Jan. 26, 2018

THE FLATS – Jerome Riase has joined Georgia Tech’s football staff as defensive line coach, head coach Paul Johnson announced on Friday.

Riase (pronounced RIZE) comes to The Flats after four seasons as defensive line coach at Wofford. His hire rounds out Johnson’s 2018 coaching staff.

“It’s great to welcome Jerome to our staff as our 10th and final assistant coach,” Johnson said. “He is a terrific young coach that comes from the same great pedigree as our new defensive coordinator, Nate Woody, and new safeties coach, Shiel Wood. I think that his familiarity with our new defensive scheme and his experience with getting great production from the defensive linemen that he coaches makes him the right choice to round out our staff.”

Wofford led the NCAA Division I FCS Southern Conference in rushing defense each of the four years that Riase coached the Terriers’ defensive linemen. In 2017, Wofford held its opponents to less than 100 rushing yards six times in 13 games and did not allow a 100-yard rusher all season while all three of his starting defensive linemen earned all-conference recognition. In all, he coached eight all-conference honorees during his four seasons with the Terriers, highlighted by 2017 FCA all-American Miles Brown.

In four seasons with Riase on the coaching staff, Wofford made two NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances (2016, 2017), advancing to the national quarterfinals each year, and won a Southern Conference championship (2017).

Riase’s four seasons at Wofford followed two campaigns at Butler (2012-13), where he coached four all-conference performers and helped lead the Bulldogs to 17 wins, a pair of Pioneer Football League championships and the school’s first-ever FCS playoff berth.

Riase also spent four seasons as the defensive line coach at Ashland (2008-11), where he developed 10 all-conference linemen, an NCAA Division II all-American and two future NFL players, one season as offensive coordinator at Savannah State (2007) and one season as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Central State (2006). He began his coaching career as defensive line coach at Talawanda H.S. in Oxford, Ohio (2005).

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Coach Johnson’s staff at Georgia Tech,” Riase said. “I can’t wait to hit the ground running and get to work with our staff and student-athletes.”

A Cleveland, Ohio native, Riase graduated from Miami (Ohio) University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He has a son, L.J.

RIASE AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

2005: Talawanda (Ohio) H.S. (defensive line)

2006: Central State (run game coordinator/offensive line)

2007: Savannah State (offensive coordinator)

2008-11: Ashland (defensive line)

2012-13: Butler (defensive line)

2014-17: Wofford (defensive line)

2018-: Georgia Tech (defensive line)

Alma Mater: Miami University, 2004

Birthdate: May 3, 1980

Son: L.J.

Twitter: @jriase