Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

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The Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

Coach Info: Brandon Gallagher was a standout linebacker for the Duke Blue Devils and later the Northwestern Wildcats during his collegiate career beginning in 2003 and ending in 2006. After a tragic car accident ended his NFL aspirations, Gallagher went into coaching. After 5 years in the high school ranks, the 4-time Bednarik Award winner is ready to lead a defense at the college level.

Year	Job	Team	Record | Result
2011	Defensive Coordinator	UL Monroe Warhawks	7-7 (5-3) | L in Military Bowl to NIU
2012	Defensive Coordinator	Northwestern Wildcats	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-

Career Record (as a Coordinator): 8-7
Bowl Record (as a Coordinator): 0-1
Alma Mater: Northwestern

Table of Contents
2011
- ULM Hires New DC
- 2011 Season Summary
- Gallagher Quickly Moving Up Coaching Ranks

2012
- 2012 Schedule
- Offensive Preview
- Defensive Preview
- Depth Chart
- Recruiting Targets


NOTE: Brandon Gallagher is from my Duke dynasty from NCAA 11. He was the best player I ever recruited to Duke (came in as a 4-star athlete) and won the Bednarik Award both years I had him, along with leading us to an Orange Bowl win and our first-ever ACC Championship as a sophomore. Obviously he didn't actually play in 2003 but I had to make the timeline more realistic.

NOTE II: Northwestern has been moved to the PAC-12 North so that once I get to Northwestern I can play my friend (whose alma mater is Cal) every year. I also moved the teams around in the PAC-12 to make the PAC-12 North the more competitive division.

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

National Championship
2011 - Oklahoma Sooners 37, Oregon Ducks 27

Rose Bowl
2011 - Michigan Wolverines 24, Boise State Broncos 21

Fiesta Bowl
2011 - Stanford Cardinal 35, South Florida Bulls 13

Sugar Bowl
2011 - Mississippi State 28, Penn State Nittany Lions 24

Orange Bowl
2011 - Florida State Seminoles 25, Oklahoma State 21

Heisman Winner
2011 - Ohio RB Ryan Boykin - 274 carries for 1873 yards, 24 touchdowns

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

SEC Champion
2011 - Alabama Crimson TIde

B1G Champion
2011 - Michigan Wolverines

PAC-12 Champion
2011 - Oregon Ducks

ACC Champion
2011 - Florida State Seminoles

Big East Champion
2011 - South Florida Bulls

Big XII Champion
2011 - Oklahoma Sooners

C-USA Champion
2011 - Southern Methodist Mustangs

MAC Champion
2011 - Ohio Bobcats

MWC Champion
2011 - Boise State Broncos

WAC Champion
2011 - Hawaii Warriors

Sun Belt Champion
2011 - Troy Trojans

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

Gallagher Hall of Fame
(The best of the best of Coach Gallagher's teams)


In The NFL
(Players coached by Coach Gallagher who are now in the NFL)

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

Warhawks Hire New DC
Former Bednarik Winner Brandon Gallagher will oversee defense


Brandon Gallagher was a standout linebacker for Duke and later Northwestern.

August 2, 2011

Monroe, LA --- For the past two seasons, former UTEP linebacker Troy Reffett has assumed the defensive coordinator position for the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. And he has done more than an admirable job. The Warhawks' impressive usage of Reffett's 3-3-5 attacking defensive scheme earned Reffett a nomination for the Frank Broyles Award in 2009, given to the nation's top assistant coach. Unfortunately, Reffett announced his resignation last week, citing a need to return to his roots as a gardener. "This isn't an easy decision, but I feel like I've been neglecting my potatoes and carrots too much, and when that type of feeling hits you you know you've failed (as a gardener)."

Head Coach Todd Berry was shocked by the decision, but had little time to come up with a replacement with the season just weeks away. He settled on 26 year-old Brandon Gallagher, also a former college linebacker. Gallagher started his collegiate career at Duke University in 2003, winning two Bednarik Awards and Best Linebacker awards before transferring to Northwestern University (where he also won two Bednarik and Best LB Awards) following the retirement of Duke head coach Dan Orlovsky. He was expected to be a top-5 draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft before a disastrous car accident ruined his left leg, ensuring that he would never be able to run full speed again, much less play professional football. After 5 years of coaching high school at his former stomping grounds in North Carolina, Gallagher felt ready to make the jump back to the level where he was so dominant.

"I'm very excited to be a part of the ULM program," said Gallagher in his opening press conference this afternoon. "After 4 years of starting at middle linebacker and 5 years as a defensive coordinator at one of the top high schools in North Carolina, I feel like I'm more than ready to lead a defense at the collegiate level. We will be running a multiple defense that dictates what the offense does, rather than allowing the offense to dictate to us. The linebackers will be the playmakers of this defense and we plan on having the top defense in the Sun Belt."

Gallagher has some fairly large shoes to fill, but something tells me he's not intimidated.

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

2011 Season Summary
Warhawks go 7-7; Lose Military Bowl to Northern Illinois


Linebacker Jason Edwards bats down a pass to preserve ULM's win against Arkansas State.

January 5, 2012

Monroe, LA --- In Week 9, with the Warhawks sitting at 2-5 (0-3), it looked highly doubtful that the University of Louisiana-Monroe football team would make a bowl game, much less earn a bid to the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. However, a 5-game win streak to close out the regular season helped them just do that, earning them the right to play the Troy Trojans in the conference championship. Though the Warhawks lost both the conference championship and the Military Bowl (to Northern Illinois), things are looking up in Monroe. Behind the leadership of rising junior QB Kolton Browning and the stingy defense led by defensive coordinator Brandon Gallagher, this squad will be a force to be reckoned with in the Sun Belt as long as the coaching staff can remain intact - which could prove a challenge as (unconfirmed) rumors have been flying that Gallagher could be interested in the newly vacated Northwestern defensive coordinator position - and the interest is said to be mutual. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired after the Wildcats went 5-7 in their inaugural season in the PAC-16, and has been replaced by San Diego State offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. Gallagher played linebacker for the Wildcats his junior and senior seasons, and would likely take the job without regret if offered.

UL Monroe Warhawks 2011 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 3	at Florida State	Lost, 23-17
Sep 10	vs Grambling State	Won, 41-26
Sep 17	at Texas Christian	Lost, 17-7
Sep 24	at Temple	Lost, 28-14
Oct 8	at Troy	Lost, 31-14
Oct 15	vs Arkansas State	Lost, 17-10
Oct 22	at North Texas	Won, 22-19
Oct 29	vs Western Kentucky	Won, 27-17
Nov 5	at UL Lafayette	Won, 51-27
Nov 12	vs Middle Tennessee State	Won, 22-6
Nov 19	vs Florida International	Won, 17-16
Dec 3	at Florida Atlantic	Won, 41-31
Dec 10	at Troy - Conference Championship	Lost, 44-31
Dec 29	at Northern Illinois - Military Bowl	Lost, 28-21

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Gallagher Quickly Moving Up Coaching Ranks
Northwestern hires 27 year-old to coach defense

January 22, 2012

Evanston, IL --- In a move that has been hinted at for two weeks, the Northwestern Wildcats have hired former linebacker Brandon Gallagher to be their new defensive coordinator. Gallagher, who was an All-Big 10 linebacker for the Wildcats in 2005 and 2006, will bring much-needed discipline and identity to the school, who struggled to a 5-7 record in 2011, their first season in the PAC-12.

"While I'm saddened to leave the Warhawks after only one season," Gallagher said in his introductory press conference. "I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to come back to Evanston and coach at the place where I had so much success. I think [UL Monroe head coach] Todd Berry for bringing me into the college ranks, and wish them the best of luck in the future. That said, I'm absolutely ecstatic to be back here in Evanston. We have a solid nucleus of talent with guys like [middle linebacker] David Nwabuisi and [safety] Hunter Bates, and I can't wait to get to work. I can't thank [newly hired head coach] Andy Ludwig enough for giving me this opportunity."

It is reported that Gallagher signed a 3-year contract. Gallagher, combined with offensive guru Andy Ludwig, will give the Wildcats an impressive, albeit inexperienced coaching staff.

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*The reason I only posted a season summary of the 2011 season is I'm currently in the 2012 season and just decided to make a Dynasty out of this and didn't want to give half-hearted summaries of 2011 games.

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Northwestern Wildcats 2012 Schedule
Gallagher will get game against old team in Week 3

May 3, 2012

Evanston, IL --- The good news? Well, there is none. The Wildcats' 2012 schedule is brutal no matter how you look at it. Though the out-of-conference schedule isn't terrible - hosting the UL Monroe Warhawks (defensive coordinator Brandon Gallagher's former team) shouldn't be a problem, and the Iowa State Cyclones, Maryland Terrapins,, and rival Illinois Fighting Illini aren't powerhouses by any interpretation of the word - the schedule includes a deadly stretch run beginning in mid-October. Starting October 14 when the Wildcats travel to the Colosseum to take on the still-tough Trojans, this 5-game run of difficult games will include match-ups with the Cal Golden Bears, Utah Utes, Oregon Ducks, Stanford Cardinal, and Arizona Wildcats. There is a good chance the 'Cats will need to win at least 2 of those games for a bowl bid. Here's a look at the entire 2012 schedule:

Northwestern Wildcats 2012 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 4	at Iowa State Cyclones
Sep 10	at Maryland Terrapins
Sep 17	vs UL Monroe
Sep 24	vs Arizona State Sun Devils
Sep 31	at Washington Huskies
Oct 7	vs Illinois Fighting Illini
Oct 14	at Southern California Trojans
Oct 28	at California Golden Bears
Nov 4	vs Utah Utes
Nov 11	vs Oregon Ducks
Nov 18	at Stanford Cardinal
Dec 1	vs Arizona Wildcats

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Northwestern Offensive Preview
With Dan Persa graduated, offensive production will likely take a hit

July 8, 2012

Evanston, IL --- Last year, the Dan Persa-led spread offense of the Wildcats was 4th in the PAC-12 in yardage. Now, under coach Andy Ludwig, the Wildcats will switch to a pro-style offense. Here's a position-by-position look at the Northwestern Wildcats 2012 offense.


QB: Replacing former Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year Dan Persa will be junior Evan Watkins. At 6-6 and 240 lbs, Watkins was a prototypical pro-style quarterback coming out of high school and will be a good fit in Coach Ludwig's offense. Watkins saw action as a freshman in 2010 when Dan Persa went down, and although he struggled - he threw only 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions - the experience should prove valuable. Watkins has a cannon for an arm, but struggles with accuracy and decision-making. He can't continue to have these issues if the Wildcats want to be competitive in the PAC-12 North. Backing Watkins up will be junior Kain Colter. Colter, who starred in the TicketCity Bowl 2 years ago with 105 yards on the ground, was a terrific fit in the spread offense - not so much in Ludwig's pro-style scheme. Colter's impressive athleticism will give him a chance to see the field in certain sub-packages, but unless he can improve his arm strength he will struggle as a traditional drop-back passer.

Positional Grade: C+

Junior Evan Watkins will take over as the Wildcats' starting QB

RB: Junior Mike Trumpy, who racked up 1023 rushing yards last season, should flourish in a more traditional pro-style offense. Trumpy has good but not great speed to go along with nice elusiveness in the open field and a surprising ability to break through tackles. Trumpy is also a very good pass-catcher and should be the focal point of Coach Ludwig's offense. He will be backed up by senior Tyris Jones and true freshman Guy Walker, one of the top recruits from Coach Ludwig's first recruiting class. Both are average athletes with above-average vision. Neither have much speed, but both are willing and able blockers, and that alone will get them on the field. At fullback, sophomore Christian Flores will find himself in a fairly different role than the one he must have envisioned when he signed with the Wildcats. A very tough runner, Flores doesn't possess the size to be a dominant blocker. However, he is excellent at walling off defenders, and that will be enough in this offense.

Positional Grade: B+

Trumpy (right) will be a big part of the offense this season.

WR/TE: The Wildcats have a plethora of bodies at wideout, given that they ran the spread until this year. The starters will be senior Demetrius Fields and junior Reshad Lawrence. Both have good but not great speed, above-average hands, and are fantastic route-runners. Third receiver Tony Jones is noticeably faster than both, but struggles with drops and needs work on his route-running. Backups Drew Moulton and Jimmy Hall are nothing special. At tight end, senior Brett Nagel is the starter. At just 226 pounds, Nagel is better suited to the offense of the old regime, but Coach Ludwig has said that he will find ways to utilize the senior. Nagel is a good pass-catcher but will struggle to move defensive ends in the run game, which is where junior John Plasencia will come in handy. At 258 pounds, Plasencia is better-equipped to be a force in the run game, and is no slouch as a receiver. Both will see plenty of time.

Positional Grade: B

Senior Demetrius Fields will be relied upon as the #1 receiver this year.

OL: A unit that struggled badly a season ago due to inexperience, this season the offensive line should have much better success. At left tackle will be senior Chuck Porcelli, a behemoth of a man who doesn't quite play up to his size. Nevertheless, he is a solid lineman. Left guard will be manned by senior Brian Mulroe. A great pass blocker, Mulroe is an even better run blocker - and you can bet that Coach Ludwig will call plenty of run plays behind him. At center, backup right tackle Neil Deiters will slide over to be the "quarterback of the line". While he is definitely tall for the position - he checks in at 6-8 - Deiters (a senior) will be adept at making the line calls and is an elite pass blocker. Junior Brian Smith - the youngest starting lineman - will handle right guard. Smith has a great get-off but struggles with pad level. At right tackle will be senior Pat Ward, who at 6-7 possesses prototypical size for the position - and it translates into his play. Ward was all-conference last season and looks to repeat last year's success. Though things look great for the 2012 season up-front, with 4 of the starters getting ready to graduate next year could be another transitional year on the o-line.

Positional Grade: B+

RT Patrick Ward was all-conference last season.

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Northwestern Defensive Preview
New DC Brandon Gallagher looks to bring identity to NU defense

July 9, 2012

Evanston, IL --- Last year the Pat Fitzgerald-led defense was the Achilles heel of the Wildcats. The struggling unit continually let teams score 30+ points, and ended up being the 11th-best unit in the PAC-12, besting only the Cal Golden Bears. This year, with the hiring of former Bednarik Award winner Brandon Gallagher as defensive coordinator, the Wildcats look to develop a physical, attacking personality on what Coach Gallagher calls "by far the most important side of the ball". Here's a position-by-position look at the Wildcat defense:


DL: A unit that struggled with consistency last season, the defensive line will be vital in determining the defense's success this season. At left end will be senior Quentin Williams, one of the lone bright spots last year who notched 7.5 sacks. He looks to build on that total, as well as improve his presence in the run game. At the other defensive end spot is junior Tyler Scott. The Ohio native will be a first-year starter, and from the looks of it Scott will have trouble holding up in the run game. Luckily, he will have senior defensive tackle Brian Arnfelt to swallow blockers. Arnfelt is a big man at almost 300 lbs, but is surprisingly nimble for his size and is a good pass-rusher. Arnfelt will need to hold his own in the run game though as he will be facing a plethora of double-teams. Fellow defensive tackle Will Hampton is undoubtedly the weakness of the line, and Coach Gallagher has hinted that he will run plenty of 3-man lines this season to offset that.

Positional Grade: C+

DE Quentin Williams looks to build off of last year's 7.5 sacks.

LB: The leader of the unit on which DC Brandon Gallagher was so dominant is middle linebacker David Nwabuisi. The Bedford, TX native is a solid presence in the run game and a sure tackler, but struggles in space and will need help in coverage. The opposite is true of outside linebacker Tim Riley, who excels in pass coverage but has trouble shedding blockers. The other outside linebacker spot will be shared by junior Will Studlien, junior Damien Proby, and senior Roderick Goodlow. None are anything to write home about athletically, but all play hard and are assignment-sure. You can bet that Coach Gallagher will have a heavy hand in this unit's performance.

Positional Grade: B

Senior David Nwabuisi will be called upon to lead the linebackers this year.

DB: Perhaps the strongest unit on the team, the secondary features 3 of the team's best players. The number one cornerback, Demetrius Dugar, is a 3-year starter and is one of the top cover corners in the PAC-12. The 3 cornerbacks behind him - junior Davion Fleming, senior Tim Weak, and sophomore Ibraheim Campbell - will fight for the other starting cornerback spot, and the losers will man the nickel and dime back positions. All 3 are solid but not spectacular in coverage. At strong safety is team captain and last year's All PAC-12 safety Hunter Bates. The Florida native is a ferocious hitter and an outstanding blitzer. Free safety Jared Carpenter is a rangy, assignment-sure coverage safety and has a chance to make the All PAC-12 team this season. The Wildcats should be tough to pass on in 2012.

Positional Grade: B+

Hunter Bates is the unquestioned leader of the Wildcats

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Projected 2012 Depth Chart
A look at the Northwestern Depth Chart for the upcoming season

July 22, 2012

Evanston, IL --- Here is a look at how the depth chart is shaping up for the upcoming season:

Northwestern Wildcats Depth Chart - 2012
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Demetrius Fields	Tony Jones	Jimmy Hall	Victor Harris
TE	Brett Nagel	John Plasencia	Mark Szott
LT	Chuck Porcelli	Shane Mertz
LG	Brian Mulroe	Jack Konopka	Zach White
C	Neil Deiters	Ramon Battle	Michael Graham
RG	Brian Smith	Taylor Paxton
RT	Patrick Ward	Dominic Brown
WR	Rashad Lawrence	Drew Moulton	Cameron Dickerson	Jacob Hopkins
QB	Evan Watkins	Kain Coulter	Zach Oliver	Jon Carlson
FB	Christian Flores
HB	Mike Trumpy	Tyris Jones	Guy Walker	Treyvon Green
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Quentin Williams	CJ Robbins	Matt Weber
LDT	Brian Arnfelt	Sean McEvilly	Michael Latimer
RDT	Will Hampton	Spencer Weaver
RDE	Tyler Scott	Joe Jones	Max Chapma	Grant Ford
WLB	Tim Riley	Roderick Goodlow	Rob Collins	Adam Stokes
MLB	David Nwabuisi	Anthony Taylor	Freddie Walters
SLB	Will Studlien	Damien Proby	Stone Pinckney
CB	Demetrius Dugar	Tim Weak	CJ Bryant	Marcus Ingram
SS	Hunter Bates	Evan Burnette
FS	Jared Carpenter	Travis Smith
CB	Davion Flemin	Ibraheim Campbell	James James	Nick Van Hoose
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Jeff Budzien
P	Brandon Williams

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2012 Northwestern Recruiting Targets
Omarr Jefferson - QB of the Future?

July 25, 2012

Evanston, IL --- Here are the prospects Coach Ludwig and the staff are pursuing:

Northwestern Wildcats Recruiting - 2012
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
Nate Andrews	CB	HS	Wilmette, IL	6-0	185
Omarr Jefferson	QB	HS	Glenview, IL	6-2	207
Kyle Ramirez	FS	HS	Kankakee, IL	6-3	203
Joseph Jackson	MLB	HS	Alpharetto, GA	6-0	220
Neil Jackson	SS	HS	Rugby, ND	6-2	204
Hunter Seals	DT	HS	Champagne, IL	6-3	276
Adam Jackson	DE	HS	Glenview, IL	6-6	248
Toby McPherson	TE	HS	Grosse Ile, MI	6-6	238
Justin Robertson	T	HS	Benbrook, TX	6-6	259
Gerald Carter	QB	HS	Redford, MI	6-3	183
Donovan Webb	WR	HS	Blue Island, IL	6-0	184
Andrew Young	DT	HS	Jacksonville, AL	6-3	300
Andy Mitchell	DE	HS	Cleveland, OH	6-4	244
Dontae Robinson	CB	HS	East Peoria, IL	6-0	179
Brian Thomas	DE	HS	Quincy, IL	6-5	234
Joe Smith	G	HS	Oak Lawn, IL	6-4	320
Aaron Parker	DT	HS	Sturgis, MI	6-1	283
Gary Jordan	OLB	HS	Racine, WI	6-1	231
Bobby Miller	DT	HS	Fitzgerald, GA	6-2	304
Darnell Barnett	OLB	HS	Greenfield, WI	6-6	204
Luke Dailey	FS	HS	Pensacola, FL	6-1	180
Ronald Glover	WR	HS	Harvey, IL	6-3	202
Tommy Jacobs	G	HS	Lincoln Park, MI	6-7	280
Marcus Wood	WR	HS	Niles, MI	6-5	195
Jason Charles	MLB	HS	Jacksonville, TX	6-1	225

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

HAY PRETTY BOI. i'm followin'. you's my nigggggggggggggggaaaaaaaa. wish dan orlovsky was still the subject though. i'll live with it though :/

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Re: Leave It All On The Field | Coaching Career of Brandon Gallagher

HAY PRETTY BOI. i'm followin'. you's my nigggggggggggggggaaaaaaaa. wish dan orlovsky was still the subject though. i'll live with it though :/

Hahaha. I'm considering finding a way to tie him in here. Thanks for following.