Colorado State University Athletics
Football
Jancek, John
John Jancek
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
- Email:
- john.jancek@colostate.edu
- Phone:
- (970) 491-6131
John Jancek is in his second season as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State in 2019. Jancek is a veteran of 28 seasons of collegiate coaching, including nine seasons as an FBS defensive coordinator.
In his first season at CSU Jancek's defense was led by senior linebacker Josh Watson, who earned second-team All-Mountain West honors with a career-best 131 tackles to finish his prolific career ranked sixth all-time at CSU. At the other end of the spectrum, Jancek's defense featured an influx of youth with true freshman cornerback Rashad Ajayi starting all 12 games and true freshman defensive lineman Devin Phillips starting the first 10 before a season-ending injury. In all, five true freshmen on defense combined to start 25 games for the Rams.
Prior to joining the CSU staff Jancek served as a defensive consultant at Kentucky in 2017, following one season as the safeties coach at South Florida (2016).
Jancek spent the 2013-15 seasons as defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee, where he groomed the Volunteers defense into one that ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense and second in third-down conversion defense (27.6 percent) in 2015. Tennessee won two bowl games during his tenure, and five of his defenders earned All-SEC recognition, as well three Freshman All-SEC performers. One of those was Derek Barnett, who set Tennessee records for sacks (10) and tackles for loss (20.5) by a freshman and was named a Freshman All-American in 2014.
Before joining the staff at Tennessee, Jancek spent three seasons at Cincinnati (2010-12), the first two as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2012. The Bearcats ranked among the FBS’s top 20 in scoring defense in 2011 and 2012, led the nation in tackles for loss (8.62 per game) and was second in sacks (3.46 per game) in 2011.Â
Bobo and Jancek were on the same staff at Georgia from 2005-09, where Jancek coached linebackers and served as co-defensive coordinator in 2009. Bobo and Jancek helped lead Georgia to significant success together from 2005-09. The Bulldogs won an SEC title (2005), appeared in two BCS bowl games and finished ranked in the top 10 nationally three times.
In total, Jancek has served as defensive coordinator at seven schools in his career, including four different FBS programs. He most recently held the title at Tennessee from 2013-15. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati (2010-13), Georgia (2009), Central Michigan (2004-05), Grand Valley State (2000-2003), Hillsdale College (1996-99) and Wayne State (1992-95).
Jancek worked with current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State from 1999-2003, where he led a defensive that propelled the team to the 2002 NCAA Division II national championship.
A native of Muskegon, Mich., Jancek graduated from Grand Valley State in 1991 and earned his master’s degree from Wayne State in 1994. John and his wife Kelly have four children— Zac, Brock, Jack and Brady. Zac graduated from Tennessee in Dec. 2018 after playing four years as a quarterback for the Volunteers, and Brock is a member of the Tennessee basketball team, enrolling as a freshman for the 2018-19 season.
In his first season at CSU Jancek's defense was led by senior linebacker Josh Watson, who earned second-team All-Mountain West honors with a career-best 131 tackles to finish his prolific career ranked sixth all-time at CSU. At the other end of the spectrum, Jancek's defense featured an influx of youth with true freshman cornerback Rashad Ajayi starting all 12 games and true freshman defensive lineman Devin Phillips starting the first 10 before a season-ending injury. In all, five true freshmen on defense combined to start 25 games for the Rams.
Prior to joining the CSU staff Jancek served as a defensive consultant at Kentucky in 2017, following one season as the safeties coach at South Florida (2016).
Jancek spent the 2013-15 seasons as defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee, where he groomed the Volunteers defense into one that ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense and second in third-down conversion defense (27.6 percent) in 2015. Tennessee won two bowl games during his tenure, and five of his defenders earned All-SEC recognition, as well three Freshman All-SEC performers. One of those was Derek Barnett, who set Tennessee records for sacks (10) and tackles for loss (20.5) by a freshman and was named a Freshman All-American in 2014.
Before joining the staff at Tennessee, Jancek spent three seasons at Cincinnati (2010-12), the first two as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2012. The Bearcats ranked among the FBS’s top 20 in scoring defense in 2011 and 2012, led the nation in tackles for loss (8.62 per game) and was second in sacks (3.46 per game) in 2011.Â
Bobo and Jancek were on the same staff at Georgia from 2005-09, where Jancek coached linebackers and served as co-defensive coordinator in 2009. Bobo and Jancek helped lead Georgia to significant success together from 2005-09. The Bulldogs won an SEC title (2005), appeared in two BCS bowl games and finished ranked in the top 10 nationally three times.
In total, Jancek has served as defensive coordinator at seven schools in his career, including four different FBS programs. He most recently held the title at Tennessee from 2013-15. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati (2010-13), Georgia (2009), Central Michigan (2004-05), Grand Valley State (2000-2003), Hillsdale College (1996-99) and Wayne State (1992-95).
Jancek worked with current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State from 1999-2003, where he led a defensive that propelled the team to the 2002 NCAA Division II national championship.
A native of Muskegon, Mich., Jancek graduated from Grand Valley State in 1991 and earned his master’s degree from Wayne State in 1994. John and his wife Kelly have four children— Zac, Brock, Jack and Brady. Zac graduated from Tennessee in Dec. 2018 after playing four years as a quarterback for the Volunteers, and Brock is a member of the Tennessee basketball team, enrolling as a freshman for the 2018-19 season.
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