Wisconsin hires former Penn State star Mark D'Onofrio as defensive assistant

The Wisconsin Badgers hired Mark D’Onofrio as their inside linebacker coach on Friday afternoon, per a press release from the school. He’s got extensive experience across college football, having been the defensive coordinator at Temple, Miami, and Houston.

During his playing career, D’Onofrio played college football with the Penn State Nittany Lions–where he was a team captain. In the 1992 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round. He became a starter with the Packers that season, but due to suffering a severe injury, he was forced to retire from the game early.

All in all, D’Onofrio has 19 years of experience as a college coach, and he also spent time at Georgia, Rutgers, and Virginia. While at Temple, he helped transform their defensive unit from ranking last in the NCAA to 17th in the 2010 season. D’Onofrio has always had extensive ties with former Penn State linebacker Al Golden. The tandem coached together for several years, they played on the same team in college for the Nittany Lions, and they’re both happen to hail from the state of New Jersey.

When he was with the Virginia Cavaliers from 2004-2005, D’Onofrio coached the tight ends and linebackers, while also coaching the special teams unit under then head coach Al Groh. Al Golden also was also on the Cavaliers’ coaching staff with D’Onofrio during his two years with the Cavaliers. The tandem also spent several years together on the same staff, when Golden was the head coach of the Temple Owls and the Miami Hurricanes.

D’Onofrio’s 2015 defense with the Hurricanes ranked third in the conference with 25 turnovers gained. Under his watchful eye, ‘Canes linebacker Denzel Perryman was a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award in 2013 and 2014. When he spent time with the Temple Owls, three players were drafted during his tenure there and five of his former pupils went on to play in the National Football League.