Adam Gonzaga Last College: Azusa Pacific '92 Position: Defensive Backs Experience: 2nd Season Email: adamg@bgsu.edu

To email coach Gonzaga: adamg@bgsu.edu

Adam Gonzaga is in his second year as defensive backs coach for the Falcons.

In his first season his defensive backs had 10 of the Falcons 14 interceptions, while P.J. Mahone (second team) and Antonio Smith (third team) both earned All-MAC honors.

Gonzaga comes to BGSU after spending the last five seasons at Northwood (Michigan) University where he was the defensive coordinator. Gonzaga saw four of his defensive players earn All-American honors during his tenure as the Timberwolves were one of just two teams in the country to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs each of the last three years.

This past year, his defense forced 29 turnovers and allowed 279 yards per game and saw eight opponents score 20 points or less. They were sixth in the country in turnover margin. The 2005 Northwood defense remained strong under Gonzaga. Northwood ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense (18.3 ppg) while placing three players on the All-GLIAC first-team (Kyle Clement, Charleston Hughes, Jon Horn). NU also led the conference with 21 interceptions and a total of 30 forced turnovers on defense. The Timberwolves held their opponents under 20 points seven times in 12 games. In 2004, Northwood scored a total of six defensive touchdowns and won a GLIAC championship. In 2003, Northwood finished finished No. 1 against the pass in the conference, allowing teams to gain just 140.5 yards per game through the air.

Gonzaga came to Northwood from the United States Naval Academy, where he coached the linebackers during the 2001 season. He also had a successful two-year stint at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois from 1999-2000. While at Greenville, Gonzaga served as the defensive coordinator and the squad posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in nine years. He coached two All-Americans and the 1999 squad was co-SLIAC conference champions. In 1998, Gonzaga coached the defensive ends and outside linebackers at the University of Connecticut. UConn went 10-3 and advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Semifinals during his one season on the staff.

Gonzaga has also had stints at Division I-AA Lafayette (1997), where he coached the defensive line; Montana State (1996), where he coached the secondary; the University of the Pacific (1993-95), where he coached the special teams, linebackers and secondary; and was the football recruiting assistant at Stanford (1992). Gonzaga is a 1992 graduate of Asuza Pacific University with a bachelor's degree in education. He and his wife, Heidi, have two daughters - Alexis (9) and Addison (4).