Dave Warner - Football Coach - Michigan State University Athletics

Dave Warner

Title:
Quarterbacks
Email:
football@msu.edu
Phone Number:
355-1647

Dave Warner is in his 13th season on the offensive staff at Michigan State under Mark Dantonio. Warner will return to coaching the quarterbacks for the 2019 season, where he first started at MSU from 2007-12, after serving as the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach from 2013-18.

Warner has been a quarterbacks coach and/or offensive coordinator or passing game coordinator for 30 of his 35 seasons as a college assistant. Three of the five starting quarterbacks Warner has coached at Michigan State are currently playing in the NFL (Brian Hoyer, New England Patriots; Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings; Connor Cook, Detroit Lions), and all three of those QBs have started a game in the NFL Playoffs the last four seasons.

During his time as the co-offensive coordinator, along with Jim Bollman, the Spartans collected a 56-23 record (.709), won two Big Ten Championships (2013, 2015), three bowl games (2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton, 2017 Holiday) and earned a berth in the College Football Playoff (2015). MSU set numerous offensive team records and placed six players on the All-Big Ten First Team, including three position players of the year in the conference, in addition to eight NFL Draft picks on offense.

As the running backs coach, Warner helped Jeremy Langford become one of the most productive tailbacks in Michigan State history with 2,944 yards and 40 rushing touchdowns in just two seasons (2013-14) en route to getting selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by Chicago. Warner also coached LJ Scott, who led the Spartans in rushing for three consecutive seasons from 2015-17 and signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. Scott finished his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in rushing yards (ninth with 2,855 yards), carries (ninth with 610) and rushing touchdowns (12th with 25).

Seven players garnered All-Big Ten recognition in 2017 as the Spartans finished the season with a 10-3 record, a No. 15 AP ranking and a victory in the Holiday Bowl over No. 18 Washington State. Senior center Brian Allen, a fourth-round NFL Draft choice by the Los Angeles Rams, was named second-team All-Big Ten for the third consecutive season, while wide receiver Felton Davis III also picked up second-team accolades after posting career highs in receptions (55), receiving yards (776) and touchdown catches (9).

Warner’s track record for developing successful quarterbacks was on full display in 2017 as first-year starter Brian Lewerke set school sophomore records for total offense (3,352 yards), passing yards (2,793), passing attempts (417) and passing completions (246). Lewerke also finished the season with 559 yards rushing on 124 carries, the fourth most by a Spartan quarterback in a single season and the most since Drew Stanton had 687 in 2004. A true dual-threat quarterback, Lewerke became the first quarterback in school history to throw for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 500 yards in the same season, and his 3,352 yards of total offense ranked No. 2 in school history in a single season.

The Spartans placed a league-best four offensive players on the All-Big Ten First Team in 2015, the most for the program since 1978. Cook, a senior, became just the fifth Spartan quarterback to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors, and the first since 1965. He also became the first Spartan to win the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year Award since its inception in 2011. In addition, Cook was named the 2015 recipient of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top college quarterback, and is the only two-time winner of the Grange-Griffin Award (Big Ten Championship Game MVP). The winningest quarterback in school history, Cook produced a 34-5 record as the starter from 2013-15, including a 23-2 mark against Big Ten opponents, and finished his career as the school’s all-time record holder in total offense (9,403 yards), passing yards (9,194) and touchdown passes (71). He was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by Oakland and started for the Raiders in their 2017 wild card game in the playoffs.

Senior Aaron Burbridge, who led the conference in receptions and receiving yards, was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year, marking the second year in a row a Spartan claimed the award (Tony Lippett, 2014). Center Jack Allen and left tackle Jack Conklin not only garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors, but first-team All-America honors as well.

In the backfield, Warner had the challenge of finding a replacement for Jeremy Langford, who spent his rookie season in 2015 with the Chicago Bears after rushing for a combined 40 touchdowns in 2013 and 2014. A trio of backs in Scott (699 yards), sophomore Gerald Holmes (540 yards) and redshirt freshman Madre London (500) led the way. Scott, who also led the team in carries (146) and rushing touchdowns (11), was an ESPN.com Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection and scored the game-winning touchdown in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game with 27 seconds remaining to beat No. 4 Iowa. Scott continued his success by leading the Spartans in rushing (994 yards) as a sophomore to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2016.

A total of seven Spartans landed on the All-Big Ten teams for offense in 2015, including sophomore offensive guard Brian Allen (second team, coaches and media), senior offensive guard Donavon Clark (third team, coaches) and junior tight end Josiah Price (third team, coaches and media).

The Spartans ranked first in the Big Ten and 10th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in third-down conversions (.485), and also ranked among the Big Ten leaders in touchdown passes (third with 26), time of possession (third at 32:51), passing yards (third with 3,279) and passing efficiency (fifth with 133.9 rating).

Warner directed the most prolific offense in school history in 2014. The Spartans set numerous school records, including points (559), scoring average (43.0 ppg.), offensive touchdowns (70), total offense (6,510 yards; 500.8 ypg.), rushing touchdowns (44), rushing yards (3,057) and first downs (321).

MSU ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh in the FBS in scoring, averaging 43.0 points per game. Michigan State also ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th in the FBS in total offense, averaging a school-record 500.8 yards per game. In addition, MSU ranked among the FBS Top 25 in third-down conversion percentage (seventh at .500), passing yards per completion (10th at 14.6), first downs (17th with 321), yards per play (17th with 6.55), passing efficiency (18th with 151.1 rating), and rushing offense (19th with 235.2 ypg.). The Spartans also featured the No. 1 passing offense in the Big Ten (265.6 ypg.).

Michigan State's improvement in scoring offense (+13.6 points per game) and total offense (+115.3 yards per game) in 2014 ranked among the Top 10 increases among teams in the FBS.

Langford, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, flourished under Warner's guidance in 2013 and 2014. Langford closed his career by rushing for more than 100 yards in a school-record 10 straight games; he also finished conference play with 16 consecutive games with over 100 yards rushing against Big Ten opponents. In just two seasons as the starter, Langford rushed for 40 touchdowns, second most in school history; his 22 rushing TDs in 2014 tied a school record (shared with Javon Ringer). Langford, who rushed for 1,422 yards as a junior, increased his total to 1,522 yards as a senior, which ranked fifth most in a Spartan single season. In addition to rushing TDs, Langford finished his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in 100-yard rushing games (third with 18), rushing yards (eighth with 2,967) and carries (ninth with 577). In addition, fellow senior Nick Hill delivered his best year as a Spartan in 2014, posting career highs in rushing yards (622), carries (107) and rushing TDs (9).

Seven Spartans garnered All-Big Ten recognition for MSU's record-setting season on offense, including Lippett, the Big Ten Receiver of the Year who led the conference in receiving (92.2 ypg.) and ranked second in touchdown catches (11).

The Spartan offense steadily improved all season long during MSU's record-setting campaign in 2013, culminating with strong performances against No. 2 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game and No. 5 Stanford in the Rose Bowl Game. The Spartans produced 438 yards of total offense against the Buckeyes and nearly 400 yards (397) against Stanford, which entered the game No. 14 in the FBS in total defense. Cook was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Big Ten Championship Game after throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns, and he topped that performance by racking up a 332 passing yards and two TDs against the Cardinal while being named the Rose Bowl Game's Offensive MVP.

Six starters earned All-Big Ten recognition on offense, including Cook (second team, coaches), Allen (second team, media), senior offensive guard Blake Treadwell (second team, coaches and media), senior offensive tackle Fou Fonoti (honorable mention), senior offensive guard Dan France (honorable mention) and Langford (honorable mention).

Two of MSU's starting quarterbacks under Warner when he was the quarterbacks coach from 2007-12 are now veterans in the NFL, in Cousins and Hoyer.

Cousins, the second-winningest quarterback in school history with 27 victories as a starter, became MSU's career record holder in 2011 for passing touchdowns (66), passing yards (9,131), completions (723), passing efficiency (146.1 rating), total offense (9,004 yards) and 200-yard passing games (26). He still holds the school record for completions (723) and passing efficiency (146.1 rating). Cousins' numbers were some of the best in Big Ten history, as finished his career ranked among the conference's all-time Top 10 in completion percentage (tied for sixth at .641), passing efficiency rating (sixth), passing yards (10th) and TD passes (tied for 10th).

Selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by Washington, Cousins signed a three-year, $84-million contract with Minnesota in 2018 and set a franchise record with 425 completions in his first season with the Vikings. He also ranked second in franchise history with 4,298 passing yards and sixth with 30 passing TDs. Cousins has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons and set an NFL record in 2018 when he became the first player in league history to record 30-plus completions in four straight games. During his seven seasons (2012-18) in the NFL, Cousins has thrown for 20,504 yards with 129 TDs.

Warner mentored Hoyer in 2007 and 2008, and Hoyer responded by becoming one of the most productive quarterbacks in Spartan history. Hoyer ranks among MSU's career leaders in pass attempts (No. 4 at 896), passing yards (No. 5 with 6,159), pass completions (No. 5 at 500) and TD passes (No. 8 with 35). Warner also developed Hoyer's game management skills, as the senior captain accumulated a 16-11 record and led the Spartans to back-to-back bowl appearances. Hoyer signed a free agent contract with New England in April 2009 and spent three seasons serving as the back-up quarterback behind Tom Brady. Hoyer, who has played 10 seasons in the NFL, returned to the Patriots in 2017 and was on New England’s Super Bowl LIII Championship team.

In his only season at Cincinnati with Dantonio, Warner mentored two starting quarterbacks, in Dustin Grutza and Nick Davila. During the 2006 regular season, Grutza ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in both passing efficiency (123.9 rating) and total offense (168.1), while Davila orchestrated the offense in Cincinnati's 30-11 upset over then-No. 7 Rutgers on Nov. 18 as he completed 11-of-15 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown.

Before coaching at Cincinnati, Warner coached wide receivers at Southern Miss in 2003 and 2004. He has also made stops as the passing game coordinator at Houston (2001-02), offensive coordinator at Connecticut (1999-2000), passing game coordinator at Wyoming (1998) and quarterbacks coach at Bucknell (1997).

Warner and Dantonio also coached together for four seasons at Kansas, when Dantonio was the secondary coach for the Jayhawks from 1991-94. Warner spent nine total seasons as quarterbacks coach for Kansas (1988-96). Prior to KU, Warner spent four years on the staff at Kent State (1984-87), including the last two as quarterbacks coach.

A three-year letterwinner as a quarterback at Syracuse, Warner finished his playing career ranked seventh in career passing yards (2,593) and was a member of the 1979 team that won the Independence Bowl. After graduating in 1982, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Orange, working with the quarterbacks and offensive backs.

Warner has coached in 15 bowl games, including victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl over No. 5 Stanford and the 2015 Cotton Bowl against No. 4 Baylor, in addition to an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff.

Among Warner's top products was Kansas' Chip Hilleary, who became only the second player in Big Eight Conference history to rush for over 1,000 yards and pass for more than 4,000 yards. At Wyoming, he developed a passing attack that was ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference.

Warner earned a bachelor's degree in speech communications from Syracuse in 1982 and received a master's degree in physical education from the school in 1984.

Warner and his wife Leigh Ann have a son, Jackson. Warner also has a daughter, Alexandra.

THE WARNER FILE

YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: 13th. Joined the staff on Dec. 1, 2006, from Cincinnati.

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College - Graduate assistant at Syracuse (1982-83); running backs coach (1984-85) and quarterbacks coach (1986-87) at Kent State; quarterbacks coach at Kansas (1988-96); quarterbacks coach at Bucknell (1997); passing game coordinator at Wyoming (1998); offensive coordinator at Connecticut (1999-2000); passing game coordinator at Houston (2001-02); wide receivers coach at Southern Miss (2003-04); quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati (2006).

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in speech communications from Syracuse in 1982; master's degree in physical education from Syracuse in 1984.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College - Three-year letterwinner as a quarterback at Syracuse (1979-81).

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: Player - 1979 Independence Bowl. Coach - 1992 Aloha Bowl, 1995 Aloha Bowl, 2003 Liberty Bowl, 2004 New Orleans Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, 2014 Rose Bowl, 2015 Cotton Bowl, 2015 College Football Playoff (Cotton Bowl), 2017 Holiday Bowl, 2018 Redbox Bowl.

ALL-BIG TEN PLAYERS (QUARTERBACKS, 2007-12; CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/RUNNING BACKS, 2013-18): QB Kirk Cousins (second team, 2011); C Jack Allen (first team, 2014, 2015; second team, 2013); OG Blake Treadwell (second team, 2013); QB Connor Cook (first team, 2015; second team, 2013, 2014); WR Tony Lippett (first team, 2014); OT Jack Conklin (first team, 2015; second team, 2014); OG Travis Jackson (second team, 2014); WR Aaron Burbridge (first team, 2015); OL Brian Allen (second team, 2015, 2016, 2017); OG Donavon Clark (third team, 2016); TE Josiah Price (third team, 2015, 2016); WR R.J. Shelton (second team, 2016); RB LJ Scott (third team, 2016); OG David Beedle (third team, 2017); WR Felton Davis III (second team, 2017)

BIG TEN POSITION PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: WR Tony Lippett, 2014; QB Connor Cook, 2015; WR Aaron Burbridge, 2015

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS: QB Connor Cook, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2015)

ALL-AMERICANS: C Jack Allen (first team, 2014, 2015); OT Jack Conklin (first team, 2015)

NFL DRAFT PICKS (QUARTERBACKS, 2007-12; CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/RUNNING BACKS, 2013-18): QB Kirk Cousins (Redskins, fourth round, 2012); RB Jeremy Langford (Bears, fourth round, 2015); WR/CB Tony Lippett (Dolphins, fifth round, 2015); WR Keith Mumphery (Texans, fifth round, 2015); OT Jack Conklin (Titans, first round, 2016); QB Connor Cook (Raiders, fourth round, 2016); WR Aaron Burbridge (49ers, sixth round, 2016); OG Donavon Clark (Chargers, seventh round, 2016); OL Brian Allen (Rams, fourth round, 2018)

NFL PLAYERS (QUARTERBACKS, 2007-12; CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/RUNNING BACKS, 2013-18): QB Brian Hoyer (Patriots, 2009-12, 2017-18; Steelers, 2012; Cardinals, 2012; Browns, 2013-14; Texans, 2015; Bears, 2016; 49ers, 2017); QB Kirk Cousins (Redskins, 2012-17; Vikings, 2018); WR Bennie Fowler (Broncos, 2014-17; Giants, 2018); OT Dan France (Panthers, 2016); RB Jeremy Langford (Bears, 2015-16; Falcons, 2018), QB Connor Cook (Raiders, 2016-17); WR Aaron Burbridge (49ers, 2016); CB Tony Lippett (Dolphins, 2015-16; Giants, 2018); WR Keith Mumphery (Texans, 2015-16); C Jack Allen (Saints, 2016); OL Brian Allen (Rams, 2018)

PRO BOWL PLAYERS: QB Kirk Cousins (Redskins, 2016)

ALL-PRO PLAYERS: OT Jack Conklin (Titans, first team, 2016)