Taiwo Onatolu - Football - Kansas Jayhawks

Taiwo Onatolu

TITLE Assistant Coach - Defensive Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
PHONE 864-3392

Bio

Taiwo Onatolu is in his second season as an assistant coach at Kansas and third on the Jayhawks’ staff in 2023. He works with the defensive ends and special teams under head coach Lance Leipold.

Onatolu has tutored three players who have earned All-Big 12 recognition at Kansas, including 2023 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year Austin Booker. Booker, who was also an All-Big 12 First Team selection, ranked third in the league in sacks and sixth in tackles for loss. Jereme Robinson also received honorable mention honors in 2023 and Lonnie Phelps Jr., was an All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2022 before joining the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft.

The 2023 season was another step forward for Kansas Football as the Jayhawks had a two-win improvement in the regular season, finishing 8-4 to secure a winning record for the first time since 2008. The eight wins are the most by KU in the regular season since 2007 and the Jayhawks have claimed consecutive bowl berths for only the second time in program history.

In his first season as an on-field assistant coach, Onatolu assisted as the Jayhawks qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2008 and reached the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2009. Kansas started the season 5-0 and hosted ESPN’s College Gameday for the first time in program history. That season, he tutored All-Big 12 Second Team selection Lonnie Phelps, Jr., who finished the season with 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks with six quarterback hurries.

Onatolu spent the 2021 season as an analyst on the Jayhawks’ staff, before being promoted to an assistant coach in 2021. Onatolu previously worked at Buffalo as the defensive ends coach for three seasons and the cornerbacks coach for four seasons. While with the Bulls, he also coaches the specialists and had a stint as the director of player personnel.

During the 2020 season, Onatolu guided UB’s defensive ends to record 12.5 of UB’s 20 sacks to lead the MAC. Malcolm Koonce led the way with five sacks en route to earning All-MAC First Team honors for the second-straight season.

Under the guidance from Onatolu, the defensive unit was one of UB’s strongest in 2019 as UB players ranked 1-2-3 in the MAC in sacks on the season behind Malcolm Koonce’s (9), Taylor Riggins’ (8.5) and Ledarius Mack’s (8) stellar seasons. Koonce and Riggins were named to the All-MAC First Team and Mack was a second-team selection. Defensive ends accounted for 27.5 of the school-record 43 sacks the Bulls registered in 2019.

In 2018, Buffalo ranked fifth in the Mid-American Conference in pass defense, allowing 194 yards passing per game. The Bulls recorded 14 interceptions, eight of which came from cornerbacks. Cameron Lewis was named All-MAC Second Team after posting three interceptions and six pass breakups on the year.

While working with the corners, Onatolu helped lead Buffalo to be ranked fifth in the Mid-American Conference in pass defense in 2017, allowing 205 yards per game and added eight interceptions. In 2016, UB’s defense led the MAC and ranked 13th in the nation in pass defense – allowing 181.5 yards per game.

Prior to his stint at Buffalo, Onatolu spent five seasons at Missouri State working as an inside linebackers coach. In his first season at Missouri State in 2011, guided senior in David Ingram and a redshirt freshman in Andrew Beisel to outstanding seasons. Beisel went on to record a team-high 84 tackles, becoming the first MSU freshman since 1998 to lead the team in total stops and earned MVFC All-Newcomer Team distinctions. Ingram, who started all 11 games, tallied 77 tackles and finished third on the squad.

In 2012, Onatolu used five different starters in his rotation, including Beisel who led all middle linebackers with 73 stops in 10 games. Redshirt sophomore Christian Hoffmann brought down 41 ball carriers with five starts in an impressive debut campaign.

It was Beisel and Hoffmann who led Onatolu’s inside backers again in 2013. Beisel tallied 96 stops while starting 12 games and earned All-MVFC honorable mention honors his junior campaign, while Hoffman earned nine starts with 36 stops. The tandem helped MSU rank among the national leaders in red zone defense, rushing defense, scoring defense and passing defense, while ranking as one of the top defensive units in the MVFC.

A native of Papillion, NE, Onatolu served as an assistant at his alma mater from 2007-10 at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

As a student-athlete, Onatolu was a standout linebacker at UNO, starting four seasons for the Mavericks, earning All-NCC First Team honors three times and All-America First Team honors in 2004. He was the North Central Conference’s Most Valuable Linebacker in 2004 after posting 98 tackles and five interceptions. He was in on 71 tackles as a senior, helping him earn All-America second and third-team honors by different agencies.

Onatolu finished his four-year stint at ONU as the program’s No. 2 all-time tackler with 371 total stops. He also tallied 46.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, seven interceptions and 182 solo tackles in 44 games. He helped the Mavericks to a pair of NCC titles and a 2005 playoff appearance.

After completing his degree in communications, public affairs and community service from UNO in 2006, Onatolu stayed at UNO for two years as a graduate assistant coach, working with the team’s linebackers.

Onatolu has a twin brother, Kenny, who has enjoyed a professional career that began with the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League and included stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers. He was also an All-NCC linebacker.

Onatolu and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Isaiah and Tytus.

THE ONATOLU FILE
Alma Mater: Nebraska-Omaha
Hometown: Papillion, Nebraska
Wife: Jennifer
Children: Isaiah and Tytus

Coaching Experience  
2022-CurrentKansasDefensive Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
2021 KansasAnalyst
2019-20BuffaloDefensive Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
2017-18BuffaloCornerbacks
2015-16BuffaloBuffalo Director of Player Personnel
2011-14Missouri StateLinebackers
2007-10Nebraska-OmahaAssistant Coach

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Nebraska-Omaha, 2001-05

 Bowl Game Experience 
YearBowlSchool
2023Guaranteed Rate BowlKansas
2022AutoZone Liberty BowlKansas
2020Camelia BowlBuffalo
2019Bahamas BowlBuffalo
2018Dollar General BowlBuffalo