Former Steeler Keith Willis to coach Edinboro's defensive line

Edinboro wanted a coach for its defensive line. So why not hire one who knows what it’s like to sack a quarterback?

Coach Jake Nulph found Keith Willis, a veteran coach with college and pro experience, and one of the most prolific sack artists in Pittsburgh Steelers history.

Willis, named assistant head coach/defensive line coach at Edinboro, also knows how to climb a ladder of success.

He was undrafted from Northeastern in 1982, but he drew an NFL paycheck through the 1993 season. He played 10 seasons with the Steelers, collecting 59 sacks (a team record by the time he left the team), including a career-high 14 in 1983 and 12 in 1986.

He played 10 seasons with the Steelers where he recorded all of his career sacks and still ranks sixth in that category in team history. He also played one season with the Buffalo Bills and a final one with the Washington Redskins.

Willis, 60, most recently was the assistant defensive line coach of the Tennessee Titans in 2016 and ‘17 after spending three seasons in the same position with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

He began his coaching career at Slippery Rock before working on staffs at the University of Cincinnati, Boston College and N.C. State.

“Keith’s experience both as a player and a coach will make him a tremendous asset to Edinboro University,” Nulph said in a statement. “He is a great man of character and our young men are going to learn so much from him.”

Said Willis: “I want to come in with the goals of winning big and helping the student-athletes graduate from the university.”