Feature Story: Enjoying the Journey
Jeff Jagodzinski, a long-time National Football League assistant coach and a successful collegiate head coach, joined Trent Miles’ Georgia State staff in 2013.
He previously worked with Miles on the Green Bay Packers’ staff in 2000.
Jagodzinski made an immediate impact in his first year at Georgia State in 2013 as the offense produced a record-setting season for wide receiver Albert Wilson. Wilson earned all-conference and All-America recognition, was invited to the National Football League Scouting Combine and signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Another offensive starter, tackle Ulrick John, was drafted in the seventh round by the Indianapolis Colts.
In 2014, the GSU offense ranked No. 25 in the nation in passing offense behind first-year quarterback Nick Arbuckle, who earned all-conference honors along with receivers Donovan Harden, Robert Davis and LynQuez Blair and tight end Joel Ruiz.
The GSU offense was even more prolific in 2015, ranking ninth in the nation in passing. Arbuckle was named Sun Belt Student-Athlete of the Year, receiver Penny Hart was tabbed Rookie of the Year, and Davis and tight end Keith Rucker were all-conference selections.
In his three years at GSU, the offense has produced one All-American, one Freshman All-American, 12 all-conference honorees and two NFL players.
Jagodzinski is well-acquainted with the city of Atlanta, having served as the Atlanta Falcons’ tight ends coach in 2004 and then offensive line coach in 2005. He is also familiar to Atlanta fans as the college head coach of Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan.
Jagodzinski enjoyed two highly successful seasons as the head coach at Boston College, posting a 20-8 record and capturing back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division crowns. In 2007, with Ryan at quarterback, Jagodzinski led the Eagles to an 11-3 record-BC's highest win total since 1940-a berth in the ACC Championship game and a bowl-game victory over Michigan State.
In addition to the exploits of ACC Player of the Year Ryan on offense, Jagodzinski's first BC squad also featured a strong defense that was No. 2 in the nation against the run. Safety Jamie Silva was a first-team All-America selection.
Even after Ryan became the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft following, Jagodzinski kept BC winning in 2008 with a 9-5 record and another trip to the ACC title game.
Along with Ryan, Jagodzinski coached three other future first-round draft picks at Boston College in nose tackle B.J. Raji (2009, Green Bay) and offensive linemen Gosder Cherilus (2008, Detroit) and Anthony Castonzo (2011, Indianapolis).
Jagodzinski began his coaching career in 1985 as the running backs coach at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Whitewater. In 1986, he served as the offensive line coach at Northern Illinois before spending two years (1987-88) as a graduate assistant at LSU.
In 1989, Jagodzinski began an eight-year stint as the offensive line coach at East Carolina (1989-96), highlighted by the 1991 season, when the Pirates posted an 11-1 record. That ECU team featured future NFL quarterback Jeff Blake.
He then spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Boston College (1997-98) on Tom O'Brien's staff. At BC, Jagodzinski's offenses averaged more than 400 yards per game in each of his two seasons, featuring future Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in 1997 and All-American running back Mike Cloud in 1998, who ranked third in the nation in rushing.
Jagodzinski began his NFL career in 1999, joining the Green Bay Packers as tight ends coach from 1999-2003. It was there that he worked with Miles in 2000.
He then moved to the Atlanta Falcons, where he served as tight ends in coach in 2004, helping Atlanta reach the NFC Championship Game, and then offensive line coach in 2005. During that time, the Falcons featured one of the NFL's most successful rushing offenses, leading the league in both rushing yards per game and rushing yards per carry those two years. In 2005, Jagodzinski's line blocked for Pro Bowl running back Warrick Dunn, who gained over 1,400 yards.
Jagodzinski returned to the Packers as offensive coordinator for one season (2006) before taking over as head coach at Boston College. Under his direction, Green Bay ranked among the top 10 in the NFL in total offense.
In college and the NFL, Jagodzinski has been part of offensive staffs that worked with future Pro Bowl quarterbacks Brett Favre, Michael Vick, Aaron Rogers and Matt Ryan.
He served as the head coach of the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL in 2010, and in 2012, he worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Ave Maria University in Florida.
Jagodzinski was a three-year starter and four-year player (1981-84) at fullback at Wisconsin-Whitewater. He earned a B.S. degree in education at Whitewater in 1985.
Jagodzinski and his wife, Lisa, have five children: Josh, JoAnne, Jessica, Jacqueline and Jennifer.
