Jake Nulph enters his first season with IUP in 2019 as the defensive backs coach.
Nulph joins the Crimson Hawks after spending the 2018 season as the defensive backs and special teams coach for Duquesne University. He helped the Dukes rank third in the Northeast Conference in pass defense (198.9) while two of his players – Jonathant Istache and Brandon Stanback – were All-NEC performers.
Prior to joining the Dukes' staff in 2018, Nulph endured a four-year stint as the defensive coordinator with Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa.
Nulph helped the Titans lead the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) in total defense and scoring defense in 2015 and 2016. He and the Titans registered three consecutive winning seasons from 2015-17, which marked the first time since 1995-97. In addition, Westminster posted a pair of ECAC Bowl wins in that span with a 42-21 victory over St. John Fisher in 2015 and a 33-6 triumph over Utica in 2016.
In 2015, Westminster recorded its first nine-win season since 1997 as the Titan defense led the PAC and ranked 11th in the country in total defense, limiting opponents to 257 yards per game. Westminster also paced the conference and sat 23rd in the nation in scoring defense allowing 16.7 points per game. The 184 points allowed were the fewest by the Titan defense since 2001.
In 2016, Nulph's Westminster defense again led the league in scoring defense at 16.6 points per game and total defense at 288.1 yards per contest. The Titans were also first in pass defense (169.1 ypg) and second in rushing defense (119.0 ypg), both figures ranking in the top 25 in Division III.
Under Nulph, defensive back Todd Jeter garnered PAC Defensive Most Valuable Player Honors and was one of three Titans to earn All-PAC first team honors for the 2017 season. Jeter finished second in the conference with five interceptions and 12 passes defended.
Nulph came to Saint Francis in 2010 after working as the defensive backs and special teams coach at Allegheny College in 2009.
At Saint Francis, Nulph co-coordinated the defense which finished 10th in the FCS and coordinated a top-25 special teams unit to the best record in SFU’s history in back-to-back seasons as an FCS institution. During his four years at SFU, Nulph coached 10 All-NEC performers and one NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Nulph also mentored kick-returner Kyle Harbridge, who earned the 2013 College Football Performance Awards Elite All-Purpose Award.
In 2011, in his first season as defensive coordinator, Nulph coached Anthony Bowman to College Madness Second-Team All-America honors after the linebacker tallied 141 tackles on the year. Nulph’s defense, which featured just one upperclassman, generated 18 total turnovers. In two seasons working with the SFU linebackers, Nulph helped two student-athletes finish in the top-10 nationally in tackles.
Under Nulph’s direction in 2010, senior linebackers Scott Lewis and Matthew Parker earned All-NEC honors. With his team-leading 138 tackles in 2013, Lewis became the NEC's all-time leader in tackles with 524. Both Lewis and Parker tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with 13.5. Parker led the team with seven total sacks, as the Red Flash posted a 13-sack season.
Nulph spent four years coaching at his alma mater Robert Morris beginning in 2005, working with the Colonial running backs for two seasons. In 2007, Nulph took over as quarterbacks coach at RMU and in 2008 he moved to the other side of the ball, when he took over the Colonials’ safeties. Nulph tutored safety Mike Landers, a first-team All-NEC performer who ranked second in the NEC with five interceptions and tallied 74 tackles. Landers also recovered three fumbles and broke up 10 passes that season.
Nulph played for three years with RMU (two as a defensive back and one as quarterback) after transferring from Grove City. He was a two-year letter winner for the Colonials and was named a special teams captain in 2004. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication from Robert Morris in 2005 and received his masters in communication and information systems from Robert Morris in 2007. He is a graduate of Apollo-Ridge High School where he led the Vikings to their only undefeated season in school history.
Nulph resides in Apollo, Pa. with his wife Angela.
Updated June 24, 2019
