Noel Mazzone
Encyclopedia
Noel Mazzone is an American football
coach and former player in the United States
. He is currently the offensive coordinator
at Arizona State University
, a position he had held since the 2010 season.
and went on to play college football
as a quarterback
under coach Bill Mondt
at the University of New Mexico
from 1975 to 1979.
at New Mexico under head coach Joe Morrison
who had succeeded Mondt in 1980. Coach Mazzone also spent one season (1981) at Boulder High School coaching future University of Colorado Greats Tom Gebhardt and Eric McCarty. In 1982, Mazzone received his first full-time position, coaching quarterbacks and receivers under Leon Fuller
at Colorado State
. After 5 years at CSU, Mazzone was hired away by Jim Wacker
to serve as quarterbacks coach at Texas Christian
. When Wacker left TCU for the head coaching position at the University of Minnesota
in 1992, Mazzone followed Wacker to serve the same position with the Gophers.
In 1995, Mazzone was hired as offensive coordinator
by Tommy Tuberville
, who had just become head coach at Ole Miss
. Tuberville left Ole Miss for Auburn
in 1999, taking Mazzone with him. However, after the 2001 season Tuberville choose to replace Mazzone with Bobby Petrino
. Oregon State
head coach Dennis Erickson
then hired Mazzone as offensive coordinator for the 2002 season. While Erickson left the collegiate ranks to coach the San Francisco 49ers
, Mazzone chose to remain, becoming offensive coordinator under Chuck Amato
at North Carolina State
where he coached Philip Rivers
, who would be the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft
. In 2004, Mazzone returned to Ole Miss to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under head coach Ed Orgeron. He was fired as offensive coordinator at the end of the 2004 season but remained an employee at Ole Miss for contractual reasons.
In 2006, Mazzone took his first position in the NFL when new head coach Eric Mangini
hired him as wide receivers coach
for the New York Jets
. Mangini was fired by the Jets following the 2008 season and Mazzone's contract with the Jets was allowed to expire.
In January 2009, Mazzone was under consideration by Randy Shannon
for the vacant position as offensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes
, and in February of that year was under consideration by Dave Wannstedt
as offensive coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh
. He was also being considered for the job coaching quarterbacks under Mangini with the Cleveland Browns
.
But, instead of going to coach for any college he decided to assume the duties of offensive coordinator for Panther Creek High School in Cary, NC under Wayne Bragg.
On January 4, 2010, he was hired as offensive coordinator at Arizona State University
, where he is reunited with Dennis Erickson, who he previously worked under at Oregon State University.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is currently the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, a position he had held since the 2010 season.
Early life and playing career
Mazzone grew up in Raton, New MexicoRaton, New Mexico
Raton is a city in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 7,282 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colfax County. The city is located just south of Raton Pass.-Name:...
and went on to play college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
under coach Bill Mondt
Bill Mondt
-External links:...
at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
from 1975 to 1979.
Coaching career
After graduation, Mazzone started his coaching career as a graduate assistantGraduate assistant
A graduate assistant is a position who serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors or with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants, coaches with an athletic team, or university department...
at New Mexico under head coach Joe Morrison
Joe Morrison
Joseph R. Morrison was an American football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants and a coach best known as the head coach at the University of South Carolina.-Playing career:...
who had succeeded Mondt in 1980. Coach Mazzone also spent one season (1981) at Boulder High School coaching future University of Colorado Greats Tom Gebhardt and Eric McCarty. In 1982, Mazzone received his first full-time position, coaching quarterbacks and receivers under Leon Fuller
Leon Fuller
-References:...
at Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
. After 5 years at CSU, Mazzone was hired away by Jim Wacker
Jim Wacker
Jim Wacker was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Texas Lutheran University , North Dakota State University , Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University–San Marcos, , Texas Christian University ,...
to serve as quarterbacks coach at Texas Christian
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
. When Wacker left TCU for the head coaching position at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1992, Mazzone followed Wacker to serve the same position with the Gophers.
In 1995, Mazzone was hired as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
by Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
, who had just become head coach at Ole Miss
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
. Tuberville left Ole Miss for Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
in 1999, taking Mazzone with him. However, after the 2001 season Tuberville choose to replace Mazzone with Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arkansas, a position he has held since the 2008 season...
. Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
head coach Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
then hired Mazzone as offensive coordinator for the 2002 season. While Erickson left the collegiate ranks to coach the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Mazzone chose to remain, becoming offensive coordinator under Chuck Amato
Chuck Amato
-External links:...
at North Carolina State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
where he coached Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
, who would be the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. In 2004, Mazzone returned to Ole Miss to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under head coach Ed Orgeron. He was fired as offensive coordinator at the end of the 2004 season but remained an employee at Ole Miss for contractual reasons.
In 2006, Mazzone took his first position in the NFL when new head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
hired him as wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Mangini was fired by the Jets following the 2008 season and Mazzone's contract with the Jets was allowed to expire.
In January 2009, Mazzone was under consideration by Randy Shannon
Randy Shannon
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL....
for the vacant position as offensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, and in February of that year was under consideration by Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt is current Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He was most recently head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team, a position he held for six seasons. Wannstedt is also the former head coach of the Miami...
as offensive coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
. He was also being considered for the job coaching quarterbacks under Mangini with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
But, instead of going to coach for any college he decided to assume the duties of offensive coordinator for Panther Creek High School in Cary, NC under Wayne Bragg.
On January 4, 2010, he was hired as offensive coordinator at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, where he is reunited with Dennis Erickson, who he previously worked under at Oregon State University.