Ben Strickland - Football Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Ben Strickland

Title:
Assistant Coach/DB

Coaching Experience
2015-16 Florida Atlantic (Assistant Coach/DB)
2012-14: Wisconsin (Assistant Coach/DB)
2010-11: Wisconsin (Graduate Assistant/Def.)
2009: Wisconsin (Quality Control Coordinator/Def.)
2008: Wayzata High School (Minn.) Teacher/DB Coach at Minnetonka High School

Bowl Games Coached
2009 - Champs Sports Bowl vs. Miami (W 20-14)
2010 - Rose Bowl vs. TCU (L 21-19)
2011 - Rose Bowl vs. Oregon (L 45-38)
2012 - Rose Bowl vs. Stanford (L 20-14)
2013 - Capital One Bowl vs. South Carolina (L 34-24)
2014 - Outback Bowl vs. Auburn (W 34-31)

Bowl Games Played
2004 - Outback vs. Georgia (L 24-21)
2005 - Capital One Bowl vs. Auburn (W 24-10)
2006 - Capital One Bowl vs. Arkansas (W 17-14)
2007 - Outback Bowl vs. Tennessee (L 21-17)

Personal
Born: 05/21/85
Hometown: Brookfield. Wis. (Brookfield Central High School)
Education: B.S. Special Education, Wisconsin December 2007; Currently, working on a Master's Educational Leadership.
Marital Status: Laura
Family: Zoe

At FAU
Strickland joined the staff in May of 2015 with the task of building a secondary unit vacated by third round draft selection D'Joun Smith as well as Christian Milstead and Damian Parms who had NFL tryouts. The secondary didn’t miss a beat, relying on the experience of Sharrod Neasman and Cre’von LeBlanc to shoulder the weight of an otherwise young unit. By seasons end, the true freshmen were a shining example of things to come. The Owls tallied 14 interceptions, including three returned for a score. In all, the secondary was credited with 24 points. Second team All-C-USA honors were bestowed to LeBlanc while freshman Jalen Young earned a spot on both the C-USA honorable mention team as well as on the all-freshman team. C-USA also recognized freshman Ocie Rose on the all-freshman team. Strickland’s work with a young secondary blended into the defense’s focal point which was the importance of individual assignments and working as a unit. The Owls did so with precision, ending 2015 leading the league in sacks which Head Coach Charlie Partridge credited the secondary’s coverage as a major reason for the defensive line’s success.

Strickland was asked to work with a young unit in 2016 and to replace an NFL roster member at safety. Jalen Young stepped up to the challenge by leading the team in total tackles. The sophomore led the squad much of the season and ended his second collegiate campaign No. 2 with 100 total tackles. He was No. 9 nationally following the regular-season in solo tackles. The honorable mention C-USA selection saw classmate Ocie Rose turn in another strong campaign, despite being plagued with injuries much of the off-season. Rose, a nickel, tallied 47 tackles, two interceptions, including a game-saving INT versus UTEP. Strickland used a combination of four different starters to handle the task at free safety. The quartet combined for 129 tackles, three interceptions and a fumble recovery. All five safeties played a pivotal role on the special teams’ coverage units while Young served as the No. 2 punt returner.

At Wisconsin
Strickland guided the Badgers' junior CB Darius Hillary to second-team All-Big Ten honors for a 2014 season in which he finished with 41 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. Strickland's unit helped the Badgers to field the nation's No. 4-ranked passing defense in 2014. Wisconsin allowed just 168.0 passing yards per game, a number that dropped to 159.8 yards per game in Big Ten play. Opponents completed just 49.0 percent of their passing attempts against the Badgers, a mark that also ranked No. 4 nationally. Wisconsin continued to be especially strong against the pass on third down, allowing opponents to covert just 25.9 percent of their third-down attempts through the air. Opponents completed only 41.4 percent of their passes for an average of 5.8 yards per attempt on third down against the Badgers' defense.

In 2013, the Badgers' defense ranked No. 17 in the country against the pass, giving up just 202.5 yards per game through the air, and ranked in a tie for 13th in the FBS in yards allowed per passing attempt at 6.2. Wisconsin allowed opponents to convert just 25.2 percent of their third-down attempts through the air, the fourth-best mark in the nation. The Badgers ranked No. 3 nationally both in terms of completion percentage (40.7 percent) and yards per attempt (4.37) by opponents on third down.

Strickland's unit also was key in the Badgers matching Michigan State for the national lead in the fewest plays of 10-plus yards allowed with just 125 in 13 games.

Strickland mentored true freshman CB Sojourn Shelton to an impressive debut season, with Shelton tying for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions. His four picks ranked No. 3 nationally among true freshman, trailing only Virginia Tech teammates Kendall Fuller (6) and Brandon Facyson (5). Shelton's four interceptions were the second-most ever by a UW freshman and the most by a true freshman in school history.

In Strickland's first season, three of the Badgers' four starters in the secondary received 2012 All-Big Ten honors in senior CB Devin Smith, who tied for the Big Ten lead in interceptions, senior CB Marcus Cromartie and junior SS Dezmen Southward.

Strickland spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons as a graduate assistant working with the defense. He returned to Wisconsin is 2009, serving as the team's defensive quality control coordinator.

Playing Career
A former walk-on at Wisconsin, Strickland was elected team captain as a senior in 2007. A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Strickland played in 51 games as a Badger on special teams and as a defensive back. He finished his career with 72 tackles, eight passes defensed and one interception.

On special teams he blocked and recovered a punt in the 2007 Capital One Bowl. He also recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to cap a dramatic comeback win at Minnesota in 2005, a play that was later named the Pontiac Game-Changing Performance of the Year by ESPN.

Professional Players Coached
Marcus Cromartie, CB (Currently w/ San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers)
Devin Smith, CB (Currently w/ Toronto Argonuts, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Dezman Southward, FS (Atlanta Falcons)
Shelton Johnson, SS (Currently w/ Tampa Bay Bucaneers, Oakland Raiders)