Poteat wrapped up his time with the Badgers at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Poteat was the cornerbacks coach for two seasons.
In his first year, Poteat's unit was instrumental in contributing to the nation's best defense. UW allowed just 239.1 yards per game, the third-best mark in school history and the lowest total at UW since 1954. That was the fewest yards allowed by an FBS team since 2011.
The Badgers led the Big Ten and ranked fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense (109.5). Their 16 interceptions were eighth-best in the country.
Both of UW's full-time starters at cornerback, Faion Hicks and Caesar Williams, earned All-Big Ten honors. Hicks was selected in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos while Williams signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
Poteat came to Wisconsin following a 10-year NFL career and a successful run coaching cornerbacks in the Mid-American Conference. After spending two seasons as a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh under Chryst from 2013-14, Poteat was named cornerbacks coach at Kent State in 2015 and coached the Golden Flashes’ corners for two seasons before holding the same position at Toledo for the past four years.
Poteat helped Toledo win the MAC title in his first season on staff in 2017, a year in which the Rockets ranked No. 22 nationally in passing efficiency defense. Among his most successful players at Toledo were Samuel Womack — who ranked in a tie for fourth nationally with 15 pass breakups as a junior in 2019 and was named first-team All-MAC by Pro Football Focus in 2020 — and Ka’dar Hollman, who began his career as a walk-on and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
He also helped produce three All-MAC cornerbacks during his two seasons at Kent State in Najee Murray, Jerrell Foster and Demetrius Monday.
Before he got his start in coaching, Poteat was an outstanding cornerback and kick returner at Pittsburgh from 1996-99, earning first-team All-Big East honors at cornerback as a junior and senior. He left Pitt holding the school records for kick return yards in a season (764 in 1998) and a career (2,010).
A third-round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft, Poteat played for five NFL teams over 10 seasons. He earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 2004 New England Patriots, joining the team for its playoff run and helping to defeat Philadelphia in Super Bowl XXXIX. He also played for Tampa Bay, the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns during his pro career.
Poteat graduated from Pittsburgh in 2011 with a degree in social sciences. He and wife Jasmine have two daughters, Ariana and Sierra, and a son, Tre.
Hank Poteat Coaching Experience
2011-12: Cornerbacks, Kentucky Christian
2013-14: Graduate Assistant, Pittsburgh
2015-16: Cornerbacks, Kent State
2017-20: Cornerbacks, Toledo
2021-Present: Cornerbacks, Wisconsin
