Pat Narduzzi Names Tim Daoust New Defensive Line Coach
2/14/2024 9:00:00 AM | Football
PITTSBURGH—Pitt's Chris Bickell '97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi has selected Tim Daoust as the Panthers' new defensive line coach, it was announced today.
Daoust (pronounced DOWST) comes to Pittsburgh after spending the last three seasons at East Carolina, serving as the special teams coordinator and assistant coach for defensive ends and outside linebackers.
Owning more than 20 years of experience as an assistant coach focused on defense and special teams in college football, Daoust returns to the ACC after previously working at Syracuse (2011-15), where he led the defensive line before being promoted to assistant head coach and special teams coordinator.
"Tim and I have known each other for years and he's an incredibly impressive person and coach," said Narduzzi. "He has coached everything on defense and is a tremendously effective teacher and evaluator. From a personal standpoint, he is a great family man and values developing relationships. I'm really excited about bringing him to Pitt and I know our players and staff will really enjoy working with him."
"My family and I are incredibly excited to join one of the most tradition-rich programs in all of college football," Daoust said. "Pat has long been a mentor for me. I understand and embrace the responsibility of the position. I'm ready to get to work on bringing another championship to Pitt."
Daoust's tenure at ECU (2021-23) witnessed the Pirates' defense rise up the national rankings in tackles for loss, culminating with the 17th-most TFLs in the FBS last season (7.0/game). ECU also finished in the top 30 nationally in rushing defense each of the last two campaigns, finishing 18th in 2022 and 29th in 2023.
Prior to his time in Greenville, Daoust was assistant head coach and oversaw the defensive line for two seasons (2019-20) at Sam Houston State, helping the Bearkats lead the FCS in rush defense (69.9 yards/game), opponent third-down conversion rate (27.9%) and tackles for loss (10.9/game) in 2019.
Daoust had two stints as a defensive assistant at Western Michigan (2017-18 and 2006-09) and consistently helped the Broncos produce some the best defenses in the Mid-American Conference.
Following his time at Syracuse, he spent the 2016 season at Ball State, assisting with a complete rebuild as the Cardinals became the most-improved defense in the MAC that season.
While with the Orange in the Big East and ACC, Daoust coached a pair of highly touted NFL Draft selections on the defensive line: Chandler Jones, a first-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2012, and Jay Bromley, a third-round selection by the New York Giants in 2013.
Syracuse won the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl and 2013 Texas Bowl and earned a share of the Big East title in 2012 while Daoust was on staff. Jones, who would go on to earn four Pro Bowl selections in the NFL, was also a two-time first-team All-Big East selection.
In 2013, the Orange were the only team in the country not to allow a 100-yard rusher and ranked in the top 25 nationally in third-down defense (15th), sacks (18th), TFLs (18th) and rush defense (24th).
Early in his career, Daoust coached the defensive line at Central Michigan in 2010 and cornerbacks at Illinois State in 2004.
He started in college football as a graduate assistant, first at Northern Illinois from 2002-03 and then again at Cincinnati in 2005, overlapping with Narduzzi at both stops.
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Daoust played football at NCAA Division III program Wittenberg (Ohio) from 1998-2001, collecting nearly 30 sacks as a defensive end and serving as a two-time team captain for the Tigers.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Wittenberg, a bachelor's in history (2001).
He and his wife, Jen, have three daughters: Leona, Nora and Josephine.
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