Bennett Conlin and Jack Fitzpatrick
Collin Hitchler, who spent 2024 as Alabama’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, has emerged as one of several top candidates for the JMU football defensive coordinator job, according to sources. Hitchler, who was let go by Alabama after the 2024 season, has previous ties to JMU head coach Bob Chesney, who worked with Chesney at Salberesina in 2011.
Other candidates remain in the mix to get the jobHowever, some include those with previous ties to Chesney and JMU.
If hired, Hitschler would replace Lyle Hemphill, who took the senior defensive assistant job at Texas A&M. Hitschler, 38, spent 2024 with Alabama, 2023 as Wisconsin’s co-defensive coordinator and 2022 as Cincinnati’s co-defensive coordinator. He coached safety at all three stops and gave Henhill similar qualifications when he arrived at JMU.
In 2024, Alabama was tied for 10th in scoring defense, 11th in team pass efficiency defense, and 7th in interceptions (like JMU) with 17. The Crimson Tide made some great defensive plays, and Hitchler’s records at Wisconsin and Cincinnati were equally impressive.
In 2023, the Badgers were 20th in scoring defense and 34th in team pass efficiency defense. In 2022, Cincinnati ranked 11th in team pass efficiency defense and 20th in scoring.
Hitschler played other roles on Cincinnati’s defensive staff from 2018-21. He coached the Bearcats’ safeties in 2021 when they made the four-team College Football Playoff as a five-team group. He has been part of an elite defense in recent seasons, crafting schemes to slow down some of the most prolific offenses in the country.
The up-and-coming coach spent 2009 as a training camp assistant with the Eagles and was a player personnel assistant with the Chiefs in 2010.
He began his collegiate coaching career at Chesney in 2011, working as Salve Regina’s co-specialty team coordinator and defensive line coach. Hitschler became Widener’s special teams coordinator and DBS coach in 2012 and spent 2013 as a GA with Arkansas State. He was South Alabama’s GA in 2014 and took on a full-time coaching role with the Jaguars from 2015-17.
Hitschler offers impressive credentials and experience at the highest level of college football. The emphasis on creating turnovers and developing defensive backs means the transition from Hemphill to Hitchler could be smooth if JMU lands him.
Other candidates such as Tripp Weaver, Scott James, and Brian Vaganek have either previous connections with Chesney or backgrounds coaching defensive backs that could lead to similarly smooth transitions.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
