Bates College

Ryan Jirgl joins the Bates football coaching staff as the team's defensive coordinator in 2022. He comes to Bates from Oberlin College where Jirgl served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2021. 

Jirgl came to Oberlin after spending the previous four seasons at Whittier College (CA). As the associate head coach and defensive coordinator, Jirgl was influential in the rebuild and rebirth of the Poet’s program. He helped the program reach new heights in wins in a season, recruiting, retention and academic success. As the academic coordinator, he implemented and built a team committed to being successful in the classroom which resulted in the best overall team GPA in seven years.

Jirgl arrived at Whittier after spending the 2015 season with Division I Florida International University (FIU) where he worked with the linebackers. He was responsible for organizing and executing all day-to-day tasks and responsibilities on the defensive side of the ball, while working hand in hand with the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Defensively, Jirgl saw five defensive players earn All-Conference USA selections and five seniors sign NFL free agent contracts.

Prior to arriving at FIU, Jirgl spent one season at The University of South Dakota (I-AA) where he coached the safeties.  While with the Coyotes, Jirgl tutored Tyson Graham, the #3 ranked safety in the FCS 2017 draft class. 

Before joining the Coyotes' staff, Jirgl coached the linebackers and special teams for two seasons at Albright College, a Division III program in Pennsylvania. He helped Albright to back-to-back 8-3 seasons and two postseason appearances while one of his linebackers earned all-conference honors in each of his two seasons with the Lions.

Jirgl’s first taste of coaching came in 2011 when he coached linebackers and defensive backs at The Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. He helped turn a 4-7 team into a squad that finished 9-2 and allowed fewer than 12 points per game.

A 2010 graduate of Winona State University, Jirgl was a two-year starter at strong safety for the Warriors.  A Division II program in Minnesota, Jirgl was a part of back-to-back Northern Sun Conference championship teams in 2009 and 2010. He earned all-conference honors after a senior season in which he led his team in tackles (75), interceptions (four), forced fumbles (two) and recovered fumbles (two). 

Jirgl graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Winona State in 2010 and received his master’s degree in education and sport management from The University of South Dakota in 2015.