In his 19th year in college coaching, John Donovan is in his second season as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Donovan directed a 2014 offense that saw Christian Hackenberg and DaeSean Hamilton break Penn State single game and season records and tight end Mike Gesicki was selected to the BTN.com All-Freshman team. From 2011-13, Donovan was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach for three of the most productive offensive seasons in Vanderbilt history. Under Donovan's direction, Zac Stacy ran for 1,193 yards in 2011 and 1,141 yards in 2012 to become the first Vanderbilt player with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Stacy earned second team All-SEC honors and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in 2013. Donovan's offensive units earned three of the top four total yardage marks in school history, gaining at least 4,400 yards each season, including a school record 4,936 yards in 2012. The Commodores averaged 30.0 points per game in 2012, marking the first time in school history they averaged 30 or more points per game, and followed with another program record of 30.1 points per game in 2013. James Franklin (offensive coordinator) and Donovan (running backs) also worked together at Maryland from 2008-10, and from 2001-04, when Donovan was the assistant recruiting coordinator. He began his coaching career at Georgia Tech (1998-2000) and Villanova (1997). From River Edge, N.J., Donovan graduated with a sociology degree from Johns Hopkins University. A defensive back, he grabbed 12 interceptions during his career with the Blue Jays. He also earned a master's degree in economics from Georgia Tech.
The Donovan File
Personal
Hometown - River Edge, N.J.
Alma Mater - Johns Hopkins University.
Degrees - Bachelors, sociology, John Hopkins; Masters, economics, Georgia Tech.
Family - wife, Stacey; son, John Patrick, and daughters, Cate and Shea
Coaching Career
2014-current - Penn State (offensive coordinator/tight ends)
2011-13 - Vanderbilt (offensive coordinator/running backs) 2008-10 - Maryland (running backs)
2006-07 - Maryland (quarterbacks)
2005 - Maryland (running backs)
2001-04 - Maryland (assistant recruiting coordinator)
1998-2000 - Georgia Tech (offensive graduate assistant)
1997 - Villanova (assistant secondary)