Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell officially announced two more additions to his coaching staff on Tuesday.
Mississippi State assistant Chris Marve will take over as linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator, while Maryland's John Papuchis will serve as special-teams coordinator and defensive ends coach.
That brings the number of official Norvell hirings to seven. The previous announcements were: Deputy head coach Chris Thomsen | Offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham | Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller | Defensive line coach Odell Haggins | and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans.
FSU also is expected to announce the hiring of Charlotte offensive coordinator/OL coach Alex Atkins as offensive line coach, although that hiring has not yet been made official. That will leave only openings for a running backs coach and a defensive secondary coach.
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Here are Tuesday's official releases from FSU:
Marve named LBs coach, defensive run game coordinator
Chris Marve has been named Florida State’s linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator, head coach Mike Norvell announced Tuesday.
“I’m extremely excited about the addition of Chris Marve to the Florida State football family,” Norvell said. “Chris is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in all of college football. He has a brilliant defensive mind and a tremendous work ethic. He develops incredible relationships with each of his student-athletes, which will be phenomenal for our current team and also allows him to be a dynamic recruiter. He’s had success as a player, being an All-SEC performer and leading tackler at Vanderbilt University. Chris is one of the rising stars in the coaching profession, and we’re excited to have him here in Tallahassee."
Marve comes to Tallahassee after one season as Mississippi State’s defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to that he spent five seasons coaching at Vanderbilt, his alma mater, and coached the Commodores’ inside linebackers from 2016-18. In August 2018, ESPN.com named Marve to its 40 Under 40, a list of ascending coaching stars. In 2017 and 2018, 247Sports recognized him on its 30 Under 30 list, and also in 2017 he was included on the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 recognition.
“I am both honored and humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of the Florida State football program,” Marve said. “The tradition of excellence and culture of championships is remarkable. I am excited to teach, mentor and develop our student-athletes through Coach Norvell’s vision and leadership.”
In 2019, his Bulldogs tied for first in the SEC and for third in FBS with 13 fumble recoveries, while their 23 total takeaways ranked second in the SEC and tied for 12th nationally. Team captain Erroll Thompson led Mississippi State with 84 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and also had six quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two pass breakups.
Under Marve’s direction in 2018, Vanderbilt senior Jordan Griffin ranked second in the SEC and 29th nationally with 119 tackles. Dimitri Moore led all SEC freshmen with 84 tackles and was named to the Freshman All-SEC team. In 2017, Marve tutored Oren Burks who was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Burks’ selection marked the first time in program history Vanderbilt had a linebacker drafted in three straight years.
In his first season as the Commodores’ inside linebackers coach, Marve oversaw one of the greatest seasons by a Vanderbilt linebacker and helped reach the program’s first bowl game since 2013. Zach Cunningham was a consensus first-team All-American after leading the SEC and ranking 11th in the country with 125 tackles and third in the conference with 16.5 tackles for loss. Cunningham was picked by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the highest-drafted Vanderbilt defender since 2001, and has recorded 336 tackles in 45 games played over his first three professional seasons.
During his first two seasons on staff, Marve worked with Cunningham, Stephen Weatherly and Nigel Bowden. Weatherly made 98 tackles, including 21.0 for loss, in his two seasons working with Marve and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2016. In 2015, Cunningham was a first-team All-SEC performer with 103 tackles, including 16.5 for loss. Bowden earned Freshman All-SEC recognition after recording 78 tackles in 2014.
A four-time All-SEC linebacker during his playing career at Vanderbilt, Marve is one of the most decorated players in VU history. His 397 career tackles ranked ninth on the program’s all-time list, and his 30.0 tackles for loss tied for sixth. He was a Freshman All-American in 2008 after registering 105 tackles and four forced fumbles, ending the season with 10 tackles in the Music City Bowl victory over Boston College.
As a sophomore, Marve made a career-high 121 tackles, including a career-best 57 solo stops, and averaged 10.1 tackles per game in conference play. His performance earned him second-team All-SEC recognition. He was named co-captain as a junior and again earned All-SEC honors after recording 80 tackles, including 8.0 for loss.
He was selected a captain again his senior season and led Vanderbilt back to postseason play. His All-SEC season, during which he also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, included a team-high 91 tackles and concluded in his hometown of Memphis at the Liberty Bowl.
Marve earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and human and organizational development from Vanderbilt in 2011. He completed his master’s degree in higher education administration from Vanderbilt in 2015.Marve is married to the former Lauren Dillard, a fellow Vanderbilt graduate, and the couple has a daughter, Rhyan Monroe.
Chris Marve Coaching History
2020 -- Florida State Linebackers Coach/Defensive Run Game Coordinator
2019 -- Mississippi State Linebackers Coach/Defensive Run Game Coordinator
2016-18 Vanderbilt Inside Linebackers Coach
2015 Vanderbilt Graduate Assistant
2014 Vanderbilt Defensive Quality Control
Papuchis named special-teams coordinator, DEs coach
John Papuchis has been named Florida State’s special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach, head coach Mike Norvell announced Tuesday.
“I’m extremely excited about the addition of Coach Papuchis to the Seminole family,” Norvell said. “He brings a wealth of experience with 10 of the last 12 years as a Division I assistant in a coordinating role. His special teams unit at Maryland was one of the best in the country. He’s an innovator of special teams but also a technician and fundamentally based in all teachings. He’s a dynamic recruiter who has been recognized as one of the top recruiters in the nation year in and year out and will be a tremendous asset to our staff.”
Papuchis comes to Tallahassee after coordinating Maryland’s special teams and coaching inside linebackers in 2019. He has been a defensive coordinator at North Carolina and Nebraska and also served as special teams coordinator at Nebraska. He won the 2007 national championship as part of the staff at LSU and has coached in six conference title games.
“I am truly honored to be part of Coach Norvell’s staff and to be part of the Florida State family,” Papuchis said. “Florida State is one of those special places in college football with such a rich tradition, and I look forward to being part of a new era.”
In 2019, Maryland had a special teams efficiency rating of 67.4 to rank 11th in ESPN’s efficiency rankings. The Terrapins were one of only four Power 5 teams with at least one kickoff return touchdown and punt return touchdown. Maryland led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the country with an average of 13.67 yards per punt return, and the Terrapins allowed only 4.00 yards per punt return to rank 17th nationally. Maryland’s kickoff return average of 22.73 yards per return was fourth in the Big Ten.
Javon Leake was the 2019 Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year and a first-team All-Big Ten return specialist. He led the conference and ranked third in the nation with 804 kickoff return yards, while his school-record-tying two kickoff return touchdowns were the most in the Big Ten and fifth nationally and his Big Ten-leading average of 26.8 yards per kickoff return was 13th in the country.
Papuchis spent the 2015-18 seasons at North Carolina, serving as linebackers coach his first two seasons before being promoted to defensive coordinator for 2017 and 2018. He made an immediate impact in 2015 as the Tar Heels posted the most improved Power 5 defense in the country. North Carolina allowed 14.5 fewer points per game than the season before and also had the highest jump in pass efficiency defense and yards allowed per pass attempt. The Tar Heels led the ACC in interceptions, turnovers gained, turnover margin and passes defended while tying the single-season school record with 11 victories, breaking the program record with an 8-0 ACC mark, advancing to the ACC Championship Game for the first time and ranking 15th in the final national polls.
The 2016 UNC defense led the ACC in passing touchdowns allowed and passing yards allowed per game, while allowing the fewest touchdowns by receivers in the country. The Tar Heels held their opponents to only 11 passing touchdowns, tied for fourth-best in the nation, and ranked 12th in FBS with an average of 180.8 passing yards allowed per game.
In his first season as defensive coordinator, Papuchis helped direct M.J. Stewart, a second-team All-ACC performer and second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville native Andre Smith who was taken in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers. Stewart ended his career with a school-record 41 pass breakups.
Papuchis spent seven seasons at Nebraska and was the Huskers’ defensive coordinator for the last three. He was the youngest solo defensive coordinator in the country when he was promoted to the post in 2012. In his three seasons coordinating the defense, Nebraska held 11 opponents to 14 or fewer points. In 2014, his defense ranked second in the country by allowing a completion percentage of just 48.5 while also ranking fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense at 104.83 and fifth in third-down percentage at .301.
His first four seasons in Lincoln were spent coordinating special teams and coaching the defensive line. He was one of four finalists for the 2010 Football Scoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. On defense, he coached back-to-back Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winners in Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara. In 2009, Suh won the Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Bednarik Award while also being a Heisman finalist. Suh, the first defensive player to earn AP Player of the Year honors, was picked second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Papuchis also helped Prince Amukamara become a unanimous All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 before being drafted 19th overall by the New York Giants.
From 2004-07 Papuchis was on staff at LSU assisting in every aspect of the defensive gameplan and scouting reports. He helped the Tigers rank among the nation’s top defenses, placing in the top three in total defense each season from 2005 through 2007.
The 2007 team won the SEC and national championships, defeating Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS National Championship Game. The 2006 Tigers allowed only 242.8 yards per game, the lowest average at LSU since 1976, and led the SEC in six defensive categories while ranking in the top-five nationally in points allowed, total defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense. LSU had the nation’s third-best total defense, third-best scoring defense and sixth-best rushing defense in 2005.
Papuchis also coached the punters at LSU. In 2007, Patrick Fisher led the SEC with an average of 44.5 yards per punt and was a first-team All-SEC selection. Papuchis’ first year on Nick Saban’s staff was 2004, and he helped the Tigers reach the Capital One Bowl.
Papuchis began his career as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 2001-03. In 2001, he worked with the secondary and assisted coaching the linebackers. In 2003, Kansas earned a berth in the Tangerine Bowl.
Papuchis graduated from Virginia Tech in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Kansas in 2003.
Papuchis and his wife, Billie, have three daughters, Addyson, Sophia and Rylee, and two sons, John and Jack.
John Papuchis Coaching History
2020 - Florida State Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Ends Coach
2019 - Maryland Special Teams Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach
2017-18 - North Carolina Defensive Coordinator
2015-16 - North Carolina Linebackers Coach
2012-14 - Nebraska Defensive Coordinator
2011 - Nebraska Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coord.
2008-10 - Nebraska Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
2004-07 - LSU Defensive Intern
2001-03 - Kansas Graduate Assistant
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