Brian Mohnsen joined the Western Illinois Football program and head coach Bob Nielson’s coaching staff in February 2014. Known as Coach “Moose”, Mohnsen brings more than 20 years of coaching experience to the Leatherneck program as he oversees the defensive line.
During the off-season, Mohnsen was promoted to assistant head coach for the defense.
Last year, the Leathernecks collected more than 41 tackles for loss along the defensive line. Mohnsen coached Kris Harley, who was selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer team. Departed senior Chip Holtschlag was a repeat selection as CoSIDA Academic All-District and Academic All-Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Mohnsen spent the three years prior to joining WIU at Southeast Missouri State as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. The Redhawks ranked in the Top 50 in passing yards allowed with 208.8 per game during the 2013 season. He coached Austin Black to Freshman All-America honors.
Following the 2012 season, linebacker Blake Peiffer was voted as the Ohio Valley Conference’s ‘Defensive Player of the Year’, the program’s first defensive yearly award in 15 seasons. He would go on and earn several All-America accolades.
Southeast ranked second in the OVC in pass defense his first two years and was among the top half of the conference in his last season. SEMO also finished third in turnover margin following the 2012 campaign.
He spent four years at Buffalo, coaching the linebackers in year one and the defensive line from 2007-09. Mohnsen was part of the program’s 2007 Mid-American Conference East Division championship and 2008 outright championship. Buffalo participated in its first-ever Bowl game in 2008, competing in the International Bowl.
One of his defensive ends earned First Team Freshman All-America honors (Steve Means). Another defensive lineman, Trevor Scott, was drafted in 2008 by the Oakland Raiders. He also coached linebacker Ramon Guzman, a free agent signee with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.
Mohnsen had a coaching stint at Minnesota State in charge of the defensive line. During the 2004 season he served as the defensive coordinator at Northwest Oklahoma State as the team won the Central States Football League Conference title. His defensive unit ranked second nationally in total defense and pass defense, third in rushing defense and fifth in scoring defense.
For 12 years, Mohnsen worked at his alma mater of Nebraska with the defense in the scouting department as the director of video scouting. He lettered for the Cornhuskers during his collegiate playing days. Working with legendary coach Tom Osborne, Mohnsen was part of three National Championships (1994, 1995, 1997). In his collegiate career he has been a part of 13 conference championships.
He and his wife Kerri have a daughter, Madison.
