Pat Kuntz, a Notre Dame graduate who also logged coaching experience on Tom Allen’s Indiana University staff, is leaving Virginia Military Institute for a spot on staff at Southern Illinois University, sources tell FootballScoop.
Kuntz had served the past three seasons on Scott Wachenheim’s Keydets’ staff, mentoring the defensive line in what has been one of VMI’s most successful stretches.
The move for Kuntz also continues Wachenheim’s years-long path of developing coaches who grow into additional opportunities; earlier this offseason, Wachenheim elevated Patrick Ashford to the Keydets’ offensive coordinator role after Billy Cosh departed to be the play-caller at Richmond University.
During his playing career at Notre Dame, Kuntz developed into a three-year starter and four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Irish, eventually signing a free agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts before transitioning into coaching.
Kuntz first started coaching at the high school level at his alma mater in Indianapolis, Roncalli High School. There, Kuntz coached defensive line and spent his final season – 2015 – as the program’s defensive coordinator. He then joined Allen’s Indiana staff for the next three seasons and then logged the past three years with Wachenheim at VMI.
At SIU, Kuntz is positioned to replace Chuka Ndulue, who as FootballScoop first reported last week is expected to join Jerry Kill’s New Mexico State staff as its defensive line coach.