Cyclone Football Camps
Defensive Coaching Staff
Curtis Bray’s ability to mold Big 12 quality defensive ends from individuals just learning the finer points of the position has stood out in each of his first two Iowa State seasons. Cyclone head coach Paul Rhoads worked with Bray at Pittsburgh. Bray has 18 years of coaching experience.
A major benefactor of Bray’s coaching in 2009 was defensive end Chris Lyle. Lyle became a force in the trenches for the Cyclones in his senior season, making 69 tackles. Lyle led the team with 13 tackles for loss and five sacks. He was the defensive MVP of the Insight Bowl as ISU beat Minnesota 14-13. The play of sophomore Patrick Neal after an injury to senior Rashawn Parker improved steadily throughout the season. Neal had 27 tackles in 2009. Last season Bray turned linebacker Jacob Lattimer into a play-making defensive end. Lattimer made 39 tackles last season and had a team-high four sacks while learning to play with a hand on the ground. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. Neal and Roosevelt Maggitt return at end for Iowa State with a combined total of 101 tackles, making major strides at the position with each passing season. With Bray in his second year as linebackers coach at Temple in 2008, the Owls posted their most wins (5) since the 1990 season. TU was 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference, marking the first time in school history that Temple won four conference games in back-to-back seasons. Defensively, Temple was third in the MAC in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. Current San Francisco linebacker Alex Joseph was coached at Temple by Bray. Prior to joining the Owls, Bray spent seven seasons as an assistant at Pittsburgh, including four years directing the linebackers. Under Bray’s direction in 2006, current Washington Redskins linebacker H.B. Blades ranked fourth nationally in tackles en route to FWAA First Team All-American and Big East Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. Blades, a three-time first-team all-conference selection, became the first Panther linebacker to earn All-America honors since Jerry Olsavsky in 1988. It was Bray who recruited current Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to Pittsburgh. The 2008 Big East Conference Player of the Year, linebacker Scott McKillop, was also recruited to Pitt by Bray. McKillop currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers. Bray coached Indianapolis Colts linebacker Clint Session at Pitt. The Panthers competed in five bowl games during Bray’s coaching tenure, winning the 2001 Tangerine Bowl and the 2002 Insight Bowl, while competing in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl after winning the 2004 Big East title. In 2003, he participated in the NFL Minority Fellowship program for the Denver Broncos and worked with defensive coordinator Larry Coyer during training camp. In 1987, he became the first defensive player to be honored as the Gatorade National High School Football Player of the Year and also was a first-team USA Today All-American. Born May 9, 1970, Bray graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He and wife Heather have a five-year-old daughter, Sydney Nicole, and a three-year-old son, Colden Charles.  Wally Burnham Wally Burnham brings more than 40 years of experience to Iowa State as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. That experience played major dividends as the Cyclones made huge strides on defense en route to a winning season and Insight Bowl victory in 2009. Iowa State’s defense continued that improvement last season. Despite playing the nation’s toughest schedule in 2010, Burnham’s defense lowered its total yards allowed and total defense national ranking for the second straight season. Burnham came to Ames from South Florida, where he led a Bulls defense that ranked 10th nationally in 2008. Under Burnham, Jake Knott and A.J. Klein developed into one of the nation’s most dynamic linebacker duos in 2010. Knott ranked second in the Big 12 Conference at 10.8 tackles per game. The Waukee named was a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the league’s writers and coaches. Klein was fifth in the league with 9.25 tackles per game and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. Klein took interceptions to the house in consecutive game, the first Cyclone to do so since 1996. Each blossomed into super sophomores and steadily improved under the tutelage of Burnham, who has coached some of the best linebackers to ever play college football. Using a bend but don’t break philosophy, Burnham’s defense has erased the memory of the 2006-2008 seasons, when Iowa State had allowed more than 30 points per game. The 2009 Cyclones ranked 34th nationally and fifth in the Big 12, allowing just 21.85 points per game. Burnham’s defenders held three conference opponents to 10 or less points for the first time since 1965. Burnham’s defenses were toughest where it counted, in the red zone. Iowa State had the second-best red zone defense in the country in 2009. The Cyclones had ranked 88th in that category in 2008. ISU had ranked 116th, 93rd and 105th nationally in third down conversion defense the three previous seasons prior to Burnham’s arrival in Ames. Iowa State improved to 44th nationally in 2009 as Cyclone opponents converted just 37.57 percent of their third down plays. That compares to a 51.1 percent figure in 2008. Burnham coached former Iowa State walkon Jesse Smith, the Big 12’s top tackler, who earned first-team all-conference honors. Strong safety David Sims was the Big 12 Conference Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Burnham’s South Florida defenses ranked among the top 30 nationally in six of his last seven years coaching at USF. The Bulls ranked 10th nationally in total defense (287.6 yards per game) and run defense (95.2 yards per game) in 2008. The stellar efforts of the 2008 South Florida defense followed in the footsteps of the 2007 Bull defenders. Led by All-Americans Mike Jenkins, George Selvie and All-Big East performers Ben Moffitt and Trae Williams, the defense led the country in fumbles recovered (19), tied for the lead in turnovers forced and was third in tackles for loss (113). Overall, the Bulls were 28th nationally in total defense and were especially stout in the running game, only allowing eight rushing TDs all season. Since 2000, the USF defense improved from 32nd among all I-AA programs nationally to 38th among I-A schools in 2001 and all the way to 17th in Division I-A in 2002, 2003 and once again in 2005. Also in 2002, the Bulls ranked No. 1 in the nation in turnover margin thanks in large part to a ball-hawking defense that was also ranked seventh nationally against the run. Prior to joining USF, Burnham was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at South Carolina between 1994-98. Upon arriving at South Carolina, Burnham instituted a new 4-3 scheme for the Gamecocks, and he quickly molded what became to be considered the most improved defense in the SEC. A veteran of many bowl games, his NFL players include defensive back Deion Sanders, linebackers Derrick Brooks (Tampa Bay), Kawika Mitchell (Buffalo), Stephen Nicholas (Atlanta) and defensive back Mike Jenkins (Dallas). Prior to coaching at South Carolina, Burnham was a nine-year assistant (1985-93) to Bobby Bowden at Florida State, where he was on the 1993 National Championship staff.  Shane Burnham Defensive Tackles Shane Burnham’s coaching ability was underscored by the improved play of Iowa State’s defensive tackles through two seasons under Burnham’s tutelage. Burnham, who had been linebackers/defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator at Elon from 2005-08, works in Ames under his father, ISU defensive coordinator Wally Burnham. |
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