Spence Nowinsky

Spence Nowinsky joined the Lobo Football program in January 2025 and serves as the defensive coordinator for UNM.  He comes to New Mexico after serving as the defensive coordinator at Memphis.

Nowinsky has been a Division I defensive coordinator every year since 2009.  In a career that began in coaching at Wisconsin in 1999, Nowinsky has developed a reputation for teams that display a hard-nosed style, featuring plenty of game-changing ability.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

MEMPHIS (2024): Nowinsky spent the 2024 season as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach for the University of Memphis. The Tigers went 11-2 on the season, and Memphis was ranked No. 24 in the final coaches’ poll.

Nowinsky helped transform Memphis’ defense in his lone season with the Tigers, as their rushing defense moved from 79th the year before 18th.  Overall, the defense went from being ranked 95th in 2023 to 52nd.

Defensive end William Whitlow was named AAC First Team All-Conference, and Memphis capped off the season with a victory over West Virginia in the Scooter’s Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas.

OHIO (2022-23): Nowinsky spent two seasons with the Ohio Bobcats as the defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach. He was a nominee for the Broyles Award for Assistant Coach of the Year. Also, he was named Defensive Coordinator of the Year for the Group of Five.

The 2023 season was a record-breaking one for the Ohio Bobcats’ defense and Nowinsky. In his second year at the helm, Nowinsky’s defense finished No. 4 in the nation, No. 1 among the Group of Five, and No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference.

Additionally, the Bobcats finished the regular season in the top 10 for every defensive category during the 2023 season. Notably, the defense forced five turnovers during Ohio’s 41-21 victory over Georgia Southern in the 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl, setting a program record for turnovers forced in a bowl game.

Four defensive Bobcats were named to the All-MAC team, with Bryce Houston and Keye Thompson receiving first-team accolades, while Vonnie Watkins and Rayyan Buell were honored with third-team distinctions.

In 2022, Nowinsky’s defense played a crucial role in the Bobcats’ winning the MAC’s East Division and their appearance in the MAC Championship game. Over his first year, Nowinsky’s defense led the league in fourth-down percentage and was ranked second in turnovers forced in the MAC.

The Bobcats’ defense improved from eight takeaways to 20 in his first season. Additionally, the defense increased the team’s sack total from 17 to 30, and the defense also improved from 56 TFLs to 74. Defensive end Jack McCrory earned All-MAC Third Team honors. The squad ended the season with an overtime victory over Wyoming in the 2022 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.

MIAMI (OH) (2018-21): Nowinsky was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he had a successful four-year run with the RedHawks.

In his final season with Miami, the RedHawks led the MAC in scoring defense, rushing defense, and sacks. That defense was a key as Miami earned its first bowl victory in over a decade, using a dominant defensive performance to defeat North Texas in the inaugural Frisco Bowl. In that game, the defense limited the Mean Green to 317 yards of total offense, 89 yards rushing, 2.8 yards per carry, and 14 points.  The squad forced two early turnovers in the first half that keyed the 27-14 win.

In 2021, Nowinsky coached Co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year and MAC Linebacker of the Year Ivan Pace, who was named a Second Team All-American by the Action Network, as well as a First-Team All-MAC selection. Nowinsky also coached Matt Salopek, who earned All-MAC Second Team accolades. In total, Nowinsky had seven All-MAC Defense student-athletes during the 2021 season.

Under Nowinsky, the RedHawks’ defense finished in the top half of almost every statistical category in 2018, his first season with the program. Miami finished fourth in scoring defense (25.5), third in rush defense (159.7), and fifth in total defense (368.2), and sacks (29). A year later, in 2019, the defense improved further, finishing second in scoring (22.5), third in total defense (352.9), and first in pass defense (175.9). In 2018, Brad Koenig earned First-Team All-MAC at linebacker, and in 2019, Myles Reid recorded Third-Team All-MAC honors as well.

ILLINOIS STATE (2009-17): Nowinsky spent nine seasons with the Illinois State Redbirds, including four as the Redbirds’ defensive coordinator. He was also the team’s assistant head coach and mentored the defensive line. After taking the helm of the ISU defense, the Redbirds’ defense improved statistically every year. In 2014, the defense allowed an average of 345.5 yards per game. During the 2015 season, the Redbirds’ defense ranked 16th nationally, allowing 306.7 yards per game. In 2017, ISU ranked 13th in sacks (33), 14th in rushing allowed (108.4), and 23rd in points (19.4).

In four years, ISU’s defense recorded 131 sacks, which helped the Redbirds force 70 turnovers during that span. Illinois State was also strong on third downs, allowing a conversion rate of just 34 percent over that timeframe. Under Nowinsky, six players earned first-team all-conference honors, and another was a two-time First-Team All-American (2012-13).

EMPORIA STATE (2007-08): Nowinsky spent two years as the associate head coach and defensive line coach at NCAA Division II member Emporia State.

MINNESOTA STATE (2004-06): Nowinsky spent three seasons at his alma mater, Minnesota State, where he coached the defensive line during the 2004 and 2006 seasons. In 2005, Nowinsky coached the Mavericks’ offensive line.

IDAHO (2003): Nowinsky’s first full-time coaching position came at the University of Idaho when Idaho was a member of the Sun Belt Conference. He coached the defensive line for the Vandals.

WISCONSIN (1999-2003): He began his collegiate coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at Wisconsin from 1999-2002, where he worked with Coach Jason Eck. The Badgers won the 2000 Rose Bowl with a 17-9 victory over Stanford. Nowinsky came to Wisconsin after serving as an assistant coach at Wittenberg-Birnamwood (Wis.) High School from 1997-99 and as an assistant at Lake Crystal-Welcome Memorial (Minn.) High School from 1995-97.

PLAYING CAREER – MINNESOTA STATE (1991-94): As a player, Nowinsky played defensive line from 1991-94 at Minnesota State.