Mark Speckman

Head Coach (12th year, 15th year on WU Staff)
Office Phone: (503) 375-5350
E-mail: mspeckma@willamette.edu

Head Coach Mark Speckman is in his 12th year as the leader of the Willamette University football team and is in his 15th season on the coaching staff. Speckman’s career record as a head coach is 63-48 (.568).

Last year, Willamette claimed the Northwest Conference title, ended the regular season 10-0, qualified for the NCAA Division III Playoffs and went 11-1 overall. The Bearcats set school records with 498 points and 69 touchdowns. Speckman also guided Willamette to the NCAA Playoffs in 1999 and 2004.

Speckman was chosen NWC Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2008. He was named 2008 Regional Coach of the Year by the AFCA and D3Football.com. He was a finalist for the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. In 14 years at WU, he has contributed to a 10 winning seasons and a 91-53-1 (.631) overall record.

Speckman is regarded as an authority on the “The Fly” offense. “The Fly” brings the flanker in motion across the formation before the snap to take a handoff, block on a running play or become a receiver. The ball can go in a number of directions on any given snap.

As a result, the Bearcats have provided their fans with an exciting, fast-paced offense. The team has established many offensive records under Speckman’s guidance.

Prior to joining the Willamette coaching staff, Speckman was a head coach at the high school level for 14 seasons in California. His high school teams earned a combined record of 113-48-3 (.698).

Speckman coached Merced High School’s football team to national prominence during his eight-year tenure (1986-93). His Merced teams recorded back-to-back 14-0 seasons in 1989 and 1990, after going 13-1 in 1988. The 1990 team, voted #1 in California, was ranked #5 in the nation by ESPN and #10 in the country by USA Today. In addition to his coaching duties, Speckman also taught at the high school level.

He grew up in Belmont, Calif., just south of the San Francisco area. He was the second-oldest of four children.

After graduating from high school, he attended Menlo College in Atherton, Calif. He played football for two seasons at Menlo, which was a junior college at the time. He then transferred to Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif., to complete his degree. As a player at Azusa Pacific, he was named NAIA Honorable
Mention All-America at linebacker.

Speckman is a popular guest speaker with educational and business organizations. He has delivered numerous speeches to school boards, teachers and business groups regarding personal motivation and achieving one’s potential. He was inducted into the San Mateo County (Calif.) Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and into the Menlo College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

He is serious about football, but has a great sense of humor that keeps his friends, fellow coaches and even his players laughing. He stays up-to-date on all aspects of the Bearcat football team, but provides his assistant coaches with the freedom to handle their position assignments.

Speckman and his wife, Sue, live in Salem and are the parents of three adult children: Lisa, Tim and Julie. Tim works as an assistant coach on the Willamette football staff.

THE SPECKMAN YEARS AT WILLAMETTE

YR	OVERALL	NWC	TITLE
1995	6-2-1	4-0-1**	Off. Coordinator
1996	9-2-0#	5-0-0*	Off. Coordinator
1997	13-1-0#	5-0-0*	Off. Coordinator
1998	7-3-0	3-2-0	Head Coach
1999	7-4-0#	5-0-0*	Head Coach
2000	3-7-0	0-5-0	Head Coach
2001	4-5-0	2-3-0	Head Coach
2002	6-4-0	3-2-0	Head Coach
2003	7-3-0	4-1-0	Head Coach
2004	7-4-0#	4-1-0	Head Coach
2005	5-4-0	3-1-0	Head Coach
2006	2-7-0	2-4-0	Head Coach
2007	4-6-0	3-3-0	Head Coach
2008	11-1-0#	6-0-0*	Head Coach
Head Coach	63-48-0	35-22-0	11 Seasons
WU Totals	91-53-1	49-22-1	14 Seasons

* NWC champion ** NWC co-champion
# National playoff berth

Glen Fowles '96

Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line (12th year, 14th year on WU Staff)
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6424
E-mail: gfowles@willamette.edu

Glen Fowles is in his 12th year as offensive coordinator for the Bearcats and is in his 14th season as a Willamette football coach. He is the assistant head coach and is the team’s strength and conditioning coordinator. Fowles was the offensive line coach for the Bearcats in 1996 and 1997, before adding offensive coordinator duties in 1998. He has coached 12 First Team All-NWC offensive linemen. Last year, he was named the national Coordinator Coach of the Year.

Fowles came to Willamette as a transfer student in 1994 and started two years at offensive tackle. He was named Second Team All-Conference as a junior and was drafted by Ottawa of the CFL. He chose to return to Willamette and was named Honorable Mention All-NWC as a senior despite missing half the year with an injury. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at WU in 1996.

Fowles and his wife, Rochelle, live in West Salem. They have a son, Gavin, one year old.

Nathan Naggi

Deffensive Coordinator (5th year/6th year on WU Staff)
Office Phone: (503) 375-5351
E-mail: nnaggi@willamette.edu

Nathan Naggi is in his fifth year as the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator and in his sixth year on the Willamette football coaching staff. Naggi came to Willamette after serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Quincy University (Ill.) for two seasons. While at Quincy, he coached linebacker Tim Bliefnick, who was a Second Team NAIA All-American in 2004. Previously, Naggi worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Oregon from 2001 through 2002 and helped coach linebackers at Willamette in 2000.

Naggi graduated from the University of Oregon in 1999 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in English. At Oregon, he was a linebacker on the football team and helped the Ducks reach six bowl games in his seven years as a player and a coach. Oregon was ranked #2 in the nation in 2001, after winning the Pac-10 Championship and achieving a victory in the Fiesta Bowl.

Tony Cassinerio '00 (7th year)

Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Office Phone: (503) 949-9827
E-mail: tcassine@willamette.edu

Tony Cassinerio, who previously coached at Willamette from 2001 through 2003, is in his fourth year since returning to the Bearcat coaching staff in 2006. He is Willamette’s recruiting coordinator and also coaches the team’s safeties and rovers. In 2004 and 2005, he was a graduate assistant coach at Boise State University.

Cassinerio was a cornerback at Modesto Junior College in California in 1996 and 1997, then transferred to Willamette for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. As a senior for the Bearcats, he was named Honorable Mention All-NWC at cornerback. Cassinerio earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from WU in 2000. He received a master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Boise State in 2005. Cassinerio recently married Eryn Makanani Dela Cruz.

Brandon Bennett (2nd year)

Offensive Line

Brandon Bennett starts his second season on the coaching staff after playing for Willamette from 2004-07. At WU, he earned AFCA First Team All-America honors in 2006 and 2007. He was selected Second Team A.P. Little All-America in 2007 and was Third Team in 2006. He was named First Team All-Conference three times and was Honorable Mention as a freshman in 2004. His powerful blocking at offensive tackle helped the Bearcats earn 8,960 rushing yards (229.7 avg.) and 94 TDs during his four years.

Bennett graduated from Willamette in December of 2007 with a degree in Economics. He played on the NCAA Division III All-Star Team that defeated Mexico in the 2007 Aztec Bowl. Bennett was a professional football player in Europe in 2008 and saw action in Arena2 football with the Tri-Cities Fever in 2009.

Mark Hauze (3rd year)

Defensive Backs

Mark Hauze enters his third year as a Willamette football coach. He works with the Bearcat defensive backs. Hauze, who is originally from Allentown, Pa., graduated from the University of Miami (Fla.) in 1979. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Business. While attending Miami, Hauze also played on the baseball team for the Hurricanes.

Prior to arriving at Willamette as a member of the football coaching staff, Hauze coached the defensive secondary at the Saint Louis School in Honolulu, Hawaii, during the 2006 season. He previously coached defensive backs for a total of three seasons in Southern California at Santa Fe Christian High School in San Diego. Hauze and his wife, Lani, live in Salem and are the parents of a daughter, Kona, who is 12 years old.

John Horner ‘94 (14th year)

Linebackers

John Horner is in his 14th season as an assistant coach with Willamette University’s football team. As a student, he had an outstanding playing career at quarterback for the Bearcats. In three seasons as a starter, Horner set several Willamette passing records. He was an assistant on the WU staff in 1994 and graduated that same year with a degree in Exercise Science.

In 1995 and 1996, he was the video graduate assistant at Oregon State University. He returned to Willamette in 1997 and has been coaching linebackers for the Bearcats ever since. He currently is a physical education teacher at Lamb Elementary School in Salem. Horner, his wife Kristi, are the parents of four young children, Lilly, age 5, Melia, age 3, Nolan, age 2, and Luke, 6 months old.

Justin Nesbitt (1st year)

Linebackers

Justin Nesbitt is in his first season as a defensive assistant coach at Willamette. He will work primarily with the linebackers. Prior to arriving at Willamette, he was an assistant football coach at Churchill High School in Eugene, Ore., from the 2002 through 2008 seasons. He was the defensive coordinator for six years and served as the offensive coordinator in 2008. He helped Churchill advance to the second round of the OSAA Class 5A Playoffs last fall before the Lancers finished the season with an 8-4 overall record. Nesbitt has a total of 16 years of experience as a high school coach.

He received a bachelor’s degree with a major in Sociology from the University of Oregon in 2003. He is currently working toward a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Willamette.

Casey Noack (1st year)

Offensive Assistant

Casey Noack joins the Bearcat coaching staff this season as an offensive assistant. He played college football at Oregon State University, where he was a walk-on as a freshman redshirt, then became a three-year letterman for the Beavers on defense. He played linebacker during his Oregon State career. As a senior in 2008, he saw action in all 13 games and recorded 14 total tackles, including two tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from OSU in 2009.

Noack is from Portland, Ore., where he attended Beaverton High School and graduated in 2004. He is the son of Todd and Cindy Noack. His cousin, Jimmy Whiteley, was a free safety on the Willamette football team during the 2003 through 2007 seasons.

Chuck Pinkerton ‘98 (12th year)

Quarterbacks

Chuck Pinkerton enters his 12th season as an assistant coach with the Bearcats. He coached running backs from 1998 through 2004, then began coaching WU’s quarterbacks during the 2005 season. Pinkerton was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Bearcats and helped the team reach the 1997 NAIA National Championship game. Pinkerton also led the Bearcats to three conference titles from 1995-97. In 1996 and 1997, he was named First Team All-NCIC and was chosen Honorable Mention NAIA All-America. He graduated from Willamette in 1998 with a degree in Economics.

Pinkerton is an accountant. He lives in West Salem, with his wife, Melanie, and their children, Meredith, 8, Jeremiah, 5, and Elizabeth, 2. Pinkerton will be inducted into the WU Athletics Hall of Fame this fall.

Ryan Rufener (1st year)

Offensive Assistant

Ryan Rufener joins the Bearcat football team this season as an offensive assistant. Rufener is originally from Keizer, Ore., where he was a quarterback on the football team at McNary High School. He led McNary to a combined overall record of 23-2, including the OSAA Class 4A State Championship in 2001. He also played basketball in high school. He helped McNary take fourth place in the State Tournament during his senior season.

Rufener walked on and redshirted at Oregon State University for one season. He earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in Accounting from OSU in 2007. He spent the past three years playing and coaching professionally in Europe. In 2007 and 2008, he was in Finland and he was in Austria earlier this year. He led his team to the national semifinals each season.

John Scott (2nd year)

Tight Ends
E-mail: scottja@willamette.edu

John Scott is in his second season as an assistant coach at Willamette. He coaches the tight ends for the Bearcats. Prior to arriving at Willamette in 2008, Scott was a high school football coach in California for 13 seasons. He currently teaches social studies as Houck Middle School in the Salem-Keizer School District.

He graduated from Butte Community College (Calif.) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from California State University-Chico. He also received his teaching license at Cal State-Chico. In football, he played center at Chico High School and also in college. Scott and his wife, Debbie, are the parents of two daughters, Jasmine, age 11, and Jordan, age 9, and twin sons, Julius and Jackson, age 7.

Josh Scott ‘99 (10th year)

Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coordinator

Josh Scott begins his 10th season as an assistant coach at Willamette, including the last seven seasons as the Bearcats’ wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator. Scott played for Willamette from 1996 until 1998 as a quarterback and a wide receiver. In addition to his current duties at WU, he is employed
as a math teacher at McNary High School in Keizer.

Scott also runs the Bearcats’ highly-successful youth summer football camp held for four days in mid-July. He graduated from Willamette in 1999 with a degree in History. In 2001, Scott earned a Master’s in Education degree from Western Oregon University. Scott, and his wife, Marie, have a daughter, MacKenzie, age 5, and twin boys, Logan and Teagan, one year old.

Darryl Smith (4th year)

Defensive Tackles

Darryl Smith is in his 4th year with the Willamette University Bearcats. His current coaching assignment is to teach and develop Willamette’s defensive tackles. He joined the Bearcats after coaching 30 seasons at Sentinel High School in Missoula, Mont. While at Sentinel, he coached former Willamette coach Chris Prange and current WU coach Tanner Smith, his son.

As a college student, Darryl Smith played baseball for two years at Northern Montana College and for two seasons at Eastern Montana College. In 1975, he graduated from Eastern Montana (currently MSU-Billings) with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education. Smith is starting his third year as a special education teacher in Salem. He has three adult children: Tanner, 29, Cory, 27, and Allyson, 24.

Tanner Smith (6th year)

Defensive Ends/Kickers
E-mail: smitht@willamette.edu

Tanner Smith begins his sixth year working with the Bearcats. He coaches defensive ends and kickers. He played four seasons of football at Montana State University-Northern as a center and a kicker. He set five school kicking records during his career. As a freshman, he kicked a 23-yard field goal in overtime to give MSU-Northern its first conference win in 27 years.

Prior to joining the Bearcat football coaching staff in 2004, he coached football for one year at Sentinel High School, his alma mater, in Missoula, Mont. He graduated from Montana State-Northern in 2003, after completing work on a degree in Physical Education. In addition to coaching at WU, he is a physical education teacher at Scott Elementary School in Salem. He is the son of Darryl Smith, who also is an assistant coach at WU.

Tim Speckman (4th year)

Running Backs

Tim Speckman is in his fourth year as an assistant coach for the Bearcats. He is in his third season working with the running backs after coaching WU’s flankers in 2005. Speckman was an oustanding wide receiver at nearby South Salem High School. He redshirted at Willamette University in 1999, then played one season at San Bernardino Valley College in 2001. He returned to Willamette for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. In 2003, he averaged 19.2 yards per catch for the Bearcats.

He received a bachelor’s degree with a major in Social Sciences from Western Oregon University in 2009. Speckman has a daughter, Hannah, who is six years old. He lives in Salem and is the son of Willamette Head Coach Mark Speckman.