University of North Carolina Athletics
Jon Tenuta Tabbed As Defensive Coordinator
January 8, 2001 | Football
Jan. 8, 2001
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- North Carolina head football coach John Bunting announced on Monday the hiring of Jon Tenuta as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach and former Tar Heel wide receiver Corey Holliday as Assistant to the Athletic Director.
Tenuta, who spent the past six seasons at Ohio State, comes to Carolina with 21 years of experience as a defensive coach and has served as a defensive coordinator at four other schools, including Marshall (1987), Kansas State (1988), SMU (1990-94) and Ohio State (2000).
Regarded as one of the nation's best secondary coaches, Tenuta has developed several defensive backs into NFL players. In fact, every player to start for Tenuta at Ohio State has been selected in the NFL Draft, including first-round picks Shawn Springs, Antoine Winfield and Ahmed Plummer. Springs, who now plays for the Seattle Seahawks, was the 1996 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-America. Winfield, the 1998 Jim Thorpe Award winner, now plays for the Buffalo Bills.
"Jon has a tremendous passion for defensive football, and it's obvious by his ability to produce NFL players that he is an outstanding coach," said Bunting. "He has roots in the ACC and he wants to help Carolina win a championship. His enthusiasm and energy for football is contagious and he's always had great relationships with his players, many of whom are still in the NFL."
Ohio State's pass defense was consistently ranked among the nation's best during Tenuta's tenure. The Buckeyes were ranked in the top three in pass efficiency defense in three of his six seasons.
A native of Madison, Wis., Tenuta graduated from Virginia in 1981. He started three years at defensive back for the Cavaliers and was the team MVP during his senior season.
Tenuta, 43, began his coaching career at Virginia (1981-82), but has also been an assistant at Maryland (1983), Vanderbilt (1984-85), Marshall (1986-87), Kansas State (1988), SMU (1989-94) and Oklahoma (1995). At SMU, Tenuta was the defensive backs coach in 1989 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1990. In 1992, the Mustangs led the Southwest Conference in pass defense.
Tenuta and his wife, Dori, have three sons, Zach, Matt and Luke.
Holliday, who played for the Tar Heels from 1989-93, has been added to Bunting's staff as an Assistant to the Athletic Director. Holliday will work with the football team in various administrative capacities, including player relations, financial aid matters and as a liaison with the academic support services program.
"Corey is a Tar Heel who wants to be a part of our emerging program," said Bunting. "He has tremendous experience as a college and NFL player and I think he will have a great impact on our program. It was clearly evident to me that he has great people skills and would be an asset in our football administration."
Holliday still holds the Carolina career record for most receiving yards (2,447) and he is second in career receptions behind Na Brown. Holliday caught a pass in a school-record 45 consecutive games for the Tar Heels from 1990-93.
Holliday played five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steeleers and was a member of four divisional championship squads. He played in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys and had two receptions and two special teams tackles.
Holliday also has held positions with the Atlantic Coast Conference, UNC's Educational Foundation, and The Ohio State University. Most recently, he was a Business Process Analyst for Anderson Consulting in Columbus, Ohio, since 1999.
He holds two degress from North Carolina, including a B.S. in business administration in 1993 and a master's in sports administration in 1997. Holliday, 29, is married to the former Angela Gant.
-TarHeelBlue.com-
