Vince Kehres - Football Coach - University of Toledo Athletics
Follow on Social Media Instagram: @vincekehres Twitter: @vkehres Now in his fifth season as Toledo’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Vince
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Vince Kehres is in his second season as Toledo’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
In 2020, Kehres spearheaded a complete turnaround of the Toledo defense. Toledo was second in the MAC in total defense (362.2) after ranking last in the league in total defense (475.7) in 2019. The Rockets, who allowed just 24.3 points per game in 2020, also led the MAC in opponent third-down conversions (27.4%) and were second in rushing defense (129.2).
The Rocket defense was represented with four players on the 2020 All-MAC team — senior safety Tycen Anderson, sophomore safety Nate Bauer, junior outside linebacker Jamal Hines and junior defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson.
Kehres arrived at Toledo after 21 years at Mount Union, the last seven of which he served as head coach. His career record as a head coach of 95-6 (.941) gave him more victories than any college coach at any level during that time period. Kehres led his team to NCAA Division III national championships in 2015 and 2017.
Kehres also have seven NCAA playoff appearances, six Ohio Athletic Conference titles and five national championship game appearances on his resume. He is a three-time OAC Coach of the Year, three-time Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year and three-time the Columbus Dispatch Ohio College Coach of the Year.
A winner in every sense, Kehres has been a part of 12 of Mount Union’s 13 national championships in some capacity. Prior to his time as head coach, Kehres served 13 seasons as an assistant under his father and then-head coach Larry Kehres. During his time as defensive coordinator from 2005-12, the Purple Raiders’ defense was ranked in the Top 10 nationally in all but one season. Kehres coached the top-ranked defense in all of Division III in 2007, 2008, and 2012. He also served as Mount Union’s strength and conditioning coordinator from 2005-13 as well as the recruiting coordinator from 2009-13.
A 1998 graduate of Mount Union with a degree in political science, Kehres was a four-year letterwinner (1994-97) at defensive end for the Purple Raiders, a member of two National Championship teams (1996 & 1997) and earned All-OAC honors during his senior year 1997. During his playing career, Kehres totaled 62 hits and 12 tackles for loss, and he was a key member of the special teams unit. He was part of a 1997 defense that led all of Division III in fewest points allowed (5.6 ppg) and rushing defense (48.6 ypg) while posting five shutouts and setting a Raider single-season mark for sacks in a season (53 in 10 regular season games).
Kehres spent a year coaching at Austintown Fitch High School, earned his master’s degree from Ashland University then returned to Mount Union in 2000. He and his wife, Lindsay, have three sons, Evan, Bo and Jackson.
Vince Kehres’ Coaching Experience
2020-21 Toledo – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2013-19 Mount Union – Head Coach
2005-12 Mount Union – Defensive Coordinator
2004 Mount Union - Offensive Line
2000-03 Mount Union - Defensive Line
1999 Austintown Fitch High School – Wide Receivers
