T. J. Weist

T. J. Weist (pronounced WEEST, born June 25, 1965) is an American football coach. He is currently the co-offensive coordinator passing game and wide receivers coach for the South Florida Bulls football team. He was the senior offensive analyst for University of Michigan in 2015 and interim head coach of the Connecticut Huskies football team for the 2013 season.

On September 30, 2013, Weist was named to lead the Huskies, after former coach Paul Pasqualoni was fired. Weist was formerly the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, and most recently as the wide receivers coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Weist, who has mentored over 23 future National Football League (NFL) receivers, was also the Bearcats recruiting coordinator for 2012. During his time with the Bearcats, Cincinnati won a total of two Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East]] championships.

Weist, help lead the Bearcats to a 10–3 record in 2012 and a 48-34 victory over the Duke Blue Devils in the Belk Bowl. Weist served as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator in the Belk Bowl as the Bearcats gained 554 yards of total offense on 53 plays and did not have a turnover. Cincinnati was 17 of 25 in passing for 332 yards. Cincinnati was ranked second in the Big East in total offense at 440.23 yards per game and was first in the Big East in scoring offense at 32.31 points per game.

In 2011, Cincinnati averaged 385 yards of total offense per game and scored an average of 33.3 points per game on the way to a Big East conference championship and a win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl over Vanderbilt.

In 2010, Weist coached a pair of All-Big East Conference selections in Armon Binns (first team) and D. J. Woods (second team) as the duo were the No. 1 and 2 ranked receivers in the Big East in 2010. The Bearcats were the only NCAA FBS school to have two wide receivers with 15 or more 20-yard receptions in 2010. In 2010, the Bearcats led the Big East in scoring offense (27.1 ppg), total offense (417.3 ypg) and passing offense (260.7 ypg).

Weist joined the Bearcats after eight years at Western Kentucky mentoring the receivers. He also served as the team's assistant head coach (2007–09) and offensive coordinator (2003–06). As offensive coordinator in 2006, WKU ranked 23rd in the country in total offense, also finishing 17th in pass efficiency rating while posting more than 4,000 total yards for the fifth consecutive season. Weist helped direct an offense that averaged 405.73 yards per game in 2005, while scoring more than 30 points a game. The Hilltoppers ranked in the top 30 nationally in four different categories.

Weist came to WKU from Indiana University, where he served as wide receivers coach from 1997-01. While at IU, he also carried special teams responsibilities with the return units and also served as the Hoosiers' recruiting coordinator his first two years.

Weist was also on the staffs at Tulsa (1996), Southern Illinois (1994–95), Michigan (1990–93) and Alabama (1988–89).

The Wolverines reached four postseason bowl games during his tenure, including two Rose Bowl appearances, while the Crimson Tide appeared in a pair of postseason contests while he was on the coaching staff including the 1990 Sugar Bowl. [2]

Early life

A native of Bay City, Michigan, Weist enrolled at Alabama, where he was a letterman, as a wide receiver under head coaches Ray Perkins and Bill Curry. In 1988, he received a B.S in health and physical education, then finished his education a year later, receiving a M.S. in exercise physiology.

University of Connecticut

Weist was hired as Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach at the University of Connecticut before the 2013 season along with George Deleone.^[1] On September 30, 2013 Weist was named interim head coach, replacing Paul Pasqualoni who had been fired earlier in the day.

Head coaching record

Personal life

Weist has a wife Karen. Together, they have a son James, and daughters Samantha and Kerrington.

References

External links

• Connecticut profile