While many NFL coaching staffs include former college assistants, few teams embrace this concept more than the Los Angeles Chargers.
It makes sense as to why the Chargers operate the way they do. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has spent 16 seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level. He has no shortage of connections across the country.
When Harbaugh took the Chargers job last offseason, he brought multiple staffers from the Michigan Wolverines, where he had coached for the previous eight seasons. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who had been with Michigan for two seasons, was one of the first coaches to follow Harbaugh.
On Wednesday, Harbaugh and the Chargers once again turned to the college ranks. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that former Florida State Seminoles defensive coordinator Adam Fuller would be joining LA’s coaching staff as a safeties coach.
The Chargers are set to hire former Florida State DC Adam Fuller as the team’s new safeties coach. He’s a veteran college defensive coordinator with stops at FSU, Memphis and Marshall. He served as the head coach at Assumption College in 2008. pic.twitter.com/wNemXiv7Qi
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 5, 2025
Fuller replaces Chris O’Leary, who took the defensive coordinator job with the Western Michigan Broncos earlier this week.
After his playing career at Sacred Heart ended in 1997, Fuller became a coach. He spent ten seasons as a defensive position coach at various small schools on the East Coast.
In 2008, he was named the head coach at Assumption University, which he spent just one year doing. He then spent the next four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Chattanooga Mocs. Fuller then joined the staff at Marshall, first as an associate head coach and linebackers coach. He was named the defensive coordinator in 2018.
A one-year stop as defensive coordinator with the Memphis Tigers gave way to the Florida State job, which Fuller took in 2020.
His time with Florida State was moderately successful, with multiple players selected in the NFL Draft and a unit that was top 10 in the country in 2022.
Fuller was instrumental in FSU’s strong 2023 season, as well.
However, the 2024 season was a disaster for all involved with FSU. In November, Fuller was fired after the team’s 1-9 start.
If nothing else, Fuller brings years of experience and adds another voice in the room to the coaching staff.
About Robert O'Neill