The veteran of the Towson University coach staff, John Donatelli enters his 20th season as an assistant coach with the Tigers, and his 18th serving as the offensive line coach.
Donatelli joined the Tigers staff in 1997 as an assistant offensive line coach before working with the tight ends in 1998. He moved into his current position as offensive line coach in 1999.
Throughout his tenure with the Tigers, Donatelli has mentored five All-Americans, nine All-CAA selections and seven All-Patriot League honorees.
Donatelli’s best coaching efforts may have come over the past few seasons. The offensive line was hit hard by injuries, yet Donatelli has molded a unit that has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in five-straight seasons.
In 11 games during the 2015 season, the Tigers started six different offensive combinations. Despite the changing parts, the Tigers offense ranked in the top half of the league in rushing offense (167.5) and total offense (354.3).
The 2014 season saw the Tigers replace their entire offensive line from the previous. On top of this, injuries hit the unit hard. Donatelli pieced together a unit that ended the season with just six healthy bodies.
Not making any excuses, Donatelli molded a group that rushed for 163.4 yards per game and featured the league’s second leading rusher in Darius Victor.
In 2013, Donatelli coached one of the best offensive lines in NCAA FCS history. The line featured four seniors who paved the way for the nation’s leading rusher, while allowing just seven sacks in 16 games.
The offense re-wrote the Towson record books, marking the first time in school history that the offense had over 3,500 yards rushing and 3,500 yards receiving in the same season.
The line was anchored by four-year starting tackle Eric Pike, who was a consensus First-Team All-American. On the other side, Randall Harris joined Pike as a two-time First-Team All-CAA selection. Center Doug Shaw earned Second-Team All-CAA honors in 2012 and 2013.
The maturation of the offensive line took shape during the 2012 season. Over the final six games, the Tiger offense averaged over 500 yards of offense in capturing a share of the CAA championship.
The incredible turnaround for the 2011 season was made possible by the strong play from the offensive line. The unit helped the Tigers average 34.6 points per game, and 229.9 rushing yards per contest.
Following the 2006 season, Donatelli saw two-time All-Patriot League tackle Jermon Bushrod selected in the fourth-round by the New Orleans Saints.
Bushrod is a two-time All-Pro tackle who has played for the Saints and Chicago Bears. He is currently in his first season as a member of the Miami Dolphins.
In his first year as a starter, Bushrod contributed to one of the top offenses in the NFL and helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl.
Donatelli joined the college coaching ranks after spending six years coaching at Calvert Hall College High School. During his time with the Cardinals, Donatelli served as the offensive line coach and special teams coordinator, as well as the strength and conditioning coach.
The Baltimore, Maryland native graduated from Calvert Hall High School before becoming a three-year starting center at Frostburg State. He was honored as a senior as the Bobcats Lineman of the Year.
Donatelli graduated from Frostburg State in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He received a second undergraduate degree in sport management from Towson University in 1997.
He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association.
Donatelli and his wife, Maria, a 1995 Towson University graduate, have two children, Samantha and Luca. Samantha just finished her freshman year as a member of the Towson women’s lacrosse team.
