Courtesy: Courtesy Photo Steve Stripling has joined the CMU football coaching staff.

MOUNT PLEASANT – Central Michigan University head football coach Butch Jones has announced the addition of Steve Stripling to the Chippewas’ coaching staff.

Stripling will serve as the associate head coach-defense and will work directly with CMU’s defensive ends.

“We are very excited about the addition of Steve Stripling to our staff and welcome him, his wife Gayle, and their children Christy, Cody and Chad into the Central Michigan Football Family,” Jones said. “Steve brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, passion and tremendous people and communicative skills. Everyone associated with our football family will benefit from the addition of Coach Stripling.”

Stripling brings 30 years of experience to the Chippewas’ staff, including more than two decades spent in the Big Ten Conference. He has been a part of 20 bowl games at the Division I level as a player and coach.

Stripling most recently was an assistant at the University of Michigan, where he coached the defensive line from 2005-07. He worked directly with defensive end LaMarr Woodley, a 2006 All-American who won the Lombardi Award and Ted Hendricks Trophy. Woodley also was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year in 2006. Tackle Alan Branch also earned All-Big Ten first team and All-America second team accolades under Stripling.

The 2006 Wolverines led the nation in rush defense, surrendering just 43.3 yards per game on the ground. Stripling was a part of Michigan teams that played in the Alamo Bowl, Rose Bowl and Capital One Bowl.

Stripling’s other Big Ten experience includes two seasons at Michigan State University (2003-04), four seasons at the University of Minnesota (1997-2000) and 13 seasons at Indiana University (1984-96). He was the defensive coordinator at Indiana in 1996.

Stripling worked directly with two All-Big Ten selections at Michigan State, two at Minnesota and seven at Indiana. He was part of the 2003 Alamo Bowl at Michigan, the 1999 Sun Bowl and 2000 MicronPC.com Bowl at Minnesota and six bowl games at Indiana.

Stripling also spent four seasons at Northern Illinois University (1983-86) and two years at the University of Louisville (2001-02). He helped lead NIU to the 1983 Mid-American Conference championship and coached three all-conference selections at Louisville, including 2001 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Dewayne White.

Stripling earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Colorado. As a player, he was part of Colorado teams that played in three bowl games: the 1971 Bluebonnet Bowl, 1972 Gator Bowl and 1975 Bluebonnet Bowl.

He signed a free-agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons after graduating from Colorado in 1976. He spent the 1977-78 seasons as a graduate assistant at his alma mater before filling the role of recruiting coach at the University of North Carolina in 1979.

Stripling and his wife, Gayle, are the parents of three children: Christy, Cody and Chad.