Bostad Joins Hoosiers Coaching Staff

Bob Bostad | Hoosiers Coaching Staff

By Press release submission

Dec 11, 2022

Indiana head football coach Tom Allen announced the hiring of 33-year coaching veteran Bob Bostad as run game coordinator and offensive line coach.

"Bob is one of the top offensive line coaches in the country," Allen said. "He has developed All-Americans, draft picks, and NFL All-Pros, and contributed to elite offenses on championship teams. We welcome Bob and his family to Bloomington!"

Bostad has 25 years of experience coaching the offensive line at the collegiate and professional levels.

"I'm really excited about this opportunity," Bostad said. "I look forward to working with Coach Allen and his staff, and most importantly I can't wait to meet the young men in the offensive line room."

Rod Carey, who served as run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the final six games of 2022, will return to his previous role as quality control coach.

"I want to thank Rod for stepping in this season," Allen said. "He is an integral member of our staff, and I am grateful he will remain a Hoosier!"

Bostad is fresh off his second stint at the University of Wisconsin. During his initial run (2006-11) the Badgers staked claim to a pair of Big Ten championships.

He oversaw the offensive line from 2008-11 after two campaigns as tight ends coach. He mentored nine NFL draft picks, including three first-rounders in Gabe Carimi (2010 Outland Trophy winner), Kevin Zeitler, and Travis Frederick. Eight of his pupils went on to earn first-team All-America honors.

Frederick became the NFL's highest-paid center in 2016, while Zeitler signed the largest contract by a guard in NFL history in 2017, the same year another of Bostad's players, Rick Wagner, became the league's highest-paid right tackle.

UW captured back-to-back Big Ten titles behind an offense that averaged 41.5 points in 2010 and 44.1 points in 2011. Bostad's line helped pave the way for running back and 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball to rush for 1,923 yards and match Barry Sanders' single-season record with 39 touchdowns.

Quarterback Russell Wilson set an FBS record for passing efficiency (191.8) and threw for 3,175 yards and 33 TDs. The Badgers averaged at least 200 rushing yards in each of Bostad's five seasons as run game coordinator, and they topped the conference in rushing on three occasions.

Tight ends Owen Daniels, Travis Beckum, and Garrett Graham were each NFL draft picks. Beckum was a first-team All-American and a 2007 John Mackey Award finalist. He set both UW's single-season and career records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. Daniels was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with Houston and won a Super Bowl with Denver.

Bostad spent four seasons on NFL staffs as an O-line coach, first in Tampa Bay (2012-13) and then with Tennessee (2014-15). He developed Pro Bowl tackle Taylor Lewan, who was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team in 2014.

In 2017, Bostad returned to Wisconsin and coached defense for the first time, where he tutored first-team All-Americans and Butkus Award finalists in T.J. Edwards (2017) and Leo Chenal (2021). Edwards, Chenal, Jack Cichy, Ryan Connelly, Chris Orr, and Jack Sanborn each moved on to play linebacker in the NFL after being coached by Bostad.

Across his 11 years on staff at UW, he directly coached 11 first-team All-Americans.

Bostad graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 1989 with a degree in physical education. He was a four-year starter at linebacker for the Pointers and earned all-conference each year.

A native of Pardeeville, Wis., Bostad has three daughters, Rachel, Bryn, and Annika; and a son, John.

The Bostad File

1990-91: Offensive Line, UW-Stevens Point

1992-94: Graduate Assistant (Offensive Line), Minnesota

1995-96: Offensive Line, California State Northridge

1997: Offensive Line, San Jose State

1998: Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, San Jose State

1999-2005: Offensive Line, New Mexico

2006: Tight Ends, Wisconsin

2007: Run Game Coordinator/Tight Ends, Wisconsin

2008-11: Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line, Wisconsin

2012-13: Offensive Line, Tampa Bay Buccaneers