DEFENSIVE COACHING STAFF
Ron English
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
Ron English is in his second season as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He was hired Jan. 25, 2021.
As co-defensive coordinator in 2021, English made an immediate impact on the Purdue defense. The Boilermakers surrendered 22.4 points per game, ranking 34th in the country, to improve upon their No. 67 ranking during the 2020 campaign (29.8 ppg). English mentored strong safety Cam Allen, who hauled in four interceptions throughout the season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 14th nationally. Purdue’s defense also found the top 25 in red zone defense (23rd - .756).
English joined the Boilermakers after spending the last three seasons (2018-20) as the safeties coach at Florida. During his time in Gainesville, the Gators appeared in three consecutive New Year’s Six bowl games, winning the 2018 Peach Bowl and the 2019 Orange Bowl. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who now plays with New Orleans Saints, was named the Peach Bowl MVP under English’s guide.
In 2019, Florida finished tied for ninth in the FBS with 16 interceptions. UF’s Shawn Davis, Kaiir Elam, Donovan Stiner and Marco Wilson were just one of two quartets in the nation with at least three picks individually on the season (also Florida Atlantic). Stiner led Florida with four interceptions, while Elam was merely one of seven true freshman to have three interceptions on the FBS level.
In his first season at UF, English helped improve the Gators’ defensive numbers across the board, including going from three fumbles recovered in 2017 to 12 in 2018, from three fumbles forced in 2017 to 11 in 2018 and lowering the scoring defense from 27.3 points per game in 2017 to 20.0 in 2018.
Prior to Florida, English was the safeties coach at Mississippi State for one season (2017). The Bulldogs went 9-4 and beat Louisville in the TaxSlayer Bowl where English served as MSU’s defensive coordinator for the game. State finished 19th in the final Associated Press Poll of the year.
The Bulldogs returned an interception for a touchdown in three straight games in English’s lone season in Starkville, and finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference in pass defense (175.0 yards per game) and third in the SEC in total defense (302.0 yards per game). MSU allowed merely 20.4 points per game in 2017.
English served as San Jose State’s defensive coordinator for a season in 2016, with the Spartans finishing fourth in the Mountain West Conference in pass defense (188.6 yards per game), first in third-down conversion defense (37.6 percent), fifth in interceptions (10) and fourth in turnovers forced (19).
For five seasons (2009-13), English was the head coach at Eastern Michigan. In 2011, he guided the Eagles to their best record in 15 years, finishing 6-6 and 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference. English was named the MAC Coach of the Year that season.
English was the defensive coordinator for a year at Louisville (2008), spending time on the same staff as Brohm, who was the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator.
Prior to Louisville, English served at Michigan for five season (2003-07), spending three seasons (2003-05) as the defensive backs coach and the final two years (2006-07) as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator. Michigan finished the 2007 season eighth in the nation in pass defense, which helped English to be nominated for the Broyles Award, presented annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.
During his time in Ann Arbor, English was named the Rivals Defensive Coordinator of the Year (2006) and a Rivals top 25 recruiter (2006), all while helping guide Michigan to three Rose Bowl appearances (2004, 2005 and 2007). In 2004, he became the first coach to have two All-American defensive backs in the same season (cornerback Marlin Jackson and safety Ernest Shazor). Michigan led the nation in fewest touchdown passes allowed (9) in 2003.
English was the secondary coach at Arizona State for five seasons (1998-2002), where the Sun Devils appeared in the 2002 Holiday Bowl and the 1999 and 2000 Aloha Bowls. ASU finished second in the nation in turnovers forced in 2000.
English also spent time at San Diego State (1996-97) and Northern Arizona (1996) as a defensive backs coach.
As a graduate assistant coach at ASU (1994-95), English earned a master’s degree in education administration. He began his collegiate coaching career at Mt. San Antonio College (1993) after spending one year as an assistant at Ganesha High School (1992) in California.
A four-year letter winner as a safety at Cal (1987-90), English earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences in 1991, while helping guide the Golden Bears to the 1990 Copper Bowl title. He was named a team captain his senior season.
English and his wife, Sophia, have three children; Simon, Sydney and Seth.
Mark Hagen
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
Mark Hagen is in his second season as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in his second stint at Purdue. He was rehired Jan. 17, 2021.
Returning to West Lafayette in 2021, Hagen made an immediate impact on the Purdue defense. The Boilermakers surrendered 22.4 points per game, ranking 34th in the country, to improve upon their No. 67 ranking during the 2020 campaign (29.8 ppg). Purdue’s defense also found the top 25 in red zone defense (23rd - .756). Focusing on the defensive line, Hagen guided George Karlaftis to All-America and First Team All-Big Ten honors.
In Hagen's previous stint at Purdue, the Boilermakers appeared in seven bowl games, including the 2001 Rose Bowl and the 2004 Capital One Bowl. During his former time in West Lafayette, Purdue's defense saw 18 members selected in the National Football League Draft over the years – including first-round picks Ryan Kerrigan (2011) and Anthony Spencer (2007), second-round selections Kawann Short (2013), Mike Neal (2010) and Bernard Pollard (2006) and third-round draftees Alex Magee (2009), Cliff Avril (2008), Stuart Schweigert (2004), Gilbert Gardner (2004) and Landon Johnson (2004).
A veteran of 30 years of coaching experience, Hagen has spent 21 seasons in the Big Ten Conference alone.
Hagen served as associate head coach for the defense and defensive line coach at Texas during the 2020 season.
Prior to Texas, Hagen coached as his alma mater, Indiana, for four seasons (2015-18), most recently as the Hoosiers' co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. It was his third professional stint in Bloomington, having served as an assistant for two seasons (2011-12) and getting his collegiate coaching career start there as a graduate assistant and administrative assistant (1992-95).
Hagen also spent three years (2013-15) at Texas A&M, working for two seasons with Aggies' linebackers and the final year with the defensive tackles. His first full-time coach job was at Northern Illinois from 1996-99.
A native of Carmel, Ind., Hagen was a four-year letterwinner (1987, 1989-91), two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection, three-time Academic All-Big Ten winner, 1992 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient and a captain at linebacker.
He led the team in tackles three-straight years from 1989-91, and he was the team's Balfour Award recipient in 1991 for bringing distinction and honor to the university. He is tied for fifth in Hoosiers history with 336 career tackles. Hagen played in four bowl games, including the 1991 Copper Bowl, where he was named the bowl's Most Valuable Defensive Player. He graduated from Indiana with a bachelor's in marketing in 1991 and earned an master's in sport marketing and management in 1995.
Hagen and his wife, Denise, have four daughters – Abby, Emma, Ellie and Ava.
Ashton Youboty
Cornerbacks
Ashton Youboty is in his first season as cornerbacks coach.
A former NFL cornerback after a standout collegiate career at Ohio State, Youboty spent the past two seasons coaching cornerbacks at Youngstown State.
With the help of Youboty’s guidance, the Penguins’ secondary hauled in seven interceptions during the 2021 season. Jordan White led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in interceptions, while ranking 21st in the nation. Keyon Martin continued his successful development under Youboty, becoming a lockdown corner by breaking up a team-high 10 passes with 32 tackles and 2.5 TFLs.
YSU's cornerbacks thrived in Youboty's first campaign. In the spring, Martin was named honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference and was named to the league's all-newcomer team. Martin had 24 total tackles, including 19 solo stops, three pass breakups and an interception in seven games. At the other corner spot, Troy Jakubec finished with 17 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.
Youboty spent three years at Wisconsin serving in a variety of roles for the Badgers before coming to YSU. He spent two seasons as a quality control specialist before moving in the role as senior defensive analyst in 2019.
A defensive back at Ohio State, Youboty was named First Team All-Big Ten in 2005 and was a third round selection, No. 70 overall, of the Buffalo Bills in the 2006 NFL Draft.
As a junior in 2005, he finished with 56 total tackles, including 43 solo stops. He had nine pass breakups and one interception. As a sophomore in 2004, he had a career-best 61 total tackles, including 47 solo stops. He had 14 pass breakups and four interceptions. In 2003, he had 14 total stops, 13 of which were solos.
Youboty went on to play five seasons in Buffalo before finishing his pro career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011. In his NFL career, he played in 49 games and made 12 starts. He had 86 total tackles, including 73 solo stops.
His best season in the NFL was 2007 when he appeared in eleven games for the Bills and was credited with 23 tackles (22 solo), a sack and an interception.
In his first game with Jacksonville, he recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown against the Houston Texans on Nov. 27, 2011.
Youboty spent the 2016 season as a volunteer in the Miami (Fla.) recruiting department and also took part in a scouting fellowship with the Bills.
An Academic All-Big Ten selection, Youboty earned a bachelor's degree in family resource management from Ohio State. He completed graduate studies at Miami and earned an MBA in management and mergers & acquisitions in May 2017.
David Elson
Linebackers
David Elson is in his first season as quality control.
Elson, who served as the head coach at Western Kentucky for seven seasons (2003-09), joined the Boilermaker staff after spending 2020 as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Marion University in Indianapolis.
Prior to his lone season at Marion, Elson spent two years (2017-19) at Ball State as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. BSU led the Mid-American Conference in interceptions and turnovers gained during his time in Muncie.
Elson has served as the defensive coordinator at a number of stops during his coaching career, including: Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, New Mexico State and WKU. He has experience in the Big Ten Conference, spending one season as defensive quality control at Indiana.
He was a member of the WKU staff that won the 2002 Football Championship Subdivision national championship and was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award as the Hilltoppers' head coach.
Karl Maslowski
Special Teams/Assistant Linebackers
Karl Maslowski is in his first season as special teams coordinator/assistant linebackers coach. Maslowski joined the Boilermakers after spending the past three seasons at Louisville.
Maslowski owns nine years of experience as a special teams coordinator at the FBS and Division II levels. Under his direction, his punt units ranked top 30 nationally in six out of nine seasons, while his kickoff return units finished in the top 30 eight times.
Prior to joining Louisville as the program’s senior quality control specialist (2019-21), Maslowski spent six seasons coaching special teams at Northern Michigan (2013-18). While in the Upper Peninsula, he coached linebackers, running backs and tight ends. Maslowski began his stint at NMU mentoring the linebackers (2013-16) before going to the other side of the ball to coach the running backs and tight ends (2017-18).
Throughout his time up north, he guided two All-GLIAC linebackers, two All-GLIAC punters and one All-GLIAC kicker. As Northern Michigan’s running backs coach, Maslowski played an integral role in his rushers setting three school rushing records and developing the school’s first Harlon Hill nominee.
Prior to making the move to Northern Michigan, Maslowski coached at his alma mater Western Kentucky for three seasons. He served as linebackers coach from 2010-11, which included mentoring a trio of All-Sun Belt linebackers, before focusing specifically on special teams in 2012. His 2011 special teams unit finished in the top 25 nationally in four different statistical categories. During his tenure, two returners earned All-America accolades. On the recruiting road, Maslowski helped secure the No. 1 recruiting classes in the Sun Belt for back-to-back seasons.
Maslowski was an All-American linebacker at Western Kentucky from 1999-2003 and earned a bachelor’s degree public in health education in 2004. He helped lead the Hilltoppers to a 1-AA national title in 2002, while earning team MVP and academic all-conference honors during the 2003 campaign.
Maslowski is married to the former Brittney Long and the couple has three children: Lila, Stella and Donovan.