Football Announces Coaching Staff Additions, Changes

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan Head Football Coach Jim McElwain officially announced four new additions and two graduate assistants to his coaching staff, along with several other administrative moves, promotions, and changes on Tuesday morning.

The four new coaching staff additions include Jesse Williams, who has been named CMU's new Defensive Line Coach, Jake Kostner, who is CMU's new Quarterbacks Coach, Brandon Torrey, who has been appointed its Tight Ends/Tackles Coach, and Ryan McNamara, who is CMU's new Linebackers Coach. All four began their new positions earlier this month and will be in place when CMU begins its spring practice schedule on March 19.

"We are extremely excited to add these coaches to our staff," McElwain said. "All four are valuable additions and are individuals that our student-athletes will enjoy working with. Each coach has collected a tremendous amount of experience and has been successful at their previous posts. We are excited to start spring football with these coaches in place."

"Additionally, we have made a variety of administrative moves and promotions and we feel that these changes will help strengthen our staff in a variety of ways."

Here is a complete list of the new coaches and new responsibilities for each football staff member:

Jesse Williams, new Defensive Line Coach | Full Bio
Jake Kostner, new Quarterbacks Coach | Full Bio
Brandon Torrey, new Tight Ends/Tackles Coach | Full Bio
Tavita Thompson, now is Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach | Full Bio
Paul Petrino, now is CMU's Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach | Full Bio
Ryan McNamara, new Linebackers Coach, was General Manager | Full Bio
Michael Zordich, promoted to CMU's Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach | Full Bio
Chris Calley, new Director of Player Personnel, was Director of Football Recruiting | Full Bio
Da'Quaun Jamison, new Defensive Graduate Assistant | Full Bio
Jack Bush, new Offensive Graduate Assistant | Full Bio

A 34-year college coaching veteran, Williams arrives at Central Michigan after spending the previous two years as the Defensive Line Coach at the University of Tulsa. Throughout his career, Williams has guided defensive lines for programs that have appeared in 11 bowl games, including six at Colorado State from 1999-2007. He began his career at his alma mater Sonoma State in 1988, and has also coached at Portland State (1992-94), Eastern Washington (1995), Holy Cross (1996-97), San Jose State (1998), Colorado State (1999-2007), Nebraska-Kearney (2007-08), New Mexico State (2009-11), Ohio (2012-16), Kansas (2017-18) and Eastern Kentucky (2019).

Kostner returns to Central Michigan where he spent the 2019 season as an Offensive Graduate Assistant under McElwain and Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye. Kostner served as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach at Limestone University in Gaffney, S.C. during the 2022 season where he led the Saints to one of the top offensive turnarounds in NCAA history, transforming an 0-9 team into a squad that earned an NCAA Division II playoff appearance, 8-4 overall and 7-2 South Atlantic Conference record. In total offense, the Saints ranked No. 9 in the nation (463.1) under Kostner after ranking No. 140 (273.4) the previous season. Kostner spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as an Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach (quarterbacks/wide receivers) at the University of Texas under both Tom Herman and Steve Sarkisian. In this lone year as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan under Frye, he was part of a staff that spearheaded a seven-game turnaround as the Chippewas went from a one-win team in 2018 to an 8-6 mark and a Mid-American Conference West Division Championship/New Mexico Bowl berth in 2019.

National Football League veteran Brandon Torrey joins CMU as Tight Ends/Tackles Coach after spending the 2022 season as the Offensive Line Coach at his alma mater Howard. Torrey has accumulated eight total years of coaching experience, including two stints at Howard (2002 and 2015-16), Monroe Junior College (2017-18), and Norfolk State (2019-21). Before moving into coaching, Torrey played seven years of professional football and five seasons in the NFL, including stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2006-07), Arizona Cardinals (2007), New York Giants (2008), Oakland Raiders (2008-09). He was also a member of the XLII Super Bowl champion Giants team that defeated the undefeated New England Patriots. A Second Team All-American, Torrey was a three-time First Team All-MEAC selection, Second Team All-American, and was recognized as one of the nation's top-10 guards in NCAA Division I-AA.

Ryan McNamara is CMU's new Linebackers Coach after overseeing the Chippewas' recruiting efforts in 2022 as General Manager. Over his 16-year coaching career, McNamara has helped guide 10 teams to bowl game appearances, primarily on the defensive side of the ball. A total of 12 of his former players were either drafted or spent multiple years in the National Football League. He has spent a combined 11 years in the Southeastern Conference at both Florida and Mississippi State. McNamara served seven years as the Defensive Backs Assistant at Florida (2015-21) and helped guide the Gators to five bowl games, along with SEC East Championships in 2015, 2016, and 2020. McNamara has also worked at Valdosta State in two different stints (2007-09, and 2014) and Mississippi State (2010-13).

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