Jason Emerich enters his sixthh season as a member of Head Coach Zac Bruney's staff for the 2025 season as offensive line coach and Run Game Coordinator.
The Cardinal offensive line continued to grow under Emerich in 2024, paving the way for the fifth highest rushing offense in the MEC. The Cardinals averaged 160.1 rushing yards per game, and eclipsed 100 rushing yards in nine of the 11 games during the season. Their season-best effort came against Concord, where they finished just eight yards shy of the single-game record, rushing for 273 yards. Under Emerich's watch, Alex Goodrick would earn the first All-MEC honor of his career, taking home Second Team All-MEC honors at Right Guard.
The 2023 season was one of the most successful for the Wheeling University runnin game, finishing with 1,710 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns during the year. Under Emerich's watch, the Cardinals set the new single-game rushing record when they ran for 281 yards in the team's 58-3 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan on Homecoming & Family Weekend. Emerich also helped two of his offensive lineman receive year-end awards, with Peter Schmitt earning Second Team All-MEC honors while Zay Lewis was named Honorable Mention All-MEC.
In 2022, Emerich coached an offensive line that helped set records in the Wheeling Football rushing game. They cleared the way for the single-season program rushing yard record of 2,256 yards and helped the Wheeling running backs average a single-season best 4.7 yards per carry. His group plowed the way to a program record 224 net rushing yards against Alderson Broaddus on September 17th. He helped Cade Raudebaugh earn the second All-MEC honors of his career, when he was named First Team All-MEC for his efforts.
In 2021, Emerich played a big role in the team's National Signing Day, helping to bring 35 student-athletes while also playing an instrumental role in running two successful camps during the off-season. Emerich also captained an offensive line that doubled down on their best running game in program history as they led the way for Sy Alli to become the first 1,000-yard rusher in program history. Cade Raudebaugh earned his second All-MEC Honors when he was named All-MEC second team following the season.
During the 2020 season, Emerich oversaw a recruiting class that included 30 high school/college transfers signing their National Letter of Intent on National Signing Day. He also helped lead an offensive line that produced the best ground attack in school history, and included two All-MEC Honorees in center Aaron Hess and Tackle Cade Raudebaugh.
Prior to Wheeling, Emerich spent the past two seasons on P.J. Fleck's coaching staff at the University of Minnesota as an offensive graduate assistant working primarily with the offensive line. He was instrumental in the development with several All-Big 10 honorees on the offensive line, including two-time All-Big 10 selection Blaise Andries. Three members of the offensive line on the 2019 team that went 11-2 overall were named All-Big 10, including Andries, Sam Schlueter, and Curtis Dunlap Jr.
Emerich arrived in Minnesota after serving as an offensive quality control assistant for one season at Western Michigan. During his tenure with the Broncos he worked with All-American Chukwuma Okorafor, who was selected in the 3rd round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Emerich played at Syracuse from 2012-16 and earned four letters after taking a redshirt year. He saw action in 29 career games and started 15 at center for the Orange. He started the first two games of his senior season, but his career was cut short after suffering a shoulder injury.
Emerich also represented Syracuse off the field. He represented Syracuse at the 2016 ACC Kickoff media event and also served as president of the Syracuse University chapter of Uplifting Athletes from 2014-16. Emerich spearheaded an effort that raised more than $50,000 for those affected by rare diseases during his three-year term.
The New Ringgold, Pennsylvania, native was a three-time ACC Honor Roll selection and was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team in 2012 and the ACC All-Academic Team in 2015. In 2016, he was a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and Wuerffel Trophy for his commitment to athletics, academics and community service.
Emerich has a bachelor's degree in sport management and a master's in instructional design from Syracuse. He is currently completing a Master's in Education in Youth Development Leadership from Minnesota.
