Breaking: Maryland Hires D-Line Coach Chad Wilt

Nov 30, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall calls a timeout during the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Looks like Maryland football is chipping away at the list of openings on their staff, as TestudoTime.com’s Pete Volk brings us the news that the Terps will be hiring Ball State defensive line coach Chad Wilt (enjoy the puns). Wilt will come to Maryland to operate in a similar capacity as he had at his previous stop, and fills in the role of now Albany head coach Greg Gattuso. Wilt will also be joining in on the recruiting front as recruiting coordinator.

Wilt may not be a name you know very well, but he’s certainly got his accolades. His Ball State teams were pretty solid in the MAC, and while they haven’t produced many NFL players, it’s A) hard to lure guys to Ball State and B) impressive what he’s done with the talent there. At a place like Maryland, a guy who can maximize potential is a necessary piece.

The good news from a recruiting standpoint is that Wilt undoubtedly has connections throughout the Midwest thanks to his time in the MAC. Ball State’s 2014 recruiting class brought guys in from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and even Georgia, so there’s no doubt that this move had as much to do with Big Ten strategy as it does with Wilt’s prior accomplishments. His bio at Ball State lists his recruiting areas as mostly (if not all) Midwest states and junior colleges.

While he may have gotten his Master’s degree from Virginia, his resume speaks for itself:

William & Mary, assistant coach, 2001 (Spring)
Central Connecticut State, assistant coach, 2001-03
Virginia, graduate assistant, 2004-05
Liberty, assistant coach, 2006-08
Virginia, assistant coach, 2009
Richmond, assistant coach, 2010
Ball State, assistant coach, 2011-Present

Let’s hope he makes some inroads on the field and off!