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Offensive Passing Game Coordinator/Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator




A new name for Buff fans to welcome to the staff is Assistant Coach J.D. Brookhart, who comes to us after a six-year stint as the head coach of the Akrons Zips. Coach Brookhart was hired as passing game coordinator, tight ends coach, and special teams coordinator by new Head Coach Jon Embree in December 2010. Brookhart was the head coach at the University of Akron from 2004 to 2009, compiling a record of 30–42. His Akron Zips won the Mid-American Conference in 2005, and he was honored as the MAC Coach of the Year the previous season. Brookhart began his college playing career at Brigham Young University as a freshman walk-on before transferring to Colorado State University. He has also served as an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh and with the Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Family Life:
Coach Brookhart is a native of Denver Colorado, is married to Jami, and has four sons: Joseph, Jamison, John, and Jake.

J.D. Brookhart the player:
After beginning his career as a freshman walk-on at BYU, Brookhart was a three-year starter for CSU. Brookhart finished his Rams’ career in sixth place on the CSU all-time receptions list (111) and still ranks tenth. He also ranks seventh in Rams history with 1,873 career receiving yards. Brookhart was tabbed a GTE Academic All-American as a senior in 1987 before signing a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams in 1988.

Coaching Career:
After his one-year stint in the NFL, Coach Brookhart went into the business world and quickly rose through the sales ranks at several companies before deciding that what he really wanted to do was coach. In 1995, he quit a six-figure job and joined the Denver Broncos as an unpaid coach. From there J.D. progressed through the ranks, first with the Steelers and then with the University of Pittsburg, where his success as an offensive coordinator garnered the attention of Akron. Coach Brookhart was hired as the Akron head coach in 2004 and he amassed a 30-42 record over six season, including one bowl appearance.

Non-Allbuffs.com Sources:
Wikipedia
Akron Bio
Official Pres Release