MIAMI (Jan. 28, 2020) – Head Coach Butch Davis announced the hiring of Joel Rodriguez to the FIU coaching staff on Tuesday, with the Miami native set to take over the offensive line.
Rodriguez, a former recruit of Coach Davis at the University of Miami, reunites with Davis at FIU to fill out the coaching staff for 2020. Rodriguez has over a decade of coaching experience, while also having played in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans under head coach Mike Munchak in 2005, before making the move to NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder in 2006.
“We’re very excited to add Joel to the coaching staff,” Coach Davis said. “He will bring a tremendous amount of passion, work ethic and knowledge to our offense and offensive line. Joel’s playing experience collegiately and in the NFL will help our current and future players on the roster.”
Most recently, Rodriguez served as a senior quality control analyst for the Miami Hurricanes. Prior to his promotion as a senior quality control analyst for the Hurricanes in 2019, Rodriguez served as the team’s director of player development for the defensive side of the ball.
“It’s amazing how things come full circle sometimes,” Rodriguez said. “Coach Davis recruited me, signed me to play college football and now he’s my boss. Obviously, I’ve admired what Coach Davis has done at FIU since he’s got here. The win over Miami last year opened a lot of eyes to the potential of this program and I’m super excited to be here and to help Coach Davis and these young men fulfill the potential FIU has.”
Before returning to Coral Gables, Rodriguez spent a very successful three-year tenure at Fordham from 2012-14. Under head coach Joe Moorhead, Rodriguez helped the Fordham offense rank consistently as one of the best in the FCS, breaking school records for scoring (526 points), passing offense (5,052 yards) and total offense (7,214) in 2013.
Rodriguez has also spent time with Bryant (2008-11) during his coaching tenure, as his offensive line paved the way for FCS leading rusher Jordan Brown in 2011. Prior to his four years at Bryant, Rodriguez was a graduate assistant coach at Ole Miss in the spring of 2007.
A 2005 graduate of the University of Miami, Rodriguez was a standout offensive lineman with the Hurricanes from 2001-04, garnering Verizon Academic All-District honors during his career and being named to three Big East All-Academic teams and one ACC All-Academic squad.
Rodriguez signed a free-agent contract with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans following graduation and was a member of the practice squad in 2005 before being allocated to the NFL Europe Berlin Thunder in 2006.
Rodriguez is a graduate of Monsignor Pace High School where he was named the top-ranked center and fifth-best offensive lineman by Florida Prep Football.
After going to a school-record third-straight bowl game last year, the Panthers will seek to continue that winning tradition in 2020 as Butch Davis and the Panthers open the season at home on Thursday, Sept. 3 against Jacksonville State.
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