Jake Zweig is in his third season on Lovie Smith’s staff at the University of Illinois in 2019 and first in Football Player Development. Zweig spent the last two seasons as a special teams analyst.

Prior to coming to Champaign-Urbana, Zweig served as the co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach at the University of Findlay and as a coach with the Minnesota Vikings Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship. He also has experience at Incarnate Word, New Hampshire, Iona, Catholic University of America and Maryland.

Zweig is a results-driven leader who has brought the standards of excellence in teamwork, focus, and toughness from his former world as a Navy SEAL to college football. Zweig utilizes proven motivational techniques and sincere mentorship to develop his players into tomorrow’s leaders. His unique background blends the intensity of his military Special Forces training with his commitment to the success of his football team.

At Findlay, Zweig bolstered the performance of the defense from the bottom of the division to the middle of their league. He employed battlefield tested leadership methods along with the latest coaching apps and social media tools to engage his millennial-generation football players. During a coaching clinic stop at Ohio University, he led the team and staff through a leadership program comprised of leadership skills training, problem solving scenarios, and, of course, a rigorous team bonding Navy SEAL workout.

While at Incarnate Word, Zweig targeted the team’s play execution process and their workouts, which resulted in significant game-time improvements. In 2013, he coached the first top-10 finish in UIW special teams’ history; finishing at No. 7 in net punting and No. 8 in punt return defense. With the move up from Division II to FCS, the tremendous performance of the special teams and outside linebackers was instrumental in the program’s first winning record.

During the 2011 season, Zweig coached with the Bryant University defense staff. He challenged the Bulldog defense to stretch for ambitious goals and re-define their knowledge of defensive tactics.

At New Hampshire, he was the defensive line and special teams coach. Zweig boosted the New Hampshire defense to 21st in the nation in sacks—up from 109th the previous year—and coached two defensive players who earned all-league status. Zweig’s arrival at New Hampshire followed a successful season as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at Iona College. Prior to Iona, he spent two seasons as the defensive line and special teams coach at the Catholic University of America. At Catholic, his special teams earned top conference honors in both touchdowns scored and punt return yards.

Zweig can personally relate to prospective players and their parents by drawing from his own experience of setting and achieving difficult goals. As a result, he was instrumental in recruiting the largest class in the history of Catholic football. A true mentor to his team, Zweig charted and executed academic progression plans, identified academic problems early, and created incentives for consistent performance which led to significantly higher grade point averages. Prior to Catholic, he began his coaching career at the University of Maryland staff as a graduate assistant working with the Terrapin wide receivers.

Jake Zweig earned a master’s of business administration from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s of science in computer science from the U.S. Naval Academy. His athletic record at the Naval Academy includes playing nose guard, varsity wrestling, and an intensive swimming routine in preparation to be a Navy diver. In the Navy, he served as a surface warfare officer onboard the USS Merrimack before reporting for Navy SEAL training at the Basic Underwater Demolition School. SEAL training is the most grueling and demanding physical and mental regimen in the world and Zweig not only personally excelled at the challenge, but mentored the other trainees through the program and was named the leader of class 217. Following his training, Zweig reported to SEAL Team 8 in Little Creek, Virginia, and attained the rank of Lieutenant.

A native of Steilacoom, Washington, he attended the Charles Wright Academy of Tacoma where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the 1989 state runner-up football team. He was also a State “A” wrestling champion and a member of the varsity golf team.

Outreach

Innovative leadership and reaching young people through mentorship and team-building are cornerstones of his coaching. Zweig pursues opportunities to collaborate with coaching and leadership professionals and to connect with audiences. Some of his outreach efforts include the following:

• As part of the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship in 2016, Zweigh spent six weeks with the Minnesota Vikings.
• Mentor and advise seven minority officers through Navy SEAL training and in the SEAL Teams.
• Attended the first class of the ACE Academy for future head coaches in partnership with the NCAA and NFL.
• Expanded his coaching perspective by participating in the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy in Orlando, Florida.
• Engaged with the Oakland Raiders defensive line and special teams staff and players where he gained valuable insight into their off-season development program.
• Earned appointments to the University of New Hampshire President’s Commission on the Status of Disabled People, the President’s Commission on the Status of People of Color, and the NCAA’s Football Coaches Academy.
• Hosted numerous video features on Scout.com that showcased his military background and football coaching methodology.
• Participated in several speaking engagements with Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder highlighting veteran’s issues.
• Created a series of leadership essays, posted to his LinkedIn.com profile, drawn from his experiences and personal values that have been used as educational supplements for current military leaders and educators.
• Keynote speaker at the annual North-South All-Star game, as well as, several high school speaking engagements.

Off the Clock

Zweig enjoys competing in physical and mental challenges. Some of his off-the-clock activities involve the camaraderie of military-style activities with friends and veterans. Other activities have tested his problem solving skills in extreme and inhospitable environments—including one survival contest in the Namibian desert that challenged his sanity.  

• Co-hosted the Discovery Channel series titled “Dude You’re Screwed” that pitted Special Forces veterans and survivalists in a competition to survive the world’s harshest places. Zweig notably defied the freezing peak of an Icelandic mountain and a scorching desert in southwest Africa.
• Competed in the History Channel’s “Top Shot” marksmanship show. Zweig eagerly competed against law enforcement officers, military snipers, and professional shooters with his usual full-throttle approach.
• Scuba diving and parachuting with friends to raise awareness for veteran’s charities and for recreation.

Coaching Experience