By Bennett Conlin and Jack Fitzpatrick

Colin Hitschler, who spent 2024 as Alabama’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, has emerged as one of a few top candidates to take JMU football’s defensive coordinator job, according to a source. Hitschler, who was let go by Alabama after the 2024 season, has a previous connection to JMU head coach Bob Chesney, working for Chesney at Salve Regina in 2011.

Other candidates remain in the mix to land the job, however, including some with previous ties to Chesney and JMU. 

Hitschler, if hired, would replace Lyle Hemphill, who left for a senior defensive assistant job at Texas A&M. The 38-year-old Hitschler spent 2024 with Alabama, 2023 as Wisconsin’s co-defensive coordinator, and 2022 as Cincinnati’s co-defensive coordinator. He coached safeties at all three stops, giving him similar credentials to Hemphill when he arrived at JMU. 

In 2024, Alabama ranked 10th in scoring defense, 11th in team pass efficiency defense and tied for seventh (with JMU, among others) with 17 interceptions. The Crimson Tide made some nice defensive plays, and Hitschler’s record at Wisconsin and Cincinnati was equally impressive. 

In 2023, the Badgers were 20th in scoring defense and 34th in team pass efficiency defense. In 2022, Cincinnati was 11th in team pass efficiency defense and 20th in scoring. 

Hitschler held other roles on Cincinnati’s defensive staff from 2018-21, as he coached Bearcats’ safeties when they made the four-team College Football Playoff as a Group of Five team in 2021. He’s been a part of elite defenses in recent seasons, helping craft schemes to slow down some of the nation’s most prolific offenses. 

The up-and-coming coach spent 2009 as a training camp assistant with the Eagles and in 2010 was a player personnel assistant for the Chiefs. 

He began his college coaching career in 2011 for Chesney, working as Salve Regina’s co-special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. Hitschler became the special teams coordinator and DBs coach at Widener in 2012 before spending 2013 as a GA with Arkansas State. He was a GA with South Alabama in 2014 before taking on full-time coaching roles for the Jaguars from 2015-17. 

Hitschler offers impressive credentials and experience at the highest level of college football. His emphasis on creating turnovers and developing defensive backs means a transition from Hemphill to Hitschler could be smooth, if JMU lands him.

Other candidates, like Tripp Weaver, Scott James, and Brian Vaganek also have either previous connections to Chesney or backgrounds coaching defensive backs that could lead to similarly smooth transitions.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications