Lou Ferrari
7/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Ferrari, defensive line coach at Columbia in 1985, has had a long friendship with Wilson, dating back to 1989-90, when Ferrari coached the outside linebackers and defensive ends at the University of Minnesota, where Wilson was a graduate assistant coach.
Ferrari, 52, returns to college coaching after 10 years as defensive coordinator for Florida's Vero Beach High School, which had two undefeated seasons and reached the state playoffs in nine of his 10 seasons. Over the last two seasons, Vero Beach recorded a record of 23-5.
Previously, he had spent the 1993 season coaching the linebackers at West Orange High in Winter Garden, Fla., helping the team to the Rotary Bowl championship.
Following his 1976 graduation from Northwood Institute (now University), with a bachelor of business administration, Ferrari spent nearly 20 years as a college football coach. From 1976 to 1983, he was offensive line coach, and later offensive and recruiting coordinator, at his alma mater. He then coached one year each at Murray State and Eastern Michigan before coming to Morningside Heights.
He returned to Northwood, where he had been a four-year letterman at guard and linebacker, as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, then was named Northwood's head coach in December 1986.
From 1987 through 1988, he was defensive coordinator and coached the inside linebackers at Brown, leading the Bears' to one of the top turnover margins in the nation while constructing a punt block team that blocked and/or sacked eight punt attempts in two seasons.
Ferrari returned to the Midwest in 1989 as outside linebackers and defensive ends coach at Minnesota. He continued his kick blocking success, as the Golden Gopher defense blocked three more punts and three field goal or extra point attempts. One of his players was selected in the NFL draft, while another signed as an NFL free agent.
In 1991-92 he coached linebackers and special teams at Kent State, which set a school single-season record in 1991 with seven blocked kicks or punts.
A Detroit native, Ferrari was a quarterback in high school, at Bishop Gallagher High. He and his wife, Christina, live on Morningside Heights.
Recruiting Areas Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee
