The Valparaiso University football program and head coach Landon Fox have announced the hiring of Pat Denecke as the program’s offensive line coach.

Denecke comes to Valpo after a stint at the University of Maine, where he was on staff from January 2016 to January 2022 and most recently served as the assistant head coach and run game coordinator. During his tenure at Maine, Denecke also spent time as the offensive line coach and tight ends coach.

“When talking with Coach Fox, it was impossible not to get excited about Valpo Football,” Denecke said. “During our initial conversation, he laid out his vision for the program. I realized early in those talks that Valpo was a place I wanted to be. His enthusiasm for Valpo Football is contagious and I could not be more excited to join his staff. I am fully committed to supporting and encouraging this outstanding group of young men both on and off the field.”

Denecke helped Maine become the first FCS program to have two first-round picks in the Canadian Football League Draft in 2021. His team earned a pair of FBS wins and produced an All-American. He was on staff in 2018 when the Black Bears won the Colonial Athletic Association championship and reached the FCS Semifinals.

“One of the most exciting things about adding Pat to our staff is his experience at Maine and the success they were able to have in the CAA,” Fox said. “They were able to reach the FCS playoffs, which is a goal of ours each and every year. His knowledge of what it takes to achieve that goal and have success on that stage will benefit our program and our players greatly.”

Prior to his tenure at Maine, Denecke was a member of the University of Nevada staff from 2013-2016. He started as a defensive graduate assistant before moving to the offensive side of the ball, where he was a graduate assistant who worked as an assistant offensive line coach. He also spent the 2015 spring season as the interim tight ends coach. In 2015, Nevada was one of two teams in FBS with two 1,000-yard rushers.

Denecke started his coaching career as the offensive line coach at Bethany College in Bethany, W.V. from 2010-2013. After graduating from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa. with a degree in business administration in May 2010, he earned his master’s in teaching from Bethany in May 2013. Denecke added a master’s in educational leadership from Nevada in December 2015.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT COACH DENECKE

Chris Smith, Holy Cross Offensive Coordinator: “Pat is a great coach who cares a lot about his players. He’s a teacher who is also always willing to learn. We’ve gone to clinics together many times, and I’ve always learned more by being with Pat. He wants to win and he will do whatever is necessary in terms of workload to be successful. He is a thorough and innovative recruiter and developer.”

Nick Charlton, UConn Offensive Coordinator: “Coach Denecke is an outstanding mentor and one of the top offensive line coaches in the country. Pat is a creative coach who sees the big picture while being an excellent teacher for student-athletes. One of our top recruiters at Maine, Pat helped lead our program to a championship level and will certainly grow that standard at Valparaiso.”

Brian Polian, LSU Special Teams Coordinator: “Pat Denecke is a terrific football coach and a better human being. He is one of the hardest working and most detailed-oriented people I have ever worked with. More importantly, he believes in building relationships with and serving the student-athletes with whom he works. Valpo got a great coach.”