Dan Carrel joined head coach Tim Beck’s coaching staff as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in January 2023.
In his first season at Coastal, the Chanticleers ranked 15th nationally in defensive touchdowns, 19th in interceptions, 20th in turnovers forced, and 24th in red zone defense. CCU forced a turnover in 11 of its 13 games and held four different opponents under 350 total yards. Coastal held five teams to less than 200 yards passing.
Coastal reeled off five consecutive wins, including the program's first win ever at Appalachian State, allowing just 36 combined first-half points during the winning streak. Linebacker Shane Bruce forced two fumbles, while JT Killen ranked second on the team with 68 total tackles.
Carrel retured to the college ranks after spending one year as the defensive coordinator for the Michigan Panthers under head coach Jeff Fisher in the United States Football League (USFL).
Despite going 2-8 overall in 2022, the Panthers’ defense was one of the better defensive units in the USFL on the season. The Panthers also recorded the only shutout victory of the 2022 USFL season, a 24-0 win over the Pittsburgh Maulers. Carrel coached Frank Ginda, who was second in the USFL in total tackles for the year.
Before coaching in the USFL, Carrel spent two seasons at UMass, serving as a defensive analyst in 2020 and the linebackers coach in 2021.
As the linebackers coach in 2021, Carrel tutored UMass’ leading tackler Jalen Mackie, who finished the season with a team-high 100 tackles, 15.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, and one pass breakup.
During the four-game COVID-shortened season in 2020, Carrel worked with linebackers Cole McCubrey and Mike Ruane, who finished No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in tackles with a combined 64 made, including 5.0 TFLs.
Prior to his arrival at UMass, Carrel spent one year at New Mexico as the team’s inside linebackers coach in 2019. Carrel tutored a pair of impact performers for the Lobos in Alex Hart and Alexander Vainikolo during his lone season at UNM. Hart, an All-Mountain West Conference honoree, filled the stats sheet with a team-leading 82 tackles, as well as 11.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.0 sacks, five pass breakups, an interception, and a forced fumble. Vainikolo posted a team-best 11.5 tackles-for-loss among his 76 tackles (second-most on the team) and also added 3.0 sacks.
Carrel held multiple roles as a member of the University of Houston coaching staff for four seasons, including two as a graduate assistant (2015-16), followed by two as the program’s outside linebackers coach (2017-18).
The Houston defense ranked nationally in a multitude of categories during Carrel’s four seasons, including fourth in rushing defense and 13th for total defense during 2016. The Flushing, Ohio, native tutored a pair of All-AAC standouts during his two seasons as the outside linebackers coach, including Emeke Egbule in 2019 and Khalil Williams during 2018.
The Cougars reached the postseason in all four of Carrel’s years with the program, with appearances in the 2015 Peach Bowl, 2016 Las Vegas Bowl, 2017 Hawai’i Bowl, and 2018 Armed Forces Bowl. During his tenure, Houston went a combined 37-15 overall and 22-10 in the AAC.
Carrel previously served on staff at Ohio State (2013) and Kentucky (2014). He began his coaching career at West Liberty University (W.Va.) as a graduate assistant in 2012, where he played linebacker for the Hilltoppers from 2008-11. He graduated from West Liberty, Magna Cum Laude, as a dual-major in health sciences and physical education.
Carrel and his wife, Jamontenae, were married in 2017 and have three sons: Rocco, Vito, and Leo.
Dan Carrel’s Coaching History
2012: West Liberty (Graduate Assistant)
2013: Ohio State (Graduate Assistant)
2014: Kentucky (Graduate Assistant)
2015-16: Houston (Graduate Assistant)
2017-18: Houston (Outside Linebackers)
2019: New Mexico (Inside Linebackers)
2020: UMass (Defensive Analyst)
2021: UMass (Linebackers)
2022: Michigan Panthers (USFL) (Defensive Coordinator)
2023: Coastal Carolina (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
