Tony Petersen
Encyclopedia
Tony Petersen is the current co-offensive coordinator for the Marshall Thundering Herd football
team. As a player, Petersen set 16 Southern Conference
single-season and career records in passing and total offense, to go along with six Marshall single-season school marks.
after a stellar career at Delta Community College in Stockton, California
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
after his first season at Delta C.C.
As a football player at Marshall, Petersen was named the 1988 Southern Conference Athlete of the Year and the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 1987. Petersen set 16 Southern Conference single-season and career records in passing and total offense, to go along with six Marshall single-season school marks. He threw a record 35 touchdown passes in 1987. Petersen also set NCAA records for most passes in a game without an interception (68) and for most regular season games (11) with more than 200 yards passing. Peterson also played on the Herd's baseball team.
in 1989, Petersen started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Kentucky Wildcats football
team in 1990. A year later Petersen's eight seasons at Marshall got started (1991–1998), the Thundering Herd qualified for the postseason eight straight times, winning national championships in 1992 and 1996 and Mid-American Conference
titles in both 1997 and 1998. Peterson served as wide receivers coach in 1992 and helped in the development of future three-time Super Bowl
Champion Troy Brown
. Peterson served as quarterbacks coach for five of his previous eight years at MU and worked as the offensive coordinator in 1998. In that capacity, he coached future NFL quarterbacks Chad Pennington
and Byron Leftwich
.
(1999–2006), Petersen served as co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and eventually the passing coordinator for the Golden Gophers. Quarterback Bryan Cupito
set the new all-time leading passing mark under Petersen. In 2006, the Gophers had a 2,000-yard passer for a fifth straight year, a school record. Petersen also played a crucial role in the progress of Asad Abdul-Khaliq
at Minnesota as the quarterback rewrote the Gophers' record books.
team. Under Petersen, Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer finished his Cyclone career in 2007 with school record totals for passing yards and total offense.
. Petersen was hired as assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach by Marshall head coach Doc Holliday in January 2010.
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
team. As a player, Petersen set 16 Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
single-season and career records in passing and total offense, to go along with six Marshall single-season school marks.
Playing career
Petersen went to Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
after a stellar career at Delta Community College in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
after his first season at Delta C.C.
As a football player at Marshall, Petersen was named the 1988 Southern Conference Athlete of the Year and the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 1987. Petersen set 16 Southern Conference single-season and career records in passing and total offense, to go along with six Marshall single-season school marks. He threw a record 35 touchdown passes in 1987. Petersen also set NCAA records for most passes in a game without an interception (68) and for most regular season games (11) with more than 200 yards passing. Peterson also played on the Herd's baseball team.
First stint at Marshall
After being a free agent signee to the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in 1989, Petersen started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Kentucky Wildcats football
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
team in 1990. A year later Petersen's eight seasons at Marshall got started (1991–1998), the Thundering Herd qualified for the postseason eight straight times, winning national championships in 1992 and 1996 and Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
titles in both 1997 and 1998. Peterson served as wide receivers coach in 1992 and helped in the development of future three-time Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Champion Troy Brown
Troy Brown
Troy Fitzgerald Brown is a former NFL wide receiver, cornerback and punt returner in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall...
. Peterson served as quarterbacks coach for five of his previous eight years at MU and worked as the offensive coordinator in 1998. In that capacity, he coached future NFL quarterbacks Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
and Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich
Byron Antron Leftwich is an American football quarterback in the National Football League who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University.Leftwich has also played...
.
Minnesota
During Petersen's eight seasons at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
(1999–2006), Petersen served as co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and eventually the passing coordinator for the Golden Gophers. Quarterback Bryan Cupito
Bryan Cupito
Bryan Cupito, born on June 29, 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for three years, from 2004 to 2006. He graduated from McNicholas High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2002 before graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2006.-Family:Many...
set the new all-time leading passing mark under Petersen. In 2006, the Gophers had a 2,000-yard passer for a fifth straight year, a school record. Petersen also played a crucial role in the progress of Asad Abdul-Khaliq
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
Asad Tajmmal Abdul-Khaliq is an American arena football quarterback, who is currently a free agent. He was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team from 2000 to 2003...
at Minnesota as the quarterback rewrote the Gophers' record books.
Iowa State
Petersen spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the Quarterbacks coach for the Iowa State Cyclones footballIowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
team. Under Petersen, Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer finished his Cyclone career in 2007 with school record totals for passing yards and total offense.
Second stint at Marshall
After spending the 2009 season as the associate head coach for the University of South DakotaUniversity of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
. Petersen was hired as assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach by Marshall head coach Doc Holliday in January 2010.