Hoosiers Welcome Former Player Mark Hagen Back as D-Line Coach

IU Media Relations 

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Former Indiana player and assistant coach Mark Hagen is returning to IU as defensive line coach, head coach Kevin Wilson announced Wednesday. Hagen worked on Wilson's staff in 2011 and 2012 before he moved on to Texas A&M, where he spent the last three seasons.

"Mark brings a wealth of experience coaching the defensive line," Wilson said. "He has competed, coached and recruited at the highest levels in the Big Ten and the SEC. We are very excited he is back with us and we look forward to getting to work."

A Carmel, Ind., native, Hagen was a four-year letterwinner (1987, 89-91), two-time second team All-Big Ten selection, three-time Academic All-Big Ten winner and a captain at linebacker for the Hoosiers. He also served as a graduate and administrative assistant at IU from 1992-95, and he was a part of five bowl games, including the 1991 Copper Bowl, where he was named the bowl's Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Hagen owns 20 years of coaching experience, 16 in the Big Ten and the SEC, and has coached in 10 bowl games. He served as Indiana's defensive tackles coach and special teams coordinator in 2011-12, and added recruiting coordinator duties in 2012.

"It's exciting to be able to come back home again," Hagen said. "These last three years have been fun. It's something I felt like I had to do a few years back, but being a part of Coach Wilson's program again and getting on board on the front end with Coach Allen is something I could not pass up. I'm looking forward to the challenge of coaching the entire defensive line and building a championship defense."

Hagen has coached 14 players who have moved on to the NFL, including IU defensive linemen Larry Black, Jr., Adam Replogle and Bobby Richardson.

In addition to his success on the field, Rivals.com has twice recognized Hagen as one of the top recruiters in the country.

At A&M, he was the Aggies defensive coordinator in their 2014 AutoZone Liberty Bowl victory over West Virginia. He coached the linebackers in 2013 and 2014, and the defensive tackles in 2015.

Hagen coached the Purdue linebackers in 2006-07 and 2009-10, after working with the defensive tackles from 2000-05 and again in 2008. He served as special teams coordinator from 2003-08 and as assistant head coach under Joe Tiller from 2005-08. 

Prior to his tenure at Purdue, Hagen spent four years at Northern Illinois University from 1996-99. He coached the defensive tackles and also managed camps and clinics.

Hagen graduated from Indiana with a B.S. in marketing in 1991. He earned an M.S. in sport marketing and management from Indiana in 1995.

Mark and his wife, Denise, have four daughters, Abby (18), Emma (14), Ellie (11) and Ava (6).