Joe Coniglio enters his third season with the Los Angeles Rams as their outside linebackers coach after serving at the Naval Academy for two seasons.
During the 2024 season, the Rams outside linebackers took another step under Coniglio's guidance. The pass rush unit finished the season ranked sixth in hurries (225), 10th in pressure rate (35.7%), and 13th in pressures (218). Rookie OLB Jared Verse was named the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year and PWFA Defensive Rookie of the year after he tallied 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended. Verse's 89 total pressures (inluding playoffs) were the second-most pressures by a rookie behind Khalil Mack's 102 in 2014. His 17.2% pressure rate last season was the second-highest by a rookie in the Next Gen Stats era behing Micah Parsons' 19.5% pressure rate in 2021. Verse and rookie DE Braden Fiske became the first two rookies in franchise history to record at least 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in their rookie seasons. The duo finished the season with a combined 120 pressures, the most by any rookie duo since 2018.
Additionally, OLB Byron Young built on his stellar rookie campaign and tallied career-highs in tackles (62) and tackles for loss (12). He also notched 7.5 sacks, taking his career total to 15.5 which marks the third-most among players drafted in 2023. His 112 pressures in his first two seasons are the fourth-most in the NFL since pressues began being tracked in 2012.
During the 2023 season, Coniglio played a vital role in helping Young burst onto the NFL scene. His 8.0 sacks ranked third for most sacks by a rookie in franchise history. He also became the first rookie in franchise history to be in the sack column in his first three regular season games. Among rookies, Young finished in the top 10 in most defensive snaps played, tackles for loss, hurries, quarterback hits, pressures, sacks and tackles. He finished the regular season ranked 16th in pressures, 15th in sacks among outside linebackers, and tied for seventh in quarterback hits. Former OLB Michael Hoecht also notched single-season career-highs in tackles, sacks, pressures, and pass breakups in his first year playing the position as a full-time starter.
During his time at Navy in 2022, the defense finished third in the nation against the run. The unit was the only defense ranked in the top 25 that faced three of the top 10 rushing offenses in the country. The Navy defense also finished third in fewest first downs allowed, 23rd in sacks, 22nd in fumble recoveries, and 32nd in total defense. Coniglio also mentored senior striker John Marshall, who finished third in the nation in sacks and tackles for loss per game while setting school records for single-season and single-game sacks. Marshall became the only unanimous First-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2022.
Despite having one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2021, the Navy defense finished 32nd in the nation in run defense (130.4 yards allowed per game), 51st in passing defense (218.2 yards allowed per game), 34th in total defense (348.6 yards allowed per game), and 34th in red zone defense (.778).
He joined the Naval Academy from Kent State, where he coached the outside linebackers and served as the defensive recruiting coordinator for two seasons. During his second stint with the Golden Flashes, Coniglio helped lead the team to a 3-1 record in a COVID-shortened season and their first bowl win in school history with a 51-41 victory in the 2019 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl.
He also spent five seasons at Rhode Island, where he served as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator. During his time with the Rhode Island Rams, they were among national (FCS) leaders in numerous defensive categories. In 2017, Rhode Island was the only defensive line in the nation to have five players register five or more sacks and 10 or more tackles for loss. The defense broke the program's sack record that season and produced their third different all-conference player during Coniglio's coaching stint. The following season in 2018, Rhode Island ranked 31st in the FCS in total defense. Addtionally on special teams in 2018, Rhode Island ranked in the top 20 in punt return defense, kick return average and punt return average.
From 2012-13, Coniglio was the defensive line coach at Northern Michigan.
He also spent three seasons at Kent State from 2009-2011 while earning a master's degree. His roles during his first stint at Kent State included special assistant to the head coach, defensive graduate assistant, video coordinator and defensive volunteer. Coniglio worked closely with the defensive line and helped develop future NFL players Roosevelt Nix, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen and Monte Simmons. During that period, Kent State's defense ranked in the top tier of numerous NCAA categories, including 10th in the nation in total defense in 2010. The following season in 2011, the Golden Flashes ranked 21st in total defense, and in 2009 the defense was fourth in tackles for loss and 17th in sacks.
A two-time All-Mid-American Conference defensive end at Miami (OH), Coniglio was a three-year starter and three-year winner of the RedHawks' Vic Waltz Defensive Lineman of the Year award. He also helped Miami (OH) win three MAC East titles and ranks fifth among the program's sack leaders.
Coniglio and his wife, Jessa, have a daughter, Anna, and two sons, Joseph and Matthew.
