Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Cris Tiller
Rams Add Nine to Coaching and Support Staff
1/21/2022 12:05:00 PM | Football
Williams and Pilapil join Freddie Banks’ defense fresh off appearances in the FCS National Championship.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Two more defensive assistant coaches have officially joined Jay Norvell's initial coaching staff as Buddha Williams (defensive line) and Adam Pilapil (linebackers) were added on Friday.
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Both Williams (North Dakota State) and Pilapil (Montana State) last coached in the 2021 FCS National Championship game with Williams' Bison coming away victorious. Defensive coordinator Freddie Banks, who officially joined the staff last week, held the same position at Montana State.
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Seven support staff members in areas of recruiting, video, and strength and speed were also added on Friday. In support roles, Silas Clapham will serve as the program's Director of On-Campus Recruiting, Adam Hodge will serve as the Director of Video Operations, while Cade Socha and Craig Watts, Jr. fill out the two offensive graduate assistant positions.
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In the weight room, assistant head coach Jordon Simmons has completed his staff with the addition of Dan Hislop (Associate Director of Strength and Speed), Hope Nepstad (Assistant Director of Strength and Speed), and Mario Stevenson (Assistant Director of Strength and Speed). Dwayne Scott, who previously worked with the program in 2021, remains on staff as a strength and speed assistant.
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On Buddha Williams…
Prior to coming to Colorado State, Williams spent five seasons at North Dakota State (2017-21), where he helped develop a pair of All-Americans, Greg Menard and Derrek Tuszka, with Tuszka being named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
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Williams began his coaching career in 2010 when he was the linebackers coach at the University of Charleston. He then spent a season as a defensive graduate assistant and assistant video coordinator at Ashland University. Williams spent two years as a defensive graduate assistant at Ohio in 2012-13, before holding the same role at Illinois in 2014-15. In 2016, he served as the defensive line coach at UT Martin, coaching a pair of all-conference performers.
Williams earned bachelor's degrees from the University of Charleston in business administration and sports administration in 2009. He completed his master's degree in coaching education at Ohio University in 2013.
On Adam Pilapil…
Pilapil follows Banks from Montana State where he spent the 2021 season as an assistant defensive line coach.
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While with the Bobcats, Pilapil worked with a defense which allowed just 310.1 yards per game of total offense, producing 42 sacks and allowing just 126.3 yards rushing per game.
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A former Wyoming linebacker (2015-18) and quality control coach (2019), Pilapil now finds himself on the correct side of the Border War. Between his time in Laramie and with MSU, he served as a graduate assistant coach at Kansas State in 2020. He earned Academic All-Mountain West honors all four years of his playing career.
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Both Williams (North Dakota State) and Pilapil (Montana State) last coached in the 2021 FCS National Championship game with Williams' Bison coming away victorious. Defensive coordinator Freddie Banks, who officially joined the staff last week, held the same position at Montana State.
Â
Seven support staff members in areas of recruiting, video, and strength and speed were also added on Friday. In support roles, Silas Clapham will serve as the program's Director of On-Campus Recruiting, Adam Hodge will serve as the Director of Video Operations, while Cade Socha and Craig Watts, Jr. fill out the two offensive graduate assistant positions.
Â
In the weight room, assistant head coach Jordon Simmons has completed his staff with the addition of Dan Hislop (Associate Director of Strength and Speed), Hope Nepstad (Assistant Director of Strength and Speed), and Mario Stevenson (Assistant Director of Strength and Speed). Dwayne Scott, who previously worked with the program in 2021, remains on staff as a strength and speed assistant.
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On Buddha Williams…
Prior to coming to Colorado State, Williams spent five seasons at North Dakota State (2017-21), where he helped develop a pair of All-Americans, Greg Menard and Derrek Tuszka, with Tuszka being named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
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Williams began his coaching career in 2010 when he was the linebackers coach at the University of Charleston. He then spent a season as a defensive graduate assistant and assistant video coordinator at Ashland University. Williams spent two years as a defensive graduate assistant at Ohio in 2012-13, before holding the same role at Illinois in 2014-15. In 2016, he served as the defensive line coach at UT Martin, coaching a pair of all-conference performers.
Williams earned bachelor's degrees from the University of Charleston in business administration and sports administration in 2009. He completed his master's degree in coaching education at Ohio University in 2013.
On Adam Pilapil…
Pilapil follows Banks from Montana State where he spent the 2021 season as an assistant defensive line coach.
Â
While with the Bobcats, Pilapil worked with a defense which allowed just 310.1 yards per game of total offense, producing 42 sacks and allowing just 126.3 yards rushing per game.
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A former Wyoming linebacker (2015-18) and quality control coach (2019), Pilapil now finds himself on the correct side of the Border War. Between his time in Laramie and with MSU, he served as a graduate assistant coach at Kansas State in 2020. He earned Academic All-Mountain West honors all four years of his playing career.
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