Caleb Padilla joined the LR coaching staff in February 2022 and was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator following his first season with the Bears.
At Lenoir-Rhyne, he led the Bears to a 2023 SAC Championship and a spot in the National Semifinals. 2023 was his first year with coordinating responsibilities and the defense held opponents to just 14 points per game, a program-best since 1974. The Bears ranked No. 1 in the SAC in scoring defense, total defense, run defense and third down defense in 2023 and Jon Ross and Percy King were All-Conference selections as linebackers. Ross would go on to earn All-Region and All-American accolades under Padilla. 13 of LR's 15 opponents were held below their points per game average in 2023.
Over his two seasons at LR, Padilla installed a tackling system that helped reduce yards per rush from 3.5 the year before he got to LR to 2.8 in 2023. Additionally, a new run fit structure was installed which cut explosive run plays from 13 in 2022 to just five in 2023.
Padilla comes to the Bears after a six-year stint at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Padilla started as a Defensive Coordinator and Safeties coach and was promoted to Head Coach in 2017 following the program's first winning season in 12 years. As a head coach, Padilla helped rebuild the program's roster from 38 in 2017 to 65 in the offseason of 2021 and led the program through the Covid-19 pandemic. While a defensive coordinator, Padilla held nine of 10 opponents to at least 10 points under their season average in 2017 and finished third in the conference in total defense and third-down defense. Padilla coaches three First Team All-Conference players that season.
Jacobs and Padilla were members of the Notre Dame College staff from 2014-15. Padilla served as the Defensive Coordinator / Safeties coach and led the third-best defensive turnaround in Division II by decreasing points allowed by 15 per game in just two years. The Falcons went 7-4 in 2014, the program's first-ever winning season and the rush defense improved 60 yards per game over a two-year period.
Padilla also had coaching stops as the defensive coordinator (2011-13) and defensive backs coach (2010-11) at Albion College and as the outside linebackers / defensive ends coach at Colorado School of Mines from 2008-10 where he also served as the assistant strength and conditioning coach. From 2006-08, Padilla was the DB coach at Rangeview High School in Aurora, Colo. At Albion College, Padilla led the program to a 2011 conference championship and reduced rush yardage by 90 yards in his first season as defensive coordinator. His defense ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense in 2012 and DB Chris Greenwood was drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Padilla played at Division II Winona State University from 2001-05 and was a member of four Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship teams and competed on three NCAA Division II playoff teams.
