Partridge joins UW football staff
February 07, 2008 | Football
Charlie Partridge, an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh the past five seasons, has been hired as an assistant at Wisconsin, head coach Bret Bielema announced Thursday.
Partridge will coach the Badgers' defensive linemen and specialists. Randall McCray, who has been the Badgers' defensive line coach the past two seasons, will take over as Wisconsin's recruiting coordinator and will coach outside linebackers. Defensive coordinator Dave Doeren will continue to coach linebackers.
'I tried to hire Charlie for my original staff here at Wisconsin, so I 'm very excited he'll be joining us,' Bielema said. 'He has a lot of experience and success on the defensive side of the ball, as well as with special teams. Charlie also brings a strong recruiting background in the state of Florida. He's going to be an excellent addition. This completes our transition to a new staff and I'm looking forward to spring practice and the 2008 season. '
Partridge coached the Pittsburgh defensive line for his first four seasons there before switching to linebackers in 2007. He had special teams coaching responsibilities for the past three seasons, including the past two as special teams coordinator for the Panthers.
Pittsburgh ranked No. 5 nationally and led the Big East in total defense last season, allowing just 297.7 yards per game. In addition, the Panthers led their conference and were No. 3 in pass defense, surrendering only 167.3 yards per game. Pittsburgh was fourth in the Big East with nearly three QB sacks per contest. The Panthers' signature defensive effort in 2007 came when they shut down high-powered and No. 1-ranked West Virginia in a 13-9 win that eliminated the Mountaineers from national title contention.
Linebacker Scott McKillop led the Panthers with 151 tackles in 2007 and was named first-team All-Big East. Joe Clermond, a defensive lineman whom Partridge had coached at Pitt, was a second-team All-Big East selection last season.
Partridge's special teams units have flourished at Pittsburgh. In his first season as special teams coordinator (2006), Pitt led the Big East in net punting (37.54 avg.) and kickoff returns (24.14 avg.). Punter Adam Graessle was an All-Big East selection that season and kick returner Lowell Robinson led the conference and finished ninth nationally with a 27.9-yard average. ESPN's 2006 college football 'play of the year' selection was a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown by Pitt 's Darrelle Revis against West Virginia. Revis was a first-round draft choice of the New York Jets last year.
Prior to his years at Pittsburgh, Partridge served as recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach at Eastern Illinois in 2002. Eastern Illinois qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs that season after sharing the Ohio Valley Conference title.
Partridge worked for head coach Dan McCarney at Iowa State from 1998-2001. He was a defensive graduate assistant in 1998-99 and worked with outside linebackers. He became the program's director of football operations in 2000.
Partridge was a NSCA All-America defensive lineman at Drake. He was a three-year starter and team captain for the Bulldogs before starting his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant in 1996-97. In that role he coached running backs, including a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, and served as a strength and conditioning coach.
Partridge, a native of Plantation, Fla., earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Drake in 1995 and a master's degree in education from Iowa State in 2002. Partridge and his wife, Julie, have a daughter, Alexa Riley.
