Player Bio: Denny Schuler

Denny Schuler Position: Defensive Secondary Coach

A veteran of the Pacific-10 Conference, Denny Schuler was named to Tyrone Willingham's staff on February 9, 1999 as the team's defensive secondary coach. Schuler brought with him more than 25 years of college coaching experience, including 23 years as an offensive or defensive coordinator. He is now in his third season on The Farm.

A 1969 graduate of the University of Oregon, Stanford marks Schuler's fifth Pac-10 school at which he has coached. He has previously coached at Washington, California, Oregon and Oregon State.

Schuler was the defensive coordinator and defensive secondary coach at Northern Iowa in 1998 before coming to Stanford. His resume includes stops at Oregon State (1996) as the offensive coordinator / QB coach, California in 1993-95 as the offensive coordinator/QB coach and 1983-84 as the defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach, Oregon from 1986-92 as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach, Utah State from 1976-82 (`76-77 as offensive coordinator, `78-'82 as defensive coordinator), Washington in 1975 as an assistant secondary coach, Weber State in `73-74 as offensive coordinator and Idaho State in `71-72 as wide receivers coach.

All totaled, Schuler has been a defensive coordinator for 15 years and an offensive coordinator for eight seasons. He has coached at four other Pac-10 schools for a total of 14 years, 13 as a coordinator.

In his first two seasons at Stanford, Schuler's defensive secondary has recorded 34 interceptions, the best two-year total on The Farm since the 1987-88 seasons. Under Schuler, Stanford's pass defense has improved its yards passing allowed per game by over 85 yards (304 yards in 1999; 219 in 2000) in just two years.

While at Northern Iowa in 1998, Schuler's defense improved from 102nd to 17th in the nation in scoring defense among NCAA Division 1-AA schools.

While in Berkeley as offensive coordinator (1993-95), Schuler's quarterback, Dave Barr broke the Pac-10 record for passing efficiency. His '93 Cal team led the Pac-10 in total offense and was a major reason for the Bear's 37-3 win over Iowa in the Alamo Bowl.

As the defensive coordinator at Oregon from 1986-92, Schuler put together some of the Duck's best defenses in school history. In all but one season from `87-92, Schuler's defenses ranked from second to fourth in the Pac-10. He helped Oregon advance to three bowl games during a four-year stretch, the first time that had ever been accomplished at Oregon. Schuler coached 10 defensive backs who were selected in the NFL from `86-92 and only Notre Dame and Miami had more defensive backs drafted during this time. In a vote of Pac-10 head coaches and coordinators, Schuler was named the top defensive assistant in 1990 and the runner-up in '91.

While at Utah State from 1976-82, Schuler coached with current Cardinal defensive coordinator Kent Baer. Baer was the outside linebackers coach from `77-82 while Schuler spent two seasons as offensive coordinator (1976-77) and five years as defensive coordinator (`78-82). Baer succeeded Schuler as the defensive coordinator at Utah State when Schuler departed in 1983.

Schuler began his coaching career in 1971 as the receiver coach at Idaho State University. After two seasons (`71-72), he moved to Weber State College where he was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach in 1973 and '74. He spent one season, 1975, as an assistant defensive secondary coach at Washington under Don James.

Schuler was a two-year letterwinner and two-year starter at Oregon as a wide receiver in 1967 and '68. He received a bachelor's degree in history from Oregon in 1969. He and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters: Heather and Missy.

Coaching Assignments

Bowl Experience

Prominent Players Coached

The Schuler File

• Full Name: Denny Schuler
• Hometown: Snohomish, WA
• High School: Snohomish
• College: Oregon, 1969
• Wife: Cindy
• Children: Heather, Missy
• Playing Experience: WR, Oregon, 1964-68