Years Coaching College: 36 years
Years Coaching Professionally: 2 years
Years Coaching High School: 3 years
Widely regarded as one of the finest defensive assistants in college football, John Palermo is entering his first season at Ave Maria University. His coaching career includes an impressive track record of producing All-Americans, Pro Bowlers and top NFL Draft selections.
Coach Palermo most recently coached at the University of Pittsburgh staff for two years but is most prominently linked to Wisconsin, where he served as an integral figure in Wisconsin's rise to national stature. He served as Wisconsin’s assistant head coach from 1991 to 2005, during which time Wisconsin won three Big Ten titles (1993, 1998 and 1999). During his 15-year span at Wisconsin, Coach Palermo also oversaw the defensive line (1996 to 2005) and outside linebackers (1991 to 95). While at Wisconsin, Coach Palermo was responsible for four first-team All-Americans, four Big Ten Defensive Linemen of the Year, two Big Ten Defensive Players of the Year, and two first-round draft selections in Wendell Bryant (2002) and Erasmus James (2005). The 2004 NFL Draft saw the entire Wisconsin starting defensive line drafted.
Coach Palermo has had many other stops during his 41-year coaching career, including as the defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee (2012) and Middle Tennessee State University (2010 to 2011). While at Middle Tennessee, he coached end Jamari Lattimore, who now is with the Green Bay Packers.
Prior to that, he served as the defensive line coach of the Washington Redskins. Under his tutelage, rookie Brian Orakpo was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in a dual role as a defensive end and linebacker. The Redskins ranked in the top ten in fewest yards allowed in the NFL both seasons.
Coach Palermo also served for two seasons at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz (1988 to 1989). During his tenure in South Bend, he coached defensive lineman Chris Zorich, a two-time consensus All-American and the 1990 winner of the prestigious Lombardi Award. In 1988 the Irish claimed the national title with a 12-0 record, including a Fiesta Bowl win against West Virginia. During his two seasons at Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish only lost one game.
Coach Palermo also served as the head coach at Austin Peay State University in 1990, a place where he had received his first full-time coaching position as a defensive line coach in 1979. He also coached at Tennessee Tech (2007), the University of Miami (2006), the University of Minnesota (1984 to 1987), Appalachian State (1983) and Memphis State (1980 to 1982).
Coach Palermo was a two-year letterman for Florida State before graduating in 1974 and becoming a high school assistant coach for three seasons at Bainbridge High School in Georgia. From there, he became a graduate assistant at North Carolina State in 1977 and 1978.
Coach Palermo and his wife Donna have two children. Their son Jason coaches offensive line at the University of Massachusetts, and their daughter Jessica is the associate director of championships at the Big Ten Conference.
