Michael Slater Joins Kansas Football Staff as Defensive Line Coach
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football head coach David Beaty filled his assistant coaching position for defensive line as he announced the addition of Michael Slater to the Jayhawk staff.
Slater joins the KU program after recently completing his fourth season at Rice, where he also coached the defensive line. In his time with the Owls, Slater saw his defensive front become a disruptive force that was instrumental in the Owls newfound success.
“Michael is a great coach and a great man,” said Beaty, who is entering his second season at the helm of the KU program. “He has consistently taken undersized and under-recruited players and developed them into top players for their team and in their conference. It is impressive to see his teaching carry over on game tape each and every week.”
In April 2015, Slater saw Christian Covington selected by the Houston Texans, becoming the third Owls defensive line product to be drafted in his combined tenure on the Owls’ staff. As a graduate assistant at Rice from 2008-10, Slater mentored future pros Cheta Ozougwu and Scott Solomon. In addition, 2014 Rice senior Zach Patt earned an invitation to the Arizona Cardinals rookie camp.
Slater’s front wall led the charge in 2014 as Rice set a school record with 39 sacks, and Patt set a single-game mark with five vs. FIU. In his four seasons at the helm of the Rice defensive front, Slater’s group combined for 84 of the Owls 103 sacks, forced 28 fumbles and recovered 18.
In his first stint with the Owls, Slater earned a Master’s of Liberal Studies degree during his three-year tenure while working with the defensive line. After his graduation in the spring of 2011, Slater spent one season as the defensive line coach at Angelo State before returning to Rice.
Slater coached at the high school level in the Houston area for 12 years, first at Alief Hastings for five seasons, before moving on to Alief Taylor for seven years. He coached the defensive line and also coordinated special teams. As the defensive line coach at Taylor, he coached future Rice player and Chicago Bear Cheta Ozougwu.
“In addition to being a great developer of his players, Michael has deep ties in Houston and East Texas that we look forward to calling on in recruiting,” added Beaty.
Slater, who has one son, Kyle, began his coaching career while attending Southwest Texas State (now Texas State), where he served as a student assistant coach in 1993 before graduating with a degree in agriculture/animal science.
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