Football

Oscar Rodriguez is in his third season as La Verne defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He was promoted to assistant head coach prior to the 2017 season.

To say Rodriguez made an instant impact would be an understatement. After going 2-7 the season before Rodriguez's arrival, the Leopards went a perfect 7-0 in SCIAC play in 2015 to claim their first SCIAC championship since 1995 and made the NCAA National Championship for the first time since 1994.

Under Rodriguez's guidance, six defensive players were named to the 2015 All-SCIAC Teams and the Leopards led the SCIAC in defensive touchdowns (4), sacks (21) and interception return average (29.6 yards).

Rodriguez came to La Verne from Garden City (Kan.) Community College where he served as the football team’s defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and director of operations.

Rodriguez built an impressive resume as an assistant coach, including eight seasons as a college defensive coordinator before La Verne. All totaled, Rodriguez mentored six All-Americans and 30 all-conference players across almost all levels of college football. In addition, Rodriguez coached four players who eventually made their way to the NFL. 

At Garden City, Rodriguez sent eight student-athletes to NCAA Division I schools while overseeing Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference’s (KJCCC) No. 1 defense. Garden City was also ranked No. 1 in the KJCCC in starting field position, kickoff coverage, field goal percentage and blocked kicks with Rodriguez in charge of the special teams. 

In 2013, Rodriguez’s relentless recruiting effort was profiled by ESPN.com (To read, CLICK HERE).

Prior to Garden City, Rodriguez was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for NCAA Division II Emporia State (Kan.) University where he mentored two All-Americans and 11 All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Emporia State was ranked top-five in MIAA in all defensive categories in 2011-13.

At Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College from 2010-11, Rodriguez tutored eventual NFL players Markus Golden, Meshak Williams and Cordarelle Patterson to All-American seasons while serving as a co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach. During Rodriguez’s time at Hutchinson, the school was ranked top-10 nationally in every defensive category.

As a co-defensive coordinator at NAIA Baker (Kan.) University from 2008 to 2010, Rodriguez helped lead the program to its first playoff appearance and first back-to-back winning seasons in 15 years while helping the team achieve a national ranking as high as 12^th.

Rodriguez got his first coaching position at Randall (Texas) High School as the defensive backs coach and received his first college assignment at Washburn (Kan.) University where he worked with future NFL players Cary Williams, Terrell Fletcher and Michael Whilhoite.

Rodriguez is active off the field and in the community as well. He founded the Coaches Against Cancer Foundation and is involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He served on the diversity committee at Baker. He is also bilingual in English and Spanish.

A native of Liberal, Kan., Rodriguez played at Fort Hays State University, Coffeyville Community College and Emporia State as a safety.