Zak Willis Position: Recruiting Coordinator Experience: Second Season ALMA MATER: Furman '90

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A former collegiate head coach, Zak Willis begins his first season at Miami as recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. He most recently served two years as a graduate assistant at Michigan State, assisting the offensive staff.

In six years as the head coach at Newberry College from 2003-08, Willis led the program to a 39-25 record. His winning percentage of .609 is the highest of any football coach in Newberry history. Willis directed the Indians to their best season in school history in 2006, as Newberry finished the season with an 11-2 record and captured its first-ever South Atlantic Conference Championship. The Scarlet and Gray made their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, advancing to the quarterfinal round. For his efforts, Willis was named the SAC Coach of the Year in 2006.

Prior to coaching at Newberry College, Willis was the head coach for three seasons at Pikeville (Ky.) College. Willis was a graduate assistant at South Carolina for four years before coaching at Pikeville, serving under head coaches Brad Scott and Lou Holtz as the tight ends coach and assistant to the recruiting coordinator.

He began his collegiate coaching career at Greenville (Ill.) College, where he was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1992-96.

Willis was a walk-on outside linebacker at Furman, where he earned bachelor's (History '90) and master's (Religious Education '92) degrees. He is married to the former Sara Ratliff and they have a son, Zackary, and a daughter, Reagan.