• Kevin Cosgrove is in his first season as defensive coordinator, being named to the post in February 2011. A 30-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, he has 15 seasons of experience as a defensive coordinator. Cosgrove has coached in 16 bowl games, including four appearances in the Rose Bowl.

• Cosgrove spent the last two seasons as Minnesota’s co-defensive coordinator, during which time he oversaw a unit that improved its pass defense from 93rd nationally in 2008 to 55th in 2009 and 33rd in 2010. He also saw three of his linebackers – Lee Campbell, Simoni Lawrence and Nate Triplett – earn invites to the 2009 NFL Combine.

• From 2004-07, Cosgrove was defensive coordinator at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers’ defense ranked 11th nationally in rushing defense in 2004, led the nation in sacks (50, 4.17 per game) and tackles for loss (124, 10.33 per game) in 2005, while also ranking in the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense in 2005 and 2006. He helped the program to a Big 12 North Division Championship in 2006 and appearances in the 2005 Alamo and 2007 Cotton bowls. In his four seasons, he mentored seven first- or second-team All-Big 12 defenders.

• Prior to his time at Nebraska, he spent 14 seasons (1990-2003) at Wisconsin under head coach Barry Alvarez and coordinated the Badger defense from 1995-2003. During that span, UW won Big Ten titles in 1993, 1998 and 1999, following each with a victory in the Rose Bowl. In his tenure in Madison, the program posted a 7-2 record in bowl games. Cosgrove also coached the linebackers at Wisconsin (1990-94), tutoring three who led the conference in tackles in three different seasons. Included in that trio is the program’s all-time leading tackler, Pete Monty, who Cosgrove also recruited.

• A native of Chicago, he coached linebackers at Colorado State in 1989, was defensive coordinator at Southeast Missouri State in 1988 and linebackers coach at Illinois (1983-87) and Morehead State (1983). He served as graduate assistant at Illinois from 1980-83.

• Cosgrove competed collegiately at Benedictine College (Ill.) in 1974 and at Wisconsin-Oshkosh from 1976-78, where he completed a bachelor of science degree in physical education in 1980. He and his wife, Shelly, have two sons, Clint and Connor, and one daughter, Shannon.

• He’s a member of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2008. In 2006, he was recognized by CBS College Sports Network analyst Tom Lemming as one of the nation’s top recruiters, and in 2002 was named the top coordinator in the Big Ten by The Sporting News. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, Jr., identified Cosgrove as one of the top coordinators in the country in 1999.