Western Michigan University Athletics

Recruiting Area(s): Mid-Michigan, Ohio

Rich Nagy enters his third season at Western Michigan and first as the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2012. He spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Hofstra where the defense ranked 26th in the nation in 2009, and he will serve as the assistant defensive coordinator for the Broncos.

Converted safety Johnnie Simon led the Broncos with 114 tackles en route to earning All-MAC in 2011.  True freshmen Rontavious Atkins racked up 40 tackles and shared the team lead with two INTs.  He also had a forced fumble and recovery on the same play to seal WMU's win over 2010 Big East champion Connecticut.

Youth was served in the Bronco secondary in 2010 as seven freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores played for Nagy in the defensive backfield.  The standout was Lewis Toler, a redshirt freshman corner who was named Freshman All-America by Rivals.com.  Mario Armstrong, a senior safety, tied Toler for the team lead in interceptions (5) and Jamail Berry, a rover/linebacker that converted from a safety, was one of two Broncos with over 90 tackles on the year.

Nagy, a native of Fairfield, Connecticut, came to Hofstra from Murray State University in Kentucky where he served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Racers from December 2005 through the 2008 season. His Murray defense allowed just 328.4 yards per game last season and linebacker Nate Williams was named to both the Walter Camp and Associated Press All-American first teams, was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, voted All- Ohio Valley Conference’s (OVC) first team and selected the OVC Defensive Player of the Year.

Prior to Murray State, Nagy spent five seasons (2001-2005) at CAA-member, Maine as defensive coordinator, linebackers and secondary coach. During his tenure the Black Bears: ranked among the top four teams in defense in four of his five seasons; captured back-to-back Atlantic 10 co-championships and advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoff quarterfinals in both 2001 and 2002; recorded a school record 11 victories in 2002; posted the first two playoff wins in school history; tallied the first victory over a FBS opponent, downing Mississippi State, 9-7, in 2004; and Black Bear players received All-Atlantic 10 honors 21 times. In 2002 Maine led the Atlantic 10 in defense, allowing just 267.6 yards per game and 15.4 points per outing, with both ranking ninth in the country. American Football Monthly named Nagy the FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2002.

A standout running back at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut from 1983 through 1987 and most valuable player in 1986, Nagy began his coaching career as a part-time secondary coach at Trinity following graduation. In 1988 he served as a graduate-assistant coach at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, working with the inside linebackers, before moving on to Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1989 as a graduate-assistant working with the outside linebackers. The Dutchmen of Union advanced to the 1989 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III Championship Game.

Nagy spent the next two seasons as outside linebackers coach and assisted with the special teams units at the University of Maine. In the spring of 1992 he began five-year tenure at Allegheny as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, and was promoted to associate head coach in his final year there. During that time the Gators captured three North Coast Athletic Conference titles and made three Division III Playoff appearances.

In February 1997 Nagy moved on to the University of South Dakota as special teams coordinator and secondary coach for one season before coming back east to start a three-year stint at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. He served as defensive coordinator and secondary coach during the 1998 season, secondary coach and recruiting coordinator in 1999, and recruiting coordinator in 2000 before moving back to Maine in the spring of 2001.

Nagy (46/DOB: 6-21-65), who also played baseball in college, earned a bachelor of science degree in political science from Trinity College in 1987. Nagy and his wife, Erika, have two daughters, Jordan, 15, and Erin, 8.

WMU ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES UNDER NAGY