Western Colorado University Athletics

Jake Van Groll enters his eighth season as the defensive line coach at Western Colorado University in 2022. Along with all defensive line coaching responsibilities, Van Groll was named Special Teams Coordinator in 2018. 

In his first five seasons, Van Groll has coached eight Mountaineer defensive linemen to all-conference honors, including All-RMAC First Teamers Will Lydle (2019) and Austin Yurko (2016). Lydle was also named in 2019 to the Don Hansen Super Region 4 Third Team, All-NFFCC Second Team and he was nominated for the 2019 Cliff Harris award - given to the top small-school defensive player in the country. 

Van Groll also coached punter Garrett Boyd to All-RMAC First Team and to the Don Hansen Super Region 4 Third Team in 2019 while kicker Chandler Davis was named RMAC All-Academic First Team - the first Mountaineer since 2016 to make the first team.

Van Groll helped the 2016 Mountaineer defense rank in the top-10 in Division II for scoring defense and red zone defense. The Western defense also recorded two shutouts, including the first shutout in 13 years.

Prior to Western, Van Groll spent three seasons at Northern Illinois, serving the previous two years as a defensive line graduate assistant coach following one season as a volunteer assistant.
 
While with the Huskies, Van Groll helped Northern Illinois claim two Mid-American Athletic Conference (MAC) titles (2012, 2014) and advance to three-straight bowl games including the 2013 Orange Bowl. Van Groll also coached a seventh round NFL draft pick in Ken Bishop while at Northern Illinois.
 
Working as a graduate assistant, Van Groll served as the junior college recruiting liaison and was an out of area recruiter for the defense. He also ran position meetings, individual drills and scout team offense while assisting in game breakdowns and scouting reports.
 
As a volunteer assistant, Van Groll assisted in the equipment room at Northern Illinois, helping prepare the locker room for the team’s arrival, setting up drills for positions groups at practice and helping in the video breakdown for the defense.
 
Prior to Northern Illinois, Van Groll served as a student assistant coach at Ripon College (Wis.) for three years where he ran the scout team offense, assisted in recruiting and served as an assistant to the defensive line coach. While working with the Red Hawks, he also helped in film breakdown, scout cards and formations and game planning.
 
A native of Maribel, Wisconsin, Van Groll received a bachelor's degree in exercise science – sports management with an emphasis in education from Ripon College in 2012. He completed a master’s degree in adult and higher education from Northern Illinois in 2016.