Wayne Bolt - Football Coach - Troy University Athletics

Wayne Bolt

Title:
Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
Email:
wbolt@troy.edu
Phone:
3682

A 36-year coaching veteran, Wayne Bolt returned to Troy in 2013 following a career that has included stops at Auburn, Clemson, Iowa State and UAB.

In his first season back at Troy, the Trojan defense dramatically increased its sack and tackle-for-loss totals. Troy finished second in the Sun Belt in 2013 with 24 sacks after recording just 13 in 2012; the Trojans’ TFL total increased from 50 to 66.

Camren Hudson, Antonio Gillespie and Tyler Roberts earned All-Sun Belt honors during the 2013 season. The Trojans also returned two interceptions for a touchdown (Eli Canton & Hudson) marking the first time since 2007 a Troy team took two interceptions in for scores.

Before his return, Bolt most recently served as the director of football relations at Auburn under Gene Chizik. He joined Chizik at Iowa State in 2007 where he coached the Cyclone linebackers in addition to serving as the defensive coordinator for two seasons. He then moved with Chizik to Auburn prior to the 2009 season where he was part of the Tigers’ 2010 BCS National Championship team.

Bolt’s resume includes more than 20 former players who have gone on to play in the NFL including Troy’s own DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora. Bolt’s initial tenure with the Trojans ran from 1991 to 2002; he coached the Troy offensive line his first six seasons before taking over as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 1997.

Bolt’s defenses dominated during Troy’s years in the Southland Conference and as a FBS Independent. His 2002 unit finished the year fourth in the nation in total defense (276.8) and 13th against the run (105.3).

In Troy’s 67 games with Bolt as defensive coordinator, the Trojans allowed less than 110 yards rushing per game and just over 290 yards of total offense per contest. Under Bolt’s guidance, Troy dominated the Southland Conference each year from 1997-2000. During that time, his units either ranked first or second in the SLC in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense. The only exception came in 2000 when the Trojans ranked third in total defense after allowing just 294.1 yards per game.

Troy held opponents to just 14.3 points per game in 1997, 18.2 points per game in 1998 , 14.5 points per game in 2000 and 12.6 points per game in 2001.

He coached two All-America players on the offensive line, Bob Hall (1994-95) and Kerry Jenkins (1996). Hall was the first FCS All-America selection in Troy history.

Bolt’s offensive lines resulted in two Trojans running backs, Eddie Coleman (1992) and Arrid Gregory (1996), breaking the Troy single-season rushing record.

In 1999, linebacker Anthony Rabb earned Southland Defensive Player of the Years honors and in 2001 all three of Bolt’s starting linebackers earned All-SLC honors. All told under Bolt, 11 players earned All-Southland honors during Troy’s five seasons in the league. In Bolt’s two seasons while Troy was an independent, Ware and Umenyiora were named to the All-FCS Independent Team.

Bolt was an All-American offensive lineman at East Carolina where he played under the legendary Pat Dye. Bolt began his coaching career a year later as a graduate assistant at ECU and then followed Dye to Wyoming (1980) and later to Auburn where he served as the Tigers’ tight ends coach from 1981-85, where the Tigers played in the Sugar and Cotton Bowls among four bowl appearances and won a SEC title.

Under head coach Danny Ford at Clemson, Bolt was a part of teams that won three Atlantic Coast Conference titles and played in four bowl games.

Bolt served as the defensive coordinator at UAB from 2003 to 2005 and coached the Blazers to their only bowl appearance in school history, the 2004 Hawaii Bowl.

Bolt is married to the former Linda Howard and their two babies Chloe and Zoe.