Paul Rhoads - Football Coach - Boston College Athletics

Paul Rhoads

Title:
Outside Linebackers
Email:
rhoadsp@bc.edu
Phone:
552-3010

Paul Rhoads, former head coach at Iowa State, was added to the 2023 staff as the outside linebackers coach. He brings 32 years of experience in the college game and spent the fall of 2022 as the defensive coordinator at Gulf Shores High School in Alabama; where he helped Gulf Shores to an 11-2 season, while earning Alabama 5A Assistant Coach of the Year.

In the college ranks, Rhoads most recently held a defensive analyst position with Ohio State in 2021 following the 2020 season at Arizona as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator. He previously coached defensive backs at UCLA (2018-19) and Arkansas (2016-17), where he was also the defensive coordinator for one season.

In seven seasons at Iowa State, from 2009-15, Rhoads guided the Cyclones to a 32-55 record and three bowl game appearances. ISU went 7-6 in his first season and won the Insight Bowl over Minnesota. The Cyclones also reached bowl games after six-win seasons in 2011 and 2012.

Rhoads helped Iowa State snap an 11-game Big 12 losing streak with a win over Baylor in his first season and guided the Cyclones to their first road win at Nebraska since 1977 en route to becoming the first ISU coach in nearly a century to win six or more games in his initial season.

Iowa State gained its first-ever win over Texas in 2010 as the Cyclones upended the No. 22 Longhorns, 28-21. The 2011 season was highlighted by a lopsided upset at No. 19 Texas Tech in a 512-yard effort for the ISU offense. Later that season, Iowa State earned an overtime win against No. 2 Oklahoma State; the program’s first win over a top-six AP-ranked opponent.

Hafley and Rhoads worked together for two seasons at Pittsburgh, where Rhoads was the defensive coordinator from 2000-07. During that eight-year stretch, five of Rhoads’ defenses ranked in the nation’s top-30 for scoring, while three finished in the top-12 in the NCAA for fewest yards allowed.

Rhoads and his wife Vickie have two sons; Jake and Wyatt.

The Rhoads File
Birthday: Feb. 2, 1967
Hometown: Ankeny, Iowa
Alma Mater: Missouri Western, 1989
Degree: Economics
Family: Wife Vickie, sons Jake and Wyatt

Coaching Career
2023: Boston College, Outside Linebackers
2022: Gulf Shores H.S., Defensive Coordinator
2021: Ohio State, Defensive Assistant
2020: Arizona, Defensive Coordinator
2018-19: UCLA, Defensive Backs Coach
2017: Arkansas, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach
2016: Arkansas, Defensive Backs Coach
2009-15: Iowa State, Head Coach
2008: Auburn, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach
2000-07: Pittsburgh, Defensive Coordinator
1996-99: Iowa State, Defensive Backs Coach
1995: Iowa State, Inside Linebackers Coach
1994: Pacific, Pass Game Coordinator
1992-93: Pacific, Defensive Backs Coach
1991: Ohio State, Graduate Assistant
1989-90: Utah State, Graduate Assistant