Chris Ash - Secondary Coach/Recruiting Coordinator - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Chris Ash

Title:
Secondary Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
Phone:
(515) 294-8059

Chris Ash, who went to five bowl games on the Iowa State football coaching staff between 2000 and 2005, joined the Cyclone coaching staff of Paul Rhoads as secondary coach and recruiting coordinator in January. Ash first came to Iowa State in 2000 as a defensive graduate assistant under Dan McCarney. He was promoted to secondary coach in 2002 and served in that capacity through 2006.? Ash was named recruiting coordinator for that last season.

Ash was the secondary coach at San Diego State the past two years. He was also tabbed as the program’s recruiting coordinator last season. The Aztecs nearly doubled their interception count in his first season at San Diego State.

Ash is an Ottumwa native who made an immediate impact at Iowa State. His Cyclone secondary units ranked among the best nationally. In 2005, Ash’s secondary was part of an Iowa State defense that ranked seventh nationally with 35 turnovers.? The Cyclones led the Big 12 Conference in interceptions that season with 22 picks. ISU was ranked 20th nationally in pass efficiency defense in 2004.

At Iowa State, Ash coached first-team all-Big 12 cornerback LaMarcus Hicks, who currently plays for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. New England Patriot Ellis Hobbs played for Ash en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors at cornerback. Second-team All-Big 12 safety Steve Paris and third-team All-Big 12 safety Jamaine Billups were also was tutored by Ash. In 2004 and 2005, Ash’s secondary made 39 interceptions combined.

Ash graduated from Drake in 1996, where he was the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for two seasons. The Bulldogs won the 1998 Pioneer Conference title and ranked eighth nationally in total defense. A two-year letterwinner as a safety at Drake, Ash earned a master’s degree in education from Iowa State in 2005.