Football
Salem, Tim
Tim Salem
- Title:
- Tight Ends
- Season at Pitt:
- Ninth
Follow Tim Salem: Twitter
Having spent more than three decades in collegiate coaching, Tim Salem boasts experience that is both extensive and diverse. Salem has served as offensive coordinator at four different schools and coached four different positions on that side of the ball.
Entering his ninth season as Pitt's tight ends coach, Salem's broad perspective is a great asset on the field and in recruiting.
Under Salem’s watch, Gavin Bartholomew is a highly viable all-star candidate poised for his finest season yet in 2023. The former Freshman All-American has compiled 49 catches for 609 yards (12.4 avg.) and six touchdowns over his initial two seasons.
During Pitt’s 2021 ACC championship campaign, Salem mentored All-ACC honoree Lucas Krull, who was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Krull was a rookie member of the New Orleans Saints in 2022.
Salem has been instrumental in the development of a number of Pitt tight ends who went on to sign NFL contracts, including All-ACC performer J.P. Holtz (Chicago Bears), Scott Orndoff (Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles), Matt Flanagan (Washington and Jacksonville Jaguars) and Nakia Griffin-Stewart (Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs).
Prior to Pitt, Salem spent three seasons at Illinois (2012-14) as special teams coordinator. He also coached the running backs in 2012 and 2013. Salem's units helped Illinois earn an invitation to the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl. Punter Justin DuVernois was a 2014 All-Big Ten honoree after averaging 44.0 yards per punt to rank second in the conference and 18th nationally.
In 2013, V'Angelo Bentley led the Big Ten and ranked seventh nationally in punt returns with a 15.8-yard average. Bentley also became the first player in Illinois history to score touchdowns on both punt and kickoff returns in the same season.
At UCF from 2004-11, Salem coached some of the most productive and decorated players in school history. In 2007, running back Kevin Smith was a consensus All-American after leading the nation in rushing yards (2,567) and rushing touchdowns (29). Smith's rushing total that season remains the third highest in FBS history, trailing only Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (2,628 in 1988) and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon (2,587 in 2014).
With Salem at the controls of the offense in 2007, UCF claimed its first Conference USA championship. The Knights won 10 games, setting school records for points (502), touchdowns (62) and rushing yards (3,287) in the process.
Overseeing UCF's special teams, Salem mentored three of the country's most explosive kick returners. Rannell Hall (2011), Quincy McDuffie (2010) and Joe Burnett (2008) were all first-team All-Conference USA return men and ranked in the nation's top 10 in kickoff return average. McDuffie, in fact, was second nationally with a 32.2-yard average in 2010.
In 2003, Salem was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and kicking coach at Eastern Michigan, where he worked with placekicker Andrew Wellock, who would go on to be a Lou Groza Award finalist.
From 1997-2000, Salem was the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State. He added the Buckeyes' wide receivers to his positional responsibilities in 2000. In 1998, Joe Germaine was the Big Ten Player of the Year, throwing for 3,330 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record and No. 2 final ranking.
From 1991-96, Salem worked at Purdue where he initially served as quarterbacks coach and then, in his final three years, offensive coordinator. The Boilermakers led the Big Ten in rushing in 1995.
Salem's other coaching stops include Colorado State (1989-90) and Phoenix College (1987-88). A 1985 graduate of Arizona State, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater for two seasons. Salem began his collegiate playing career at Minnesota, where he broke the Big Ten record for consecutive pass completions in 1980, before transferring to Arizona State for the 1983-84 seasons.
Salem comes from a family of coaches. His father, Joe, was head coach at South Dakota (1966-74), Northern Arizona (1975-78) and Minnesota (1979-83). Tim's brother, Brad Salem, is a longtime college assistant who is currently the tight ends coach at Memphis. His grandfather, Nusier Salem, was an accomplished high school coach and South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
Salem and his wife, Wendy, have two sons, Taylor and Landan, and a daughter, Kylan. They have two granddaughters, Julia and Callie.
PERSONAL INFORMATIONHaving spent more than three decades in collegiate coaching, Tim Salem boasts experience that is both extensive and diverse. Salem has served as offensive coordinator at four different schools and coached four different positions on that side of the ball.
Entering his ninth season as Pitt's tight ends coach, Salem's broad perspective is a great asset on the field and in recruiting.
Under Salem’s watch, Gavin Bartholomew is a highly viable all-star candidate poised for his finest season yet in 2023. The former Freshman All-American has compiled 49 catches for 609 yards (12.4 avg.) and six touchdowns over his initial two seasons.
During Pitt’s 2021 ACC championship campaign, Salem mentored All-ACC honoree Lucas Krull, who was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Krull was a rookie member of the New Orleans Saints in 2022.
Salem has been instrumental in the development of a number of Pitt tight ends who went on to sign NFL contracts, including All-ACC performer J.P. Holtz (Chicago Bears), Scott Orndoff (Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles), Matt Flanagan (Washington and Jacksonville Jaguars) and Nakia Griffin-Stewart (Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs).
Prior to Pitt, Salem spent three seasons at Illinois (2012-14) as special teams coordinator. He also coached the running backs in 2012 and 2013. Salem's units helped Illinois earn an invitation to the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl. Punter Justin DuVernois was a 2014 All-Big Ten honoree after averaging 44.0 yards per punt to rank second in the conference and 18th nationally.
In 2013, V'Angelo Bentley led the Big Ten and ranked seventh nationally in punt returns with a 15.8-yard average. Bentley also became the first player in Illinois history to score touchdowns on both punt and kickoff returns in the same season.
At UCF from 2004-11, Salem coached some of the most productive and decorated players in school history. In 2007, running back Kevin Smith was a consensus All-American after leading the nation in rushing yards (2,567) and rushing touchdowns (29). Smith's rushing total that season remains the third highest in FBS history, trailing only Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (2,628 in 1988) and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon (2,587 in 2014).
With Salem at the controls of the offense in 2007, UCF claimed its first Conference USA championship. The Knights won 10 games, setting school records for points (502), touchdowns (62) and rushing yards (3,287) in the process.
Overseeing UCF's special teams, Salem mentored three of the country's most explosive kick returners. Rannell Hall (2011), Quincy McDuffie (2010) and Joe Burnett (2008) were all first-team All-Conference USA return men and ranked in the nation's top 10 in kickoff return average. McDuffie, in fact, was second nationally with a 32.2-yard average in 2010.
In 2003, Salem was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and kicking coach at Eastern Michigan, where he worked with placekicker Andrew Wellock, who would go on to be a Lou Groza Award finalist.
From 1997-2000, Salem was the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State. He added the Buckeyes' wide receivers to his positional responsibilities in 2000. In 1998, Joe Germaine was the Big Ten Player of the Year, throwing for 3,330 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record and No. 2 final ranking.
From 1991-96, Salem worked at Purdue where he initially served as quarterbacks coach and then, in his final three years, offensive coordinator. The Boilermakers led the Big Ten in rushing in 1995.
Salem's other coaching stops include Colorado State (1989-90) and Phoenix College (1987-88). A 1985 graduate of Arizona State, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater for two seasons. Salem began his collegiate playing career at Minnesota, where he broke the Big Ten record for consecutive pass completions in 1980, before transferring to Arizona State for the 1983-84 seasons.
Salem comes from a family of coaches. His father, Joe, was head coach at South Dakota (1966-74), Northern Arizona (1975-78) and Minnesota (1979-83). Tim's brother, Brad Salem, is a longtime college assistant who is currently the tight ends coach at Memphis. His grandfather, Nusier Salem, was an accomplished high school coach and South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
Salem and his wife, Wendy, have two sons, Taylor and Landan, and a daughter, Kylan. They have two granddaughters, Julia and Callie.
Born: October 1, 1961
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
Alma Mater: Arizona State, 1985
Family: Salem and his wife, Wendy, have two sons, Taylor and Landan, and a daughter, Kylan. They have two granddaughters, Julia and Callie.
COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE
Pitt, 2015-present, tight ends.
Illinois, 2012-14, special teams coordinator; 2012-13, running backs.
UCF, 2004-08, offensive coordinator; 2004, quarterbacks; 2005, tight ends; 2006, wide receivers; 2007-08, running backs; 2009-11, special teams coordinator and tight ends.
Eastern Michigan, 2003, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks.
Ohio State, 1997-99, quarterbacks; 2000, quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Purdue, 1991-93, quarterbacks; 1994-96, offensive coordinator.
Colorado State, 1989-90, running backs and special teams.
Phoenix College, 1987-88, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks.
Arizona State, 1985-86, graduate assistant/wide receivers.
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