4 things to know about new Jets assistant DL coach Nate Ollie
Robert Saleh’s first Jets coaching staff is littered with experience, but it also features a handful of younger staffers.
Among them is Nate Ollie, who comes to New York after spending the last two seasons as an assistant defensive line coach with the Eagles. Although he has never worked with Saleh, Ollie will reprise that role with the Jets.
Let’s get to know a little bit more about New York’s new assistant defensive line coach.
Ball State standout
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Ollie was a dominant force on Ball State's defensive line throughout his college career, racking up 178 tackles, 28 TFLs and 13.5 sacks from 2010-13. Ollie took on an increased role in the trenches as a sophomore, recording 42 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass deflection in 12 games. He parlayed that success into monster junior and senior seasons, as Ollie notched 51 tackles, eight TFLs, four sacks and one fumble recovery in 2012 before ending his career with 72 tackles, 11 TFL, four sacks and one fumble recovery in 2013.
College coaching
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Ollie got his start in coaching at his alma mater, working as a graduate assistant at Ball State in May and June of 2015 before joining the University of Tennessee's coaching staff in the same capacity. Ollie spent three years as a graduate assistant at Tennessee. He accepted his first full-time position coach job as Eastern Kentucky's defensive line coach in 2018 and remained with the program for two years. While at Eastern Kentucky, Ollie played an instrumental role in the development of Aaron Patrick, who earned a first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection after registering 7.5 sacks as a senior.
Eagles excellence
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Not much went right for the Eagles in 2019 and 2020, but Ollie made the most of Philadelphia's down years by making a profound impact on its defensive line. Ollie joined the Eagles as assistant defensive line coach in 2019 and helped Fletcher Cox reach his fifth Pro Bowl while starring on a Philadelphia defense that ranked third against the run (90.4 rushing yards allowed per game) that season. Brandon Graham also saw success under Ollie's tutelage in 2019, as he recorded 8.5 sacks, the second-highest total of his career.
A former stranger to Saleh
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Unlike many of the coaches on Robert Saleh's first Jets staff, Ollie has no direct link to New York's rookie head coach. He doesn't have any previous experience working with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, meaning his hire was based on his impactful work with the Eagles -- and possibly some assitance from Joe Douglas.
