A native of Hamilton, New Jersey,
Colin Ferrell is in his second season as Rutgers’ defensive line coach. Spending the previous 11 seasons on the staff at Kent State, his stint included serving as interim head coach, working with the defensive line and being named one of the top recruiters in the Mid-American Conference.
• Helping the Scarlet Knights to a winning season and invitation to the Rate Bowl, the defensive line saw DL Kyonte Hamilton and DL Aaron Lewis both earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2024. Hamilton joined DL Jordan Walker with a team-leading four sacks apiece. The position group also recorded two sacks in the end zone for safeties.
• Hamilton (No. 6), Walker (No. 14) and DL Malcolm Ray (No. 18) all graded out in the top 20 of the Big Ten at their positions by
Pro Football Focus.
• Hamilton was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.
• Ferrell served in numerous roles with the Golden Flashes in 11 seasons (2013-23), including coaching defensive line and outside linebackers, plus serving as interim head coach after starting as a graduate assistant.
• In 2023, Ferrell mentored Third Team All-MAC selection DL CJ West, who posted seven tackles-for-loss among 40 overall stops for the defense.
• In 2021, the defensive line was a big part of the Flashes' seven-win season. They helped the unit create 25 total turnovers, 10th nationally. That followed a 3-1 2020 season that saw the defense hold Eastern Michigan to 61 rushing yards in the season opener.
• Ferrell led the defensive line and helped the Golden Flashes to their first bowl win in program history in 2019 with a 51-41 victory over Utah State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. He coached DL Theo Majette, who earned Third Team All-MAC honors. Majette tallied a team-high 5.5 sacks along with 40 tackles and a forced fumble.
• Following the February signing period of 2019, Ferrell rated as one of the top-five recruiters in the MAC by
247Sports. He played an integral role in netting the fifth-best class in the conference for 2018 and the fourth-best in 2019.
• Ferrell was promoted to a full-time assistant in 2016 after spending three seasons as a defensive graduate assistant. In 2017, NT Jon Cunningham claimed All-MAC honors, while DE Matt Sommers was named to the Academic All-MAC Team.
• In 2016, two Kent State defensive linemen earned All-MAC honors, including first-team honors for DE Terence Waugh, his second career selection. DE Theo Eboigbe was named to the Academic All-MAC Team.
• In 2015, Ferrell helped the Flashes rank third in the MAC in both total defense and pass defense and fourth in rushing defense. As a graduate assistant, Ferrell's main focus was on the defensive line, where Waugh was named to the All-MAC First Team.
• Ferrell spent four seasons as a high school coach, including three at The Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, and one at Steinert in Hamilton, New Jersey.
• A four-year letterwinner on the defensive line with the Golden Flashes from 2004-07, Ferrell was an All-MAC First Team selection and team captain as a senior. He is currently fifth in school history with 45.5 tackles-for-loss during his career.
• Ferrell signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, playing throughout the 2008 preseason.
• An all-state defensive lineman at Steinert High School, Ferrell was inducted into Steinert's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Hometown: Hamilton, N.J.
Alma Mater: Kent State, 2007
Wife: Talea
Child: Daughter, Gayle
2024-present: Rutgers (defensive line)
2019-23: Kent State (defensive line)
2018: Kent State (outside linebackers)
2017: Kent State (interim head coach)
2016-17: Kent State (defensive line)
2013-15: Kent State (graduate assistant)
2012: Steinert High School (assistant)
2009-11: The Hun School (assistant)
