Joe Woodley transfer coaching role as Drake coach joins Rutgers staff
Joe Woodley transfer coaching role
In a move that quickly rippled across the college football landscape, Joe Woodley is leaving Drake University after just one season to join the Rutgers Scarlet Knights’ coaching staff, a decision first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The sudden change ends a short but highly productive tenure in Des Moines and reinforces a growing reality in college football: successful FCS programs are increasingly becoming talent pipelines for Big Ten and Power Four schools.
Woodley’s exit comes on the heels of an 8–4 season, a Pioneer Football League championship, and an FCS playoff appearance, accomplishments that immediately elevated Drake’s national profile. Yet despite that success, Rutgers moved swiftly to add one of the most accomplished rising coaches in the country to its defensive staff.
A Rapid Rise That Made Power Programs Take Notice
Woodley arrived at Drake in December 2024 with an elite résumé already in hand. Before stepping into the FCS spotlight, he built a dynasty at Grand View University, where his teams became a measuring stick for excellence in the NAIA.
Over six seasons as head coach at Grand View, Woodley posted a staggering 72–5 overall record. Even more impressive, his teams never lost a regular-season game during his tenure. The Vikings went undefeated in 2024, capped by a national championship, a run that firmly placed Woodley on the radar of major college programs.
That dominance didn’t go unnoticed nationally. ESPN later named Woodley among its “30 coaches who will define the next decade of college football,” a distinction typically reserved for Power Five coordinators and blue-blood program leaders.
Drake’s hiring of Woodley was widely viewed as a program-defining move and for one season, it looked exactly that way.
Immediate Results in Des Moines
Woodley wasted no time making an impact with the Bulldogs. Drake finished the 2025 season 8–4 overall and 7–1 in PFL play, tying for the conference title and earning a spot in the FCS playoffs. The Bulldogs’ defense, a unit Woodley heavily influenced, ranked among the league’s most disciplined groups, limiting explosive plays and forcing key turnovers in conference matchups.
Drake’s playoff appearance marked a significant milestone for the program, validating the university’s decision to invest in a proven winner. Several close games swung on situational coaching decisions, an area where Woodley’s experience consistently showed.
Still, despite competitive success and growing optimism around the program, Woodley’s stay proved brief.
Rutgers’ Strategic Defensive Hire
At Rutgers, Woodley joins head coach Greg Schiano and newly appointed defensive coordinator Travis Johansen as part of a larger effort to stabilize and elevate the Scarlet Knights’ defense. Woodley and Johansen share a coaching history from their days at Grand View, a familiarity that played a role in the move.
While Rutgers has not yet announced Woodley’s exact title, sources indicate he will play a key role in defensive game planning and player development, areas that became focal points during Rutgers’ offseason evaluations.
Rutgers also added Drake defensive coordinator Adam Cox to its staff as safeties coach, further strengthening the defensive brain trust and maintaining continuity between the two programs’ systems.
For Rutgers, the move represents a calculated bet on a coach who has won at every level, understands roster development, and brings head-coaching experience into the staff room.
The Growing “Feeder System” Reality
For Drake athletic director Brian Hardin, Woodley’s departure underscores an increasingly frustrating trend. Drake has become a proven launching pad for coaches seeking opportunities at the highest levels of college football.
While that reputation helps attract ambitious candidates, it also creates constant turnover a challenge for long-term program stability. Building continuity becomes difficult when success immediately draws attention from Power Five programs with deeper resources and national exposure.
Hardin now faces the task of replacing a coach who delivered tangible results in one season while convincing the next hire that Drake is more than just a stepping stone.
What Drake Loses — and Keeps
Drake loses more than a head coach. Woodley brought structure, accountability, and a championship-tested culture that resonated throughout the locker room. Players consistently praised his attention to detail and clear expectations, traits forged during his dominant run at Grand View.
What Drake retains, however, is momentum. The Bulldogs return key contributors from their playoff roster, and the program’s recent success should help attract high-quality coaching candidates who see opportunity rather than instability.
What Rutgers Gains Immediately
For Rutgers, Woodley’s arrival strengthens a staff focused on closing the gap within the Big Ten East. His background includes recruiting, player development, and managing entire programs skills that translate well to the demands of high-level college football.
His presence also adds another layer of accountability to a defense that struggled in key moments last season. Woodley’s track record suggests a coach comfortable with pressure and expectations, something Rutgers hopes will show on Saturdays.
A Move That Reflects the Modern Coaching Path
Woodley’s journey from NAIA dominance to FCS success to a Big Ten sideline reflects the modern coaching pathway in college football. Winning translates, regardless of level, and programs are increasingly willing to look beyond traditional Power Five résumés to find the next difference-maker.
For Woodley, the move represents another step forward. For Drake, it’s another reminder of its growing influence even when that influence comes with challenges.
As the Bulldogs search for their next leader and Rutgers prepares for the upcoming season, one thing is clear: Joe Woodley’s coaching career is accelerating fast, and college football is taking notice.
