Jay Hood brings a wealth of experience to the Greyhound staff, having coached nearly every level of amateur football, including high school, NAIA and all three levels of the NCAA. He came to UIndy in 2020 after serving as the defensive coordinator at nearby DePauw University.
Hood's d-line group helped the Hounds rank third in Division II in tackles for loss per game in the abbreviated 2021 spring season and then eighth in DII in sacks per game in the fall of '21. Last year, a pair of UIndy defensive linemen garnered All-GLVC First Team recogition.
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Prior to UIndy, Hood has filled the DC role at a number of stops, including at Division I Ball State (2009-10) and Miami University (2005-08). Most notably, Hood helped guide the RedHawks to the MAC East Division title in 2007, with his defense leading the conference in sacks per game (3.7) and scoring defense (12.8 ppg). His move to UIndy reunites him with current Greyhound DC Tim Cooper, who was on the Miami staff at that same time.
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Hood also wore the Defensive Coordinator hat at Western Carolina, Fort Hays State and Millikin University. Prior to those stops, he spent four seasons as the head coach at DII Colorado Mesa (1994-97, then called Mesa State).
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Earlier in his career, he was an assistant on RMAC-winning teams at Fort Hays (1993) and Colorado Mesa (1988), helping the former school to a pair of postseason appearances.
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As a student-athlete, Hood was a three-time captain at Ohio Wesleyan and was inducted into the Battling Bishops' Hall of Fame in 2004. A three-time all-conference honorable mention quarterback, Hood graduated with career school records for completions (425), attempts (856), passing yards (4469), total plays (1147) and total offense yards (4287).
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He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in health and physical education from Ohio Wesleyan in 1986, graduating magna cum laude. He later earned a Master of Education in athletic administration from Bowling Green.
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Hood is married to his wife Renee, and is the son of a former college football head coach Wally Hood (Ohio Northern, Otterbein and Fairmont State).
