Colgate University head football coach Dick Biddle has announced the appointment of Steve Szabo as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.
“Coach Szabo is one of the most respected defensive coaches in the country,” said Biddle. “We are very fortunate to have a coach of his ability on our staff. He will be a tremendous asset to our program and our defense.”
Szabo replaces Ed Pinkham, who earlier left the program after 12 seasons for a position on the Rutgers staff. He has coached the defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs at both the college and NFL levels. He coached in the Super Bowl (2003) and where the national collegiate championship was on the line (Ohio State vs. USC, 1980 Rose Bowl).
Szabo comes to Colgate from the University of Michigan, where he was linebacker coach for two seasons under Lloyd Carr. In 2006, the Wolverines were 11-2 and ranked eighth in the country with the number one defense against the rush. During his tenure he had four linebackers made all-Big Ten honors and one was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. Michigan participated in the 2006 Rose Bowl and 2007 Capital One Bowl.
Szabo joined the Michigan coaching staff after spending 12 seasons in the National Football League. He was the defensive backs coach with the Buffalo Bills during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Prior to his stint in Buffalo, Szabo worked with the New England Patriots (2003) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1994-2002).
Before joining the professional ranks, Szabo was the defensive coordinator at Boston College for three seasons (1991-93), helping the Eagles improve to a national ranking in 1993.
Szabo was head coach at Edinboro University for three seasons (1985-87) and was named Coach of the Year in the small college division in Western Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Press in 1986.
After his head coaching stint at Edinboro, Szabo spent the 1988 season as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa. He served as defensive coordinator at Colorado State for two seasons (1989-90). He also was an assistant at Johns Hopkins, Toledo, Syracuse, Iowa State, Western Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa.
Szabo played his college football at the United States Naval Academy (1961-64) alongside Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach. He participated in the 1964 Cotton Bowl against national champion Texas. Szabo also played midfield on three National Championship lacrosse teams at Navy (1963-65) before being stationed in Quantico (1965-69) and serving a year in Vietnam.
He and his wife, Patti, have one son, Zack, who is a member of the Colgate football team. He has two adult children, Christine and Mike.
