordinator at Michigan, Louisville and San Jose State.
Hagen, who previously spent 10 seasons on the coaching staff at Purdue, rejoined the Boilermakers in January and will coach the defensive line and work with Lambert and English as a co-coordinator. Hagen was the assistant head coach at Texas last year and was Indiana's co-defensive coordinator for two seasons and assistant DC for another two.
"Our co-coordinators all have the experience, credentials and vision to provide inspiring leadership for our defense," Brohm added. "We think this structure engages all of their strengths and talents in the most effective way and will lead to the best results for our players and program.
Adams is the latest addition to the Purdue defensive staff, having joined in April. He will coach the Boilermakers' cornerbacks this fall. An up-and-comer in the coaching profession, Adams comes to Purdue after a one-year stint in a similar capacity at the U.S. Naval Academy, which was preceded by a one-season stop at Western Michigan and eight seasons at Charlotte.
"We are very pleased to have James on our staff," Brohm said. "He is a rising star in the coaching profession who has already accumulated a great track record in his young career."
Biagi is the lone holdover from the 2020 defensive staff and will assist Lambert with the linebackers, as well as serve as the special teams coordinator.
"Over the past few months, I have gotten to know this staff even better and really like the direction that we are headed," added Brohm. "They are great people, smart football minds and work so well together. Our entire staff is completely invested in this process and in the success of our program."
Recruiting Department
Dennison was promoted to the director position in 2020 and has been a member of the Purdue recruiting staff for three years.
Street, who has been an assistant recruiting director for the last three seasons at Purdue, has been promoted to an associate director role.
Sinz, a 2014 Purdue graduate and a four-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers, takes on a recruiting role after three years as an offensive quality control assistant and three as a graduate assistant.
McCollum moves over to the recruiting staff after serving the previous three years as a GA at Purdue. He played linebacker for Brohm at both Western Kentucky and Purdue.
Morris joins the recruiting staff after three years as a Purdue graduate assistant. He played defensive tackle for Brohm at Western Kentucky in 2015.
Brohm also announced that Mason Petrino and former Purdue running back, DJ Knox, will serve as graduate assistant coaches in the 2021 season.
"I am really looking forward to working with this group in 2021," Brohm said. "When we brought these coaches together, it was our goal is to have a collaborative process where the entire staff contributes to the development of our defensive philosophy and scheme. We believe this structure fits that theme."
Defensive Staff
| Name | Title |
| Brad Lambert | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers |
| Ron English | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary |
| Mark Hagen | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line |
| James Adams | Cornerbacks |
| Marty Biagi | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant |
As was previously announced in January, Lambert will serve as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, after spending the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Marshall. He will assume the roles of lead assistant coach on the Purdue defensive staff and gameday play-caller. Lambert was the head coach at Charlotte for eight seasons and served as the defensive coordinator for three years at Wake Forest.
English also came to the Boilermaker coaching staff in January and will supervise Purdue's secondary along with forming the defense with Lambert and Hagen. In addition to spending five seasons as the head coach at Eastern Michigan, English has spent time as the defensive coordinator at Michigan, Louisville and San Jose State.
Hagen, who previously spent 10 seasons on the coaching staff at Purdue, rejoined the Boilermakers in January and will coach the defensive line and work with Lambert and English as a co-coordinator. Hagen was the assistant head coach at Texas last year and was Indiana's co-defensive coordinator for two seasons and assistant DC for another two.
"Our co-coordinators all have the experience, credentials and vision to provide inspiring leadership for our defense," Brohm added. "We think this structure engages all of their strengths and talents in the most effective way and will lead to the best results for our players and program.
Adams is the latest addition to the Purdue defensive staff, having joined in April. He will coach the Boilermakers' cornerbacks this fall. An up-and-comer in the coaching profession, Adams comes to Purdue after a one-year stint in a similar capacity at the U.S. Naval Academy, which was preceded by a one-season stop at Western Michigan and eight seasons at Charlotte.
"We are very pleased to have James on our staff," Brohm said. "He is a rising star in the coaching profession who has already accumulated a great track record in his young career."
Biagi is the lone holdover from the 2020 defensive staff and will assist Lambert with the linebackers, as well as serve as the special teams coordinator.
"Over the past few months, I have gotten to know this staff even better and really like the direction that we are headed," added Brohm. "They are great people, smart football minds and work so well together. Our entire staff is completely invested in this process and in the success of our program."
Recruiting Department
| Name | Title |
| Nate Dennison | Director of Recruiting |
| Tyson Street | Associate Director of Recruiting |
| Justin Sinz | Assistant Director of Recruiting |
| T.J. McCollum | Recruiting Associate |
| Jontavius Morris | Recruiting Associate |
Dennison was promoted to the director position in 2020 and has been a member of the Purdue recruiting staff for three years.
Street, who has been an assistant recruiting director for the last three seasons at Purdue, has been promoted to an associate director role.
Sinz, a 2014 Purdue graduate and a four-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers, takes on a recruiting role after three years as an offensive quality control assistant and three as a graduate assistant.
McCollum moves over to the recruiting staff after serving the previous three years as a GA at Purdue. He played linebacker for Brohm at both Western Kentucky and Purdue.
Morris joins the recruiting staff after three years as a Purdue graduate assistant. He played defensive tackle for Brohm at Western Kentucky in 2015.
Brohm also announced that Mason Petrino and former Purdue running back, DJ Knox, will serve as graduate assistant coaches in the 2021 season.