Warinner Returns to KU as Offensive Coordinator
Jan. 15, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Former University of Kansas offensive line coach/run-game coordinator Ed Warinner will return to Lawrence as KU’s offensive coordinator, Head Coach Mark Mangino announced today. He also will coach the team’s quarterbacks. Warinner, who has 23 years of college football coaching experience, spent the last two seasons at Illinois where he served as the team’s run-game coordinator and offensive line coach. The move to offensive coordinator is familiar territory for Warinner who also spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Army.
“We are very pleased to have Ed Warinner rejoin our staff,” Mangino said. “Ed is very well respected by our coaching staff and players. He is a bright, innovative coach who has the necessary leadership qualities needed to maximize the production of our offensive talent.”
Last season at Illinois, Warinner’s rushing offense ranked first in the Big Ten and 10th nationally with an average of 188.8 yards per game – the team’s highest total since the 1973 season. The team finished fifth among all NCAA I teams by collecting 5.2 yards per carry.
Warinner, who was originally hired as KU’s offensive line coach on February 14, 2003, was promoted to run-game coordinator the following season. His coaching efforts were evident in his first stint with Kansas as the KU offense improved it’s rushing average by nearly 40 total yards per game and 1.2 yards per rushing attempt in 2003. In addition, the Jayhawks scored nearly 10 more points per game while allowing 14 fewer sacks.
Before his first stay at Kansas, Warinner spent three years as offensive line coach at the Air Force Academy. Prior to his stint at Air Force, the Strasburg, Ohio native spent 13 seasons at Army coaching the offensive line and serving as both recruiting coordinator (1988-91) and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (1998-99). Warinner was also an assistant coach at Michigan State (1985-86) and Akron (1984).
In 2002, AFA took home the national rushing title, averaging 307.8 yards per game on the ground, while going 8-5 overall and participating in the San Francisco Bowl. In addition, the 2000 and 2001 Air Force Academy teams both led the Mountain West Conference and ranked third in the nation in rushing (2001 – 273.5 rypg; 2000 – 294.9 rypg). Warinner was instrumental in the development of all-conference linemen David Hildebrand, Ben Miller and Jesse Underbakke.
During his 13-year stint at Army (1987-99), the Black Knights led the nation in rushing several times, including in 1993 when Army averaged 298.5 rushing yards per game, and in 1996 when it averaged 346.5 yards. During the 1998 season, his first as offensive coordinator, Army again took home the national rushing title, averaging 293.8 yards per contest.
As a collegiate athlete, Warinner was a standout quarterback and running back at Mount Union College (1980-84) where he also played baseball. In 1983 as a senior, he was the school’s leading rusher, scorer and receiver while earning his fourth letter in football. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Mount Union College in 1984 and his master’s from Akron in 1985.
Warinner and his wife Mary Beth, have three children: Madisyn, Merideth and Edward.
— KU —
