Oklahoma State University Athletics
John Wozniak Named Running Backs Coach
February 14, 2017 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – A member of two national championship staffs during his career, John Wozniak has joined the Oklahoma State football staff to coach running backs, head coach Mike Gundy announced today.
A former offensive graduate assistant at Oklahoma State under Les Miles in 2004, Wozniak won his first national title while serving in an offensive quality control role under Miles at LSU in 2007, then claimed his second as a special teams analyst under Nick Saban at Alabama in 2012.
"What I like about John is that he is a self-made guy who worked his way up and did it the hard way," Gundy said. "He worked with us here at Oklahoma State and then went on to have success with Les Miles at LSU and with Nick Saban at Alabama. I know him and I know he's a hard worker and that he can recruit. He's been with people who I'm close to, so I've followed his path along the way and we're excited to have him back here with us."
Wozniak comes to Oklahoma State from Southern Miss, where he spent the previous four seasons coaching wide receivers and special teams. When Todd Monken was hired as head coach of the Golden Eagles in 2013, he brought Wozniak along as part of his first staff and Wozniak was retained at USM after Monken left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016.
Wozniak helped build the Southern Miss passing attack into one of the most potent in Conference USA. The year before his arrival in Hattiesburg, the Golden Eagles were 0-12 and ranked 108th nationally in passing offense. By the time Wozniak finished his work there, USM went to back-to-back bowl games in his last two seasons and had the Golden Eagles passing offense ranked 12th in the nation in 2015 and 16th in the nation in 2016. Southern Miss ranked in the top 25 nationally in total offense in both of those seasons as well (12th in 2015 and 21st in 2016).
Under Wozniak's guidance, Michael Thomas ranked in the top 10 nationally in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receiving touchdowns in 2015 and Allenzae Staggers ranked in the top 25 nationally in both receiving yards and yards per reception in 2016.
As a recruiter, Wozniak helped Southern Miss sign Gatorade Player of the Year honorees from the state of Alabama in both 2013 (quarterback Nick Mullens) and 2017 (receiver Jaylond Adams). Mullens went on to break many of Brett Favre's records at USM.
"Oklahoma State is a special place. Just like the players, coaches want to be at a place where football is important – a place where the fans care and the players have bought into the university and its football program. Ever since I left here in 2004, I've wanted to be back, and fortunately, now I have that opportunity," Wozniak said. "Being around Coach Gundy in 2004, I had a lot of respect for him as a football mind, and more importantly, as a man. I knew that if I ever had a chance to work with him again, that I definitely wanted to do that."
A decorated quarterback and receiver during his playing days at Knox College, Wozniak graduated in 1999 with degrees in physics and secondary education, then was immediately hired on as the tight ends and punters coach. The very next year – just one year removed from graduation - he was promoted to offensive coordinator, a role in which he served for four years before he moved to Stillwater to join Les Miles' Oklahoma State staff in 2004.
He followed Miles to Baton Rouge as a graduate assistant in 2005 before accepting a full-time position as tight ends and special teams coach at Georgia Southern in 2006. During his one season there, the Eagles led the Southern Conference and ranked 14th nationally in kickoff returns.
Miles brought Wozniak back to LSU in an offensive quality control position in 2007, and Wozniak's behind-the-scenes contributions helped the Tigers rank 11th nationally in rushing offense and scoring offense en route to winning the BCS national championship.
A return to full-time coaching followed for Wozniak, who coached tight ends and special teams at Montana State in 2008. Under Wozniak's coaching, tight end Brandon Bostick led the team in touchdowns and was third in receptions despite playing in just seven games. Punter Erik Fisher ranked 15th nationally by averaging 41.8 yards per kick, and place kicker Jason Cunningham was 13-of-19 on field goal attempts. All three players earned all-conference honors that year. Additionally, the Bobcats blocked five punts during the season.
One-year stops at Memphis (special teams coordinator in 2009), West Georgia (offensive coordinator in 2010) and UAB (running backs coach in 2011) led Wozniak to Tuscaloosa, where he helped Alabama to a 13-1 season and a BCS national championship as a special teams analyst in 2012.
Wozniak is married to the former Jessica Swaye.
A former offensive graduate assistant at Oklahoma State under Les Miles in 2004, Wozniak won his first national title while serving in an offensive quality control role under Miles at LSU in 2007, then claimed his second as a special teams analyst under Nick Saban at Alabama in 2012.
"What I like about John is that he is a self-made guy who worked his way up and did it the hard way," Gundy said. "He worked with us here at Oklahoma State and then went on to have success with Les Miles at LSU and with Nick Saban at Alabama. I know him and I know he's a hard worker and that he can recruit. He's been with people who I'm close to, so I've followed his path along the way and we're excited to have him back here with us."
Wozniak comes to Oklahoma State from Southern Miss, where he spent the previous four seasons coaching wide receivers and special teams. When Todd Monken was hired as head coach of the Golden Eagles in 2013, he brought Wozniak along as part of his first staff and Wozniak was retained at USM after Monken left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016.
Wozniak helped build the Southern Miss passing attack into one of the most potent in Conference USA. The year before his arrival in Hattiesburg, the Golden Eagles were 0-12 and ranked 108th nationally in passing offense. By the time Wozniak finished his work there, USM went to back-to-back bowl games in his last two seasons and had the Golden Eagles passing offense ranked 12th in the nation in 2015 and 16th in the nation in 2016. Southern Miss ranked in the top 25 nationally in total offense in both of those seasons as well (12th in 2015 and 21st in 2016).
Under Wozniak's guidance, Michael Thomas ranked in the top 10 nationally in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receiving touchdowns in 2015 and Allenzae Staggers ranked in the top 25 nationally in both receiving yards and yards per reception in 2016.
As a recruiter, Wozniak helped Southern Miss sign Gatorade Player of the Year honorees from the state of Alabama in both 2013 (quarterback Nick Mullens) and 2017 (receiver Jaylond Adams). Mullens went on to break many of Brett Favre's records at USM.
"Oklahoma State is a special place. Just like the players, coaches want to be at a place where football is important – a place where the fans care and the players have bought into the university and its football program. Ever since I left here in 2004, I've wanted to be back, and fortunately, now I have that opportunity," Wozniak said. "Being around Coach Gundy in 2004, I had a lot of respect for him as a football mind, and more importantly, as a man. I knew that if I ever had a chance to work with him again, that I definitely wanted to do that."
A decorated quarterback and receiver during his playing days at Knox College, Wozniak graduated in 1999 with degrees in physics and secondary education, then was immediately hired on as the tight ends and punters coach. The very next year – just one year removed from graduation - he was promoted to offensive coordinator, a role in which he served for four years before he moved to Stillwater to join Les Miles' Oklahoma State staff in 2004.
He followed Miles to Baton Rouge as a graduate assistant in 2005 before accepting a full-time position as tight ends and special teams coach at Georgia Southern in 2006. During his one season there, the Eagles led the Southern Conference and ranked 14th nationally in kickoff returns.
Miles brought Wozniak back to LSU in an offensive quality control position in 2007, and Wozniak's behind-the-scenes contributions helped the Tigers rank 11th nationally in rushing offense and scoring offense en route to winning the BCS national championship.
A return to full-time coaching followed for Wozniak, who coached tight ends and special teams at Montana State in 2008. Under Wozniak's coaching, tight end Brandon Bostick led the team in touchdowns and was third in receptions despite playing in just seven games. Punter Erik Fisher ranked 15th nationally by averaging 41.8 yards per kick, and place kicker Jason Cunningham was 13-of-19 on field goal attempts. All three players earned all-conference honors that year. Additionally, the Bobcats blocked five punts during the season.
One-year stops at Memphis (special teams coordinator in 2009), West Georgia (offensive coordinator in 2010) and UAB (running backs coach in 2011) led Wozniak to Tuscaloosa, where he helped Alabama to a 13-1 season and a BCS national championship as a special teams analyst in 2012.
Wozniak is married to the former Jessica Swaye.
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