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Biography
A 36-year coaching veteran, including two stints as an offensive coordinator, Dan Roushar begins his tenth season with the New Orleans Saints and his second as the team's run game coordinator/tight ends.
A 36-year coaching veteran, including two stints as an offensive coordinator, Dan Roushar begins his tenth season with the New Orleans Saints and his second as the team's run game coordinator/tight ends.
In addition to overseeing the team's running game, Roushar tutors the team's tight ends, one of the offense's most youthful position groups, after overseeing one of the NFL's most productive offensive lines from 2016-20. He previously served as tight ends coach in 2015 and tutored the running backs from 2013-14.
In 2021, Roushar was instrumental in the development of a tight ends group that predominantly featured a pair of players in their first National Football League seasons of extensive action. In his second season, 2020 third round draft pick Adam Trautman, led the position group with 27 receptions. Also in his second campaign, Juwan Johnson converted to tight end from wideout and led the position group with four touchdown grabs.
In 2020, Roushar coached what continued to be one of the NFL's most stable offensive lines under his supervision. With the help of Roushar and the offensive coaching staff, the Saints rushed for a franchise-record and NFL-high 30 touchdowns, tied for the sixth-highest total all-time, ranked sixth in rushing yards per game (141.6) and were the league's fourth-ranked scoring team. Under Roushar's guidance, the offensive line blocked for RB Alvin Kamara, who led the NFL with a franchise-record 21 total touchdowns, while leading the team in both rushing and receiving with a career-high 1,688 total yards from scrimmage. RT Ryan Ramczyk was an Associated Press second-team All-Pro selection, while LT Terron Armstead and LG Andrus Peat were selected to the Pro Bowl.
In 2019, Roushar coached a line that blocked for an offense that averaged 373.9 yards per game, ninth in the league, and 5.9 yards per play, sixth in the NFL. The offensive line's blocking was also a major part in the offense averaging 265.3 passing yards per game, which was the seventh-highest average in the NFL, while surrendering only 25 sacks, tied for the league's third-lowest total. Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater combined to throw for 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Roushar oversaw the development of rookie C Erik McCoy, the club's second round pick, who opened all 16 games and was a consensus all-rookie selection. Ramzyck was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection, while Armstead, Peat and RG Larry Warford were named to the Pro Bowl.
In 2018, Roushar helped the line block for a rushing attack that was ranked sixth (126.6 avg.) in the NFL and led the league with 26 touchdowns. Despite being forced to use nine different starting offensive linemen due to injuries, the Saints allowed just 20 sacks, ranked second in the NFL. Armstead and Ramczyk were both selected as AP All-Pros, while Armstead, Peat, C Max Unger and Warford were named to the Pro Bowl.
In 2017, Roushar played a vital role in the development of Ramczyk, one of the club's first round picks, who ended up playing every offensive snap on the line as a PFWA All-Rookie selection. The offensive line allowed just 20 sacks, second-fewest in the NFL, even though it opened with six different lineups. They played an instrumental role in blocking for the only offense to finish in the top five in both rushing and passing, second overall in total offense. The run game ranked fifth in the club's most productive season since 1987, grinding out 129.4 yards per game. The 3,094 combined total yards from scrimmage from Mark Ingram and Kamara was second-most by an NFL running back duo since the start of a 16-game season (1978). The 4,339 combined total yards from scrimmage by Ingram, Kamara and WR Michael Thomas, was the highest total by a skill position trio in club history. Warford was selected to his first Pro Bowl in his first season as a Saint.Â
In 2016 under Roushar, the Saints front helped the offense finish first in the NFL in net yards per game (426.0) and second in points per game (29.3). The O-line finished tied for sixth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed (27), even though it opened with six different combinations, including three left tackles and three left guards. Behind the blocking, Brees set an NFL single season record in completions (471) and led the league in passing yardage (5,208), earning a Pro Bowl selection. The line also paved the way for Ingram to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. The offense also produced a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.
After tutoring the running backs from 2013-14, Roushar became tight ends coach in 2015 and his position group played an integral role in the NFL's second-ranked offense. As a unit, they combined for 101 receptions for 1,021 yards with 11 touchdowns. In his third season in New Orleans and first as the club's featured tight end, Benjamin Watson set career-highs in both receptions and receiving yardage and tied a career-best in scoring grabs, when he made 74 grabs for 825 yards (11.1 avg.) and six touchdowns. Josh Hill and Michael Hoomanawanui, acquired early in the season in a trade with New England, combined for an additional five touchdowns.
In 2014, Roushar helped guide a running attack that gained 1,818 yards and improved in league rankings from 25th to 13th. Under Roushar's tutelage, Ingram enjoyed a breakout season, as he was selected to the first Pro Bowl of his career, leading New Orleans with 964 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
Under Roushar's guidance in 2013, the Saints running backs helped the team finish ranked fourth in the NFL in offense. Pierre Thomas (77) and Darren Sproles (71) became the first running back duo in franchise history to each record at least 70 receptions, as Thomas led the league among running backs and Sproles ranked fourth. Thomas led the team in rushing with 549 yards and finished with 1,062 total yards from scrimmage. Roushar also helped foster impressive development and late season production out of Ingram and rookie Khiry Robinson, the club's leading rushers in the postseason.
Roushar came to New Orleans following a six-year stint at Michigan State, the final two as offensive coordinator/tight ends coach. In 2012, the Spartans enjoyed a productive campaign running the ball, as Le'Veon Bell won the Big Ten rushing title with 1,793 yards, the second-highest single-season total in school history, as he was selected first-team All-Big Ten and a first-team All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com. The pass offense ranked fourth in the conference. In Roushar's first season as coordinator in 2011, the Spartans averaged 31.0 points per game, ranked third in the conference, setting school records for most points (434) and passing yards (3,535), while finishing second in net yardage (5,466). Prior to his promotion to coordinator, Roushar served four seasons as the Spartans' offensive line coach.
In four seasons coaching the Michigan State front, Roushar's linemen earned All-Big Ten recognition eight times. In 2010, the Spartans established their running identity early, rushing for more than 200 yards in five of their first six games. In 2009, his unit surrendered only 14 sacks, the fewest amount of any Big Ten team. The previous year, the offensive line blocked for the nation's fourth-leading rusher in Javon Ringer, while allowing only 24 takedowns. Upon his arrival in East Lansing in 2007, Roushar juggled the starting lineup with eight different offensive line combinations, but he led his unit to be one of the most productive in the Big Ten, as the Spartans ranked fourth in the conference and 25th in the NCAA in rushing (198.2 yards per game).
Prior to arriving in East Lansing, Roushar served two seasons as offensive line coach at Cincinnati from 2005-06. A two-year letterman as a quarterback at Northern Illinois, he began his coaching career as a student assistant at his alma mater in 1984 and also spent time as an assistant at Butler (offensive coordinator-1986-92), the University of Rhode Island (1993), Ball State (offensive coordinator-1994) and the University of Illinois (1995-96). Roushar then spent six years as offensive line coach/offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois before returning to Champaign for a two-year stint in 2003, serving as offensive coordinator in his final season with the Illini.
PLAYING CAREER: Northern Illinois, 1982-83.
COACHING CAREER: Northern Illinois, 1984; Butler, 1986-92; Rhode Island, 1993; Ball State, 1994; Illinois, 1995-96; Northern Illinois, 1997-2002; Illinois, 2003-04; Cincinnati, 2005-06; Michigan State, 2007-12; New Orleans Saints, 2013-.