Assistant head coach Brian Mohnsen, affectionately known as coach “Moose”, has been a part of college football since his playing days at University of Nebraska in the early 90s and has been a part of 13 conference championships. Mohnsen takes over as defensive coordinator for the Coyotes in 2018 after serving as defensive line coach for two seasons.
Mohnsen first teamed with head coach Bob Nielson at Western Illinois in 2014. He made the move to Vermillion alongside Nielson in December of 2015.
Mohnsen’s coaching career began at his alma mater in 1992. He spent 12 years on staff with the Huskers, serving as director of the video scouting department and assisted with gameday management. He worked alongside legendary coach Tom Osborne and was a part of national championships in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
In 2004, Mohnsen became the defensive coordinator at Northwestern Oklahoma State where he guided a Ranger defense that ranked in the top five in rushing, passing and scoring defense. He transitioned to defensive line coach at Minnesota State where he spent the 2005 season.
Mohnsen worked on staff at Buffalo from 2006-09 where he coached the linebackers (2006) and defensive line (2007-09). Mohnsen helped lead the Bulls to back-to-back Mid-American Conference East Division Championships and to Buffalo’s first-ever trip to a bowl game in 2008 (International Bowl).
Mohnsen served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Nebraska alum Tony Samuel at Southeast Missouri State for three years starting in 2011. He moved to Macomb, Ill., ahead of the 2014 season to serve as defensive line coach for Nielson at Western Illinois and was promoted to assistant head coach for defense ahead of the 2015 campaign.
Mohnsen helped lead the Leathernecks to the 2015 FCS playoffs, the first trip for the program since 2010. Western Illinois advanced to the second round to culminate a seven-win season.
Perhaps the biggest reason for the Coyotes' resurgence in 2017 was the play of Mohnsen's defensive line. The unit, led by All-American defensive end Darin Greenfield, tied for fifth nationally with 40 sacks, and the run defense improved by 100 yards per game from the previous year. The result was the program's first eight-win season at the Division I level and the Coyotes' first trip to the FCS playoffs.
Mohnsen graduated from Nebraska in 1991 with a degree in secondary education. He and his wife, Kerri, have a daughter, Madison.
