Colin Hitschler - Defensive Coordinator - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Colin Hitschler

Title:
Defensive Coordinator
Phone:
540-568-6517
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 224 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

Colin Hitschler is in his first season with the James Madison football program in 2025, as he serves as defensive coordinator.

Hitschler brings in 15 years of coaching experience to the Dukes and was previously named the 2020 Football Scoop Defensive Backs Coach of the Year and 2022 On3 Rising Star Assistants You Need to Know.

Most recently, Hitschler was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Alabama (2024). In his lone season with the Crimson Tide, he helped them to a 9-4 record and No. 11 ranking in the final College Football Playoff rankings prior to the postseason. Alabama went 3-1 against top-25 teams, which included a 41-34 victory against #2 Georgia.

The Crimson Tide was one of the nation’s leaders in terms of takeaways, as they ranked fifth in the FBS and second in the Southeastern Conference with 28. His safeties group forced 16 of those 28 opposing turnovers.

The Tide were seventh nationally and second in the SEC with 17 interceptions while placing 10th with a 17.4 scoring defense, which was the program’s best finish since the 2017 season. Alabama was also 10^th in the country in pass efficiency defense (112.38), 11th in fumble recoveries (11), 16th on third down (32.8%), 19th in pass defense (182.2) and 21st in total defense (320.1). Three defenders were named All-SEC, including a pair of First Team honorees.

Prior to his year in Tuscaloosa, Hitschler spent six years on Luke Fickell’s staffs at both Wisconsin (2023) and Cincinnati (2018-22). He was co-defensive coordinator for his lone season at Wisconsin and final year at Cincinnati while also serving as safeties coach since 2020.

During the 2023 season, the Badgers’ defense was seventh nationally on fourth down while ranking 20th in scoring defense and 25th in interceptions. They held eight of 13 teams to 21 points or fewer, as he mentored safety Hunter Wohler to a team-leading 120 tackles, the most for a Wisconsin defensive back in 32 years, and to Second Team All-Big Ten status.

His time with Cincinnati saw the Bearcats turn in five-season record of 53-10, which included at least nine victories in each year and three 11-win campaigns. UC went 33-5 in conference games alone on its way to two conference championships, five consecutive bowl-game appearances and four seasons finishing in the top 25. In 2021, Cincinnati ascended to the College Football Playoff for the first time, after going 12-0 in the regular season before capturing the American Athletic Conference title. The Bearcats finished the year 13-1 after competing in the Cotton Bowl for the CFP semifinals.

Cincinnati also claimed bowl championships in 2018 at the Military Bowl and in 2019 at the Birmingham Bowl, defeating Atlantic Coast Conference teams each time. It also advanced to the Peach Bowl in 2020, finishing 9-1 after falling 24-21 to Georgia in the bowl game. Over his final three seasons, the Bearcats ranked top 25 nationally in both total defense and scoring defense every year, including top 10 in 2020 and 2021. They forced an interception in 26 of his final 37 games.

He coached four defensive backs to All-America status at UC while five defensive backs were drafted into the NFL: safeties Bryan Cook, Darrick Forrest and James Wiggins and cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Coby Bryant. Before coaching safeties, he began as a defensive quality control coach in 2018 before becoming a senior defensive analyst in 2019, working under then Defensive Coordinator and current Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman.

Before Cincinnati, Hitschler spent five seasons in the Sun Belt, as he coached four seasons at South Alabama (2014-17) and one at Arkansas State (2013). He coached safeties in 2017, was director of football operations and outside linebackers coach from 2015-16 and began as a graduate assistant with the nickels in 2014. While with USA, he coached Jeremy Reaves to Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year after he set a program record for interceptions, with eight.

In his one season at A-State, he was a graduate assistant, working with the defensive line.

He also spent two seasons in the Division III ranks, as he was special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Widener in 2012. His hire at JMU reunites him with Bob Chesney, who he spent the 2011 season with at Salve Regina as his co-special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. Hitschler began his coaching career in 2010 as a player personnel assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hitschler, a former Division I wrestler, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in communications & commerce. He and his wife, Rebecca, have three children: Catherine, Isabel and Christopher.