Earned four letters in football at Air Force Academy (1991-94). He was selected in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, and went on to win two Super Bowls (1997, 1998) in four years with Denver.
Coaching History
2008-Current (4th season)
Assistant Coach, Wake Forest
2007 (1 season)
Defensive Coordinator, Syracuse University
2005-06 (2 seasons)
Assistant Coach, Syracuse University
2001-04 (4 seasons)
Assistant Coach, Ohio University
1995 (1 season)
Graduate Assistant Strength Coach, Air Force Academy
Steve Russ begins his fourth season on the Wake Forest staff and his first as the secondary coach. Russ spent his first two seasons working with the tight ends and fullbacks and the 2010 season with the linebackers.
He joined the staff early in 2008 and took over the tight ends and fullbacks for Tom Elrod, who moved over to coach the quarterbacks that season.
In 2009, Russ worked with fullback Mike Rinfrette and true freshman Tommy Bohanon. Rinfrette earned a postseason invitation to the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star game and participated in the Green Bay Packers' rookie minicamp, while Bohanon became the first freshman to earn a start at fullback in over nine years.
In 2008, Russ successfully coached a group of tight ends who made their mark throughout the season. Starter Ben Wooster earned Academic All-ACC honors and Academic All-District III accolades. Russ also was able to bring along a true freshman in Andrew Parker, who became a valuable tight end and earned a handful of starts.
Russ also tutored fullbacks Rich Belton and Rinfrette who were two of the constants in Wake's backfield that saw several injuries to its starting tailbacks.
The punt coverage team, which Russ coordinates, led the nation in punt return defense, allowing just nine yards all season in 2008.
Russ, like all of Wake Forest's coaching staff, has a long history with head coach Jim Grobe. Russ was an All-Western Athletic Conference linebacker for Grobe at the Air Force Academy in 1994 and helped lead the Falcons to a pair of Liberty Bowl appearances, including a 38-15 win over Mississippi State in the 1991 Liberty Bowl.
While playing at Air Force, Russ earned second team All-WAC honors in 1994 and was selected to play in both the Blue-Gray All-Star game and the East-West Shrine game following his senior season. Russ received the Air Force's Brian Bullard Award in 1994, and was seventh round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in the 1995 NFL Draft.
Russ spent four seasons with the Broncos and was a part of Denver's 1997 and 1998 Super Bowl Championship teams. Under the direction of head coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, the Broncos' defense was spectacular during the 1998 playoffs. Denver shutout the Miami Dolphins and held the New York Jets to a single touchdown before shutting out the Atlanta Falcons for three quarters in Super Bowl XXXIII.
Russ began his coaching career in 1995 as a graduate assistant strength coach at the Air Force Academy before leaving for training camp with the Broncos.
He returned to coaching in 2001, joining the staff at Ohio University as the outside linebackers coach. Brian Knorr was serving as Ohio's head coach at the time. Russ became the inside linebackers coach in 2001 and added the responsibility of coordinating special teams in 2004.
While with the Bobcats, Russ coached linebacker Matt Muncy who would go on to earn All-Mid-American Conference honors as a senior. The Bobcat defense ranked 22nd in the nation in total defense in 2004 and led the Mid-American Conference in net punting, kickoff coverage and pass defense.
Russ became the linebackers coach at Syracuse in 2005. The Orange led the Big East in net punting in both 2005 and in 2006. Syracuse tied for 22nd in the nation in turnovers gained during the 2006 season. Russ became the defensive coordinator prior to the 2007 season.
A native of Stetsonville, Wisc., Russ is a 1995 graduate of the Air Force Academy with a degree in management. He and his wife, Betsy, are the parents of a daughter, Mackenzie, and a son, Tyler.
