Sean Lewis (American football)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sean Lewis
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamSan Diego State
ConferenceMW
Record0–0
Biographical details
Born (1986-04-11) April 11, 1986 (age 37)
Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
2004–2007Wisconsin
Position(s)Tight end
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008–2009Harold L. Richards HS (IL) (OC)
2010Nebraska–Omaha (TE)
2011Akron (GA)
2012–2013Eastern Illinois (IWR/TE)
2014Bowling Green (WR)
2015Bowling Green (co-OC/QB)
2016–2017Syracuse (co-OC/QB)
2018–2022Kent State
2023Colorado (OC/QB)
2024–presentSan Diego State
Head coaching record
Overall24–31
Bowls1–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 MAC East Division (2021)

Sean Lewis (born April 11, 1986) is an American football coach who is the head coach at San Diego State University. He was previously the offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 and the head football coach at Kent State University from 2018 to 2022. Lewis played college football at Wisconsin.[1]

Playing career[edit]

Lewis attended Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois, southwest of Chicago, where he played quarterback.[2] Lewis became the school's career passing leader with 3,131 yards and 39 touchdown passes in three seasons. He added 915 yards on the ground on 192 carries and 15 touchdowns.[3] He then attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, on an athletic scholarship. He was recruited as a quarterback, but converted to tight end.[4] A career backup, Lewis' first reception came in a 2007 game against Minnesota. He graduated from Wisconsin in December 2007 with one year of eligibility remaining.[5]

Coaching career[edit]

Following graduation Lewis worked various jobs, including as a personal trainer and a "dull office supply sales job," before turning to coaching as a career. From 2008–2009 he was offensive coordinator at his former high school in Oak Lawn.[6] His first collegiate coaching job was in 2010 at Nebraska–Omaha and he was a graduate assistant at Akron for the 2011 season. At Eastern Illinois, the Panthers made the FCS Playoffs both seasons he was there and reached the quarterfinals in 2013 with a 12-2 record with an offense led by Jimmy Garoppolo. At Bowling Green, his 2015 offense ranked fourth in the nation at 546.8 yards per game and sixth in scoring at 42.2 points per game. He was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Matt Johnson, who was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and finished second nationally with 4,946 yards and 46 touchdowns. In 2017, Syracuse averaged 456.3 yards and 24.4 first downs per game and defeated defending national champion Clemson 27-24 on Oct. 13. His Orange offense led the nation in snaps per game (87.8) and in 2016, his offense set or tied 40 school records including most passing yards (3,855) while the 5,290 yards of total offense was second most in program history.[7]

Kent State[edit]

Lewis became Kent State University's 22nd head football coach on December 21, 2017.[8] Lewis was 31 when he was hired at Kent State in 2017, becoming the youngest head coach in FBS by three years, where he compiled a 24-31 overall record and 19-17 record in Mid-American Conference play. He led the Golden Flashes to their first ever Bowl game victory in 2019.[9]

Colorado[edit]

On December 6, 2022, he was hired at Colorado under new head coach Deion Sanders.[10]

San Diego State[edit]

On November 29, 2023, San Diego State University hired Lewis as its new head coach, replacing a retiring Brady Hoke, following the 2023 season.[11]

Head coaching record[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Kent State Golden Flashes (Mid-American Conference) (2018–2022)
2018 Kent State 2–10 1–7 6th (East)
2019 Kent State 7–6 5–3 T–2nd (East) W Frisco
2020 Kent State 3–1 3–1 2nd (East)
2021 Kent State 7–7 6–2 1st (East) L Famous Idaho Potato
2022 Kent State 5–7 4–4 T–4th (East)
Kent State: 24–31 19–17
San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West Conference) (2024–present)
2024 San Diego State 0–0 0–0
San Diego State: 0–0 0–0
Total: 24–31

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sean Lewis Named Flashes' 22nd Head Coach". kentstatesports.com. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  2. ^ Paha, Jason (August 17, 2003). "Let the games begin". Southtown Star. p. C-1. Retrieved November 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "2005 wisconsin media guide,pg. 46".
  4. ^ "Bowl practice brings two position changes". Wisconsin State Journal. December 5, 2004. p. E4. Retrieved November 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Polzin, Jim (December 14, 2007). "Success isn't in numbers". The Capital Times. pp. D1, D5. Retrieved November 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Ryan, Shannon (August 31, 2018). "'Age is relative:' As youngest FBS head coach, Oak Lawn's Sean Lewis will make his debut against Illinois". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  7. ^ "Sean Lewis - Football Coach".
  8. ^ "Sean Lewis - Football Coach".
  9. ^ "Sean Lewis bio".
  10. ^ Fortuna, Matt (December 5, 2022). "Colorado adds Kent State coach Sean Lewis as OC". The Athletic. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  11. ^ Kenney, Kirk (November 28, 2023). "'Life is too short to huddle' for Sean Lewis, San Diego State's choice for football coach". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved November 28, 2023.

External links[edit]