MSU hires Diron Reynolds - 'one of the best in the business' - as DL coach
Michigan State is hiring Diron Reynolds to coach the defensive line. Head coach Mel Tucker tapped Reynolds after the departure of Marco Coleman, who returned to his alma mater of Georgia Tech for the 2023 season.
The program announced the hire on Wednesday.
The 51-year-old Reynolds is a longtime coaching veteran whose career spans over 25 years. He most recently served as defensive line coach at Stanford under head coach David Shaw from 2016 through 2022.
"I've known Diron Reynolds for more than 15 years – he's one of the best coaches in the business," Tucker said. "He has an impressive pedigree having worked for some of the top coaches in all of football, including Tony Dungy, Leslie Frazier, David Shaw and Jim Caldwell, and has coached in both the Super Bowl and College Football Playoff.
"He also has developed players at the highest level, from mentoring future NFL Draft picks to working daily with Pro Bowlers in the NFL. Diron is a family man with great character who will be relentless in leading and motivating our players on and off the field. I'm thrilled about this hire and can't wait to start working with him."
Reynolds was also at Stanford in 2014 as a defensive assistant. In between his stops with the Cardinal, Reynolds was the defensive line coach at Oklahoma in 2015. The Sooners earned a berth to the College Football Playoff that season.
Prior to that, Reynolds coached for several seasons in the NFL. He was the assistant defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2009 through 2013, defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2007 and defensive quality control coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 through the 2006 season.
Reynolds won a Super Bowl XLI ring with the Colts alongside head coach Tony Dungy in February of 2007.
Before entering the NFL ranks, Reynolds coached defensive tackle for Indiana (2001), and outside linebackers for his alma mater, Wake Forest (1999 and 2000). He also served as a graduate assistant for the Demon Deacons in 1997 and 1998.
Reynolds got his coaching start at Brookland-Cayce High School in South Carolina as an assistant in 1995 and 1996.
Additionally, Reynolds has coached three NFL first-team All-Pros: defensive end Jared Allen (Vikings, 2009, 2011), defensive tackle Kevin Williams (Vikings, 2009) and defensive end Dwight Freeney (Colts, 2004, 2005).
He has also coached several NFL Draft picks, including defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, who was selected No. 3 overall out out of Stanford by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.
A four-year letterwinner as a linebacker at Wake Forest from 1990 through 1993, Reynolds received his bachelor's degree in communication from the school in 1994. He later earned a master's degree in liberal studies from Wake Forest in 1999.