Guerrieri Caller Bringing Youthfulness and Innovation to IUFB Defense

Written by: Zachary Greene (@zachegreene)

Matt Guerrieri is 33 years old and will be taking over the defensive play-calling this season. Guerrieri will bring a youthful defensive mindset to the program, which is needed. Head coach Tom Allen hired Guerrieri and explained the hire had to do with allowing him to have an oversight on the program. Citing the success the Hoosiers had in the 2019 and 2020 season when former defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was calling plays and Allen played more of a CEO role.

“So excited to have him with us.” Allen said. “This is the way that I would like for this to be organized. I want to follow the pattern we used in 2019.  I'm going to have Coach Guerrieri calling the defense, much like Coach [Kane] Wommack did. And I will be heavily involved, but he will be the play-caller on game day. That way it will allow me to be a better head football coach to it this team,”

Following the presser, it was easy to tell and feel that Guerrieri is relatable and built on relationships. He talked about his roots, growing up in a military family.

“Just to tell you a little bit about me. My dad was in the Navy, so born in Maryland, lived in Naples, Italy, for a couple of years, back to Maryland. Ohio is home to me. My mom is from Cleveland, east side of Cleveland. That's where I was raised. My dad is from Youngstown. Spent time in Ohio.”

Guerreri played his college ball at Davidson earning honors as a captain his senior year.

“I played college football at Davidson College, a little IAA school down near Charlotte. Met my wife there. We've been married for four years but dated for ten years. The greatest recruitment I've ever had is ten years of keeping her around. One son that's 2 years old, and another son on the way. “

First and foremost, Guerrieri talked about building strong relationships. This had to be one the main traits that stood out to Allen. Guerrieri, along with Allen, care most about family and making sure their guys become young men off the field.

“It starts with relationships. I'm a firm believer if you do not have a true authentic relationship in any field that you are in, no one is the best version of themselves.” Guerrieri explained. “So that's something that I'm starting to do is one-on-one player meetings. Tell me with your family. Tell me about your upbringing. What motivates you? What do you want to be one day? Do you want to have a family? Do you want to do this from a work standpoint? Tell me about your classes, you know, your girlfriend, everything.”

After school, Guerrieri transitioned into coaching. He took a job at Lenoir-Rhyne University for one year as a grad student, before taking the same job at Duke. He stayed put in Durham for nearly 10 years before taking a job at Ohio State this past season as a Senior Advisor and Analyst.

“I think Matt is a creative guy. We've already had great times together talking and want to be able to have some wrinkle adjustments. People can't sit on the whole offseason and expect you to go in and do things a certain way. Want to be able to keep growing our system in that regard. That's part of it as well,” said Allen.

Both Allen and Guerrieri acknowledged the current roster has a good mix of young guys and vets who will lead the defense.  

“I think that there's a good mix of veteran and youth on that side of the ball. There's a good mix of guys that have been here and some transfer portal additions.”

Guerrieri has not been on campus long, but his early impressions of the roster are feelings of eagerness and desire.

“My blink reaction is I've been impressed, and I think there's the pieces that we need, the raw material we need to be able to build a high-level defense. So, I've been impressed from that standpoint.” Guerrieri said of the personnel on the defense at IU. “That's all I can really say right now. I don't know everybody yet. Obviously, I'll build relationships with every single one of those guys, but I've been really impressed with what Coach Allen and the staff has built. “

The Hoosiers are set to begin spring practice on March 4th and will hold a Spring Football Event on April 15th in Bloomington.