Ex-Spider Jeff Hanson calls it a coaching career after nearly half a century
- By JOHN O’CONNOR Richmond Times-Dispatch
- 4 hrs ago
Jeff Hanson made a point in 1997 as a member of the University of Richmond staff.
1997, BOB BROWN/TIMES-DISPATCH
University of Richmond defensive lineman Kerry Wynn arrived at his first college practice in 2009 and drew the attention of Spiders defensive line coach Jeff Hanson. Wynn wore white shower shoes over his socks and carried his cleats. All other players wore cleats to the field.
As Wynn prepared to change his footwear, Hanson approached with a solemn stare.
“Kerry,” Hanson said without raising his voice, “you’re not going to the beach.”
That summed up Hanson’s approach through nearly a half-century as a college assistant coach. He recognized a policy breach and immediately offered rapid counsel, with a touch of levity. Wynn never again wore shower shoes to practice. Had he, Hanson’s frivolity would have been absent. Hanson did not tolerate repeated mistakes.
Former Richmond coach Jim Reid once described Hanson as “intense beyond words.”
The long coaching ride of Hanson, 70, ended Wednesday, when he announced his retirement from Mike Houston’s East Carolina staff. Counting a couple of years as a graduate assistant at Richmond in the early 1970s, Hanson coached for 48 years, 26 of them at UR, his alma mater.
“This is a day I thought would never come because the game of football is everything to coach Hanson,” said former defensive end Lawrence Sidbury, who went from UR to a six-year NFL career. “He loved coaching hard, he loved the preparation, he loved the challenge.”
Hanson played linebacker during Richmond’s glory years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, then immediately joined the UR staff. He worked at all college levels, always saying what he cherished most was his relationships with players.
“To him, it didn’t matter if you were the star player or the back-up. It mattered to him what type of young man you were, if you were going to class, finishing your education,” said Sidbury. “If you went to class and worked hard, man, he loved you for it.”
Before following Houston to East Carolina, Hanson was a member of Houston’s James Madison staff from 2016 to 2018. Of Hanson, Houston said in an ECU release: “He is a great coach and communicator who positively impacted and helped develop countless of young men during his career, and he will be missed.”
Hanson was the defensive line coach for the Dukes who won the 2016 FCS championship, and the assistant head coach and defensive line coach for the 2008 Spiders who captured the FCS championship. Sidbury was among the standouts on that team.
“One of the best coaches I’ve had the privilege to coach with,” Richmond coach Russ Huesman, the defensive coordinator for the 2008 Spiders, said of Hanson. “Hard worker. Knows ball. He was a huge part of our success.”
Hanson, a native of Beloit, Wisc., coached at Richmond (1974-79, 1989-06, 2008-09), Marshall (1980-81), Lamar (1982-83), Texas State (1983-86), West Texas A&M (1987-88), VMI (2007), Virginia (2010-12), Ferrum (2014) and Virginia State (2015) in addition to JMU and ECU.
“Everyone knows how much he loves the University of Richmond,” said Sidbury. “His passion for the school is unwavering.”