Sean Lewis (American football)
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1986)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Sean Lewis
| image =
| caption =
| current_title = Head coach
| current_team = San Diego State
| current_conference = MW
| current_record = 3–9
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|4|11}}
| birth_place = Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S.
| player_years1 = 2004–2007
| player_team1 = Wisconsin
| player_positions = Tight end
| coach_years1 = 2008–2009
| coach_team1 = Harold L. Richards HS (IL) (OC)
| coach_years2 = 2010
| coach_team2 = Nebraska–Omaha (TE)
| coach_years3 = 2011
| coach_years4 = 2012–2013
| coach_team4 = Eastern Illinois (IWR/TE)
| coach_years5 = 2014
| coach_team5 = Bowling Green (WR)
| coach_years6 = 2015
| coach_team6 = Bowling Green (co-OC/QB)
| coach_years7 = 2016–2017
| coach_team7 = Syracuse (co-OC/QB)
| coach_years8 = 2018–2022
| coach_team8 = Kent State
| coach_years9 = 2023
| coach_team9 = Colorado (OC/QB)
| coach_years10 = 2024–present
| coach_team10 = San Diego State
| overall_record = 27–40
| bowl_record = 1–1
| tournament_record =
| championships = 1 MAC East Division (2021)
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Sean Lewis (born April 11, 1986) is an American college football coach and former player who is the head coach of the San Diego State Aztecs football team at San Diego State University (SDSU). He was the offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 and the head coach at Kent State University from 2018 to 2022. Lewis played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.{{cite web|title=Sean Lewis Named Flashes' 22nd Head Coach|url=http://kentstatesports.com/news/2017/12/21/football-sean-lewis-named-flashes-22nd-head-coach.aspx?path=football|website=kentstatesports.com|accessdate=December 22, 2017}}
Playing career
Lewis attended Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois, southwest of Chicago, where he played quarterback.{{cite news |last=Paha|first=Jason|title=Let the games begin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88711956/let-the-games-begin/ |newspaper=Southtown Star |date=2003-08-17 |page=C-1 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-11-28}} Lewis became the school's career passing leader with 3,131 yards and 39 touchdown passes in three seasons. He added 915 yards on the ground on 192 carries and 15 touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=2005 wisconsin media guide,pg. 46 |url=https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ACCH7N457YOXMO87}} He then attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, on an athletic scholarship. He was recruited as a quarterback but converted to tight end.{{cite news |title=Bowl practice brings two position changes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88712261/bowl-practice-brings-two-position/ |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |date=2004-12-05 |page=E4 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-11-28}} A career backup, Lewis' first reception came in a 2007 game against Minnesota. He graduated from Wisconsin in December 2007 with one year of eligibility remaining.{{cite news |last=Polzin |first=Jim |title=Success isn't in numbers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88712416/success-isnt-in-numbers/ |work=The Capital Times |date=2007-12-14 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88712416/success-isnt-in-numbers/ D1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88712791/success-isnt-in-numbers/ D5] |access-date=2023-11-28 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Coaching career
Following graduation, Lewis worked various jobs, including as a personal trainer and a "dull office supply sales job," before turning to coaching as a career. From 2008–2009 he was offensive coordinator at his former high school in Oak Lawn.{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Shannon |date=2018-08-31 |title='Age is relative:' As youngest FBS head coach, Oak Lawn's Sean Lewis will make his debut against Illinois |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-sean-lewis-kent-state-illinois-20180831-story.html |access-date=2023-11-28}} His first collegiate coaching job was in 2010 at Nebraska–Omaha and he was a graduate assistant at Akron for the 2011 season. At Eastern Illinois, the Panthers made the FCS Playoffs both seasons he was there and reached the quarterfinals in 2013 with a 12-2 record with an offense led by Jimmy Garoppolo. At Bowling Green, his 2015 offense ranked fourth in the nation at 546.8 yards per game and sixth in scoring at 42.2 points per game. He was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Matt Johnson, who was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and finished second nationally with 4,946 yards and 46 touchdowns. In 2017, Syracuse averaged 456.3 yards and 24.4 first downs per game and defeated defending national champion Clemson 27-24 on Oct. 13. His Orange offense led the nation in snaps per game (87.8) and in 2016, his offense set or tied 40 school records including most passing yards (3,855) while the 5,290 yards of total offense was second most in program history.{{Cite web |title=Sean Lewis - Football Coach |url=https://cubuffs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/sean-lewis/4047}}
= Kent State =
Lewis became Kent State University's 22nd head football coach on December 21, 2017.{{Cite web |title=Sean Lewis - Football Coach |url=https://kentstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/sean-lewis/547}} Lewis was 31 when he was hired at Kent State in 2017, becoming the youngest head coach in FBS by three years, where he compiled a 24-31 overall record and 19-17 record in Mid-American Conference play. He led the Golden Flashes to their first-ever Bowl game victory in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Sean Lewis bio |url=https://goaztecs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/sean-lewis/1214}}
=Colorado=
On December 6, 2022, he was hired at Colorado under new head coach Deion Sanders.{{cite news |last=Fortuna |first=Matt |title=Colorado adds Kent State coach Sean Lewis as OC |url=https://theathletic.com/3973252/2022/12/05/colorado-kent-state-sean-lewis/ |work=The Athletic |date=December 5, 2022 |access-date=December 5, 2022 }}
=San Diego State=
On November 29, 2023, San Diego State University hired Lewis as its new head coach, replacing a retiring Brady Hoke, following the 2023 season.{{Cite news |last=Kenney |first=Kirk |date=2023-11-28 |title='Life is too short to huddle' for Sean Lewis, San Diego State's choice for football coach |language=en-US |work=San Diego Union Tribune |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2023-11-28/san-diego-state-aztecs-sdsu-football-report-aztecs-targeting-colorado-oc-sean-lewis-as-new-head-football-coach |access-date=2023-11-28}}
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Kent State Golden Flashes
| conf = Mid-American Conference
| startyear = 2018
| endyear = 2022
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2018
| name = Kent State
| overall = 2–10
| conference = 1–7
| confstanding = 6th (East)
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2019
| name = Kent State
| overall = 7–6
| conference = 5–3
| confstanding = T–2nd (East)
| bowlname = Frisco
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2020
| name = Kent State
| overall = 3–1
| conference = 3–1
| confstanding = 2nd (East)
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2021
| name = Kent State
| overall = 7–7
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 1st (East)
| bowlname = Famous Idaho Potato
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2022
| name = Kent State
| overall = 5–7
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = T–4th {{small|(East)}}
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Kent State
| overall = 24–31
| confrecord = 19–17
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = San Diego State Aztecs
| conf = Mountain West Conference
| startyear = 2024
| endyear =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2024
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 3–9
| conference = 2–5
| confstanding = T–10th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 3–9
| confrecord = 2–5
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 27–40
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = yes
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://cubuffs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/sean-lewis/4047 Colorado profile]
- [https://kentstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/sean-lewis/524 Kent State profile]
- [https://goaztecs.com/sports/football/roster/season/2024/staff/sean-lewis San Diego State profile]
{{Kent State Golden Flashes football coach navbox}}
{{San Diego State Aztecs football coach navbox}}
{{Mountain West Conference football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Sean}}
Category:American football return specialists
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Akron Zips football coaches
Category:Bowling Green Falcons football coaches
Category:Colorado Buffaloes football coaches
Category:Eastern Illinois Panthers football coaches
Category:Kent State Golden Flashes football coaches
Category:Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks football coaches
Category:San Diego State Aztecs football coaches
Category:Syracuse Orange football coaches
Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players
Category:High school football coaches in Illinois
Category:Sportspeople from Oak Lawn, Illinois
Category:Coaches of American football from Illinois
Category:Players of American football from Cook County, Illinois