Steve Tirrell Position: Defensive Line & Special Teams Coach Experience: Third Season Alma Mater: Plymouth State, 1989

Steve Tirrell left UMass in 2007.

Steve Tirrell spent three seasons with the Minuteman coaching staff as defensive line coach, special teams coach and administrative assistant head coach from 2004-06. Tirrell came to UMass from Northeastern University, where he worked for four seasons under Don Brown.

Under his guidance, in 2004, UMass' defensive lineman Keron Williams was named to the A-10 third team as he posted 15.5 tackles for loss. On special teams, UMass punter Christian Koegel was a second-team A-10 honoree as he finished second in the league in punting average at 41.3, 17th in the nation.

Tirrell spent four years on Don Brown's staff at Northeastern as defensive line coach and special teams coordinator, in addition to adding the title of administrative assistant head coach in 2003. During the 2003 season, Tirrell led a group which ranked second in the Atlantic 10 Conference with 34 sacks on the season, while the defense as a whole surrendered just 338.2 total yards and 18.2 points per contest.

During the 2002 season, he helped guide a Husky defense which allowed opponents only 299.3 total yards and 16.0 points per game, while the team posted an overall record of 10-3, won a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference title and made the school's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs. Tirrell was also instrumental in the development of defensive end Steve Anzalone, who earned All-America honors in 2002 after totaling 25 tackles for loss.

Prior to his time at Northeastern, Tirrell served as an assistant at Brown University for four seasons. He spent two years as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator (1998-1999) on Phil Estes' staff, after serving under Mark Whipple for two seasons as assistant defensive line coach and special teams coordinator (1996-1997). He previously served as an assistant at Plymouth State College from 1989-1995.

Tirrell is a 1989 graduate of Plymouth State, where he earned All-ECAC honors as a defensive lineman, while setting school records for career sacks (35) and career safeties (four). He was inducted into the Plymouth State Hall of Fame in 2001.

Tirrell and his wife, Tracey, reside in Belchertown with their son, Joseph.

Tirrell's Collegiate Coaching File

Years       School                   Assignment
1989-1995   Plymouth State           Defensive Line
1996-1997   Brown                    Defensive Line / Special Teams
1998-1999   Brown                    Recruiting Coordinator / Defensive Line
2000-2002   Northeastern             Defensive Line / Special Teams
2003        Northeastern             Defensive Line / Special Teams /
                                     Administrative Assistant Head Coach
2004-       Massachusetts            Defensive Line / Special Teams /
                                     Administrative Assistant Head Coach