Hillsdale College Men's Football

Otterbein has filled virtually every imaginable role for the Hillsdale College football program. Now entering his 15th season as the leader of the Charger program, Otterbein has the rare combination of peace-of-mind for where hes taken the team since he took over, and the burning desire to keep the Chargers among the elite programs in the GLIAC. A new era of sustained success has taken place under Otterbein's care. Hillsdale has won at least a share of a division title in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and the team's 49 wins between 2007 and 2012 are the most in a six-year span since the 1950s.  Including a very successful nine-year run with Ferris State, Otterbein has the most career wins of any current head coach in the conference, with 141 entering 2015. In both 2009 and 2011, Otterbein earned GLIAC and Regional Coach of the Year honors. He was also recognized with those awards in 1992 and 1994 at Ferris State, firmly entrenching his place as a dean of football coaches in the GLIAC. That talent is reflected in the success of recent graduates, like Mark Nicolet, who won national (American) football championships in Sweden and Spain, and Tom Korte, who was a free-agent signee of the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2009 season. Jared Veldheer was named First-Team All-American following the 2009 season, and started 11 games for the NFLs Oakland Raiders in 2010. Two former Chargers occupy spots on NFL rosters: Veldheer (Arizona Cardinals) and Andre Holmes (Oakland Raiders). Charger players have distinguished themselves at the conference level in recent years under Otterbeins guidance. Three of the past eight GLIAC Players of the Year have hailed from Hillsdale, and two of the past seven winners of the Jack McAvoy Award come from the Charger family. Its special for me to come back to the college I attended, and to be in the position Im in, Otterbein said. I believe in the mission of Hillsdale and the education kids will receive when they come to our school. I also think theyre going to be part of a pretty good football team and form great memories while theyre here. Otterbeins relationship with Hillsdale began when he was recruited out of Southfield-Lathrup High School by beloved former coach and athletic director Jack McAvoy. Otterbein played for the Chargers from 1975-78 and went on to become the first player in school history to be named the teams best linebacker three years in a row. He also earned the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete award. He didnt wait long after graduating to get into the coaching profession. He put in time as a position coach under Dick Lowry at Hillsdale, and College Football Hall of Famer Herb Deromedi at Central Michigan University. After an apprenticeship under two highly acclaimed coaches, Otterbein made his mark by becoming the youngest head college football coach in the nation when he was hired by Ferris State University before the 1986 season. Taking the job at the age of 28, Otterbein quickly turned the Bulldogs into a national power, winning 30 of his last 36 games coached at the school and guiding the team to three Division II playoff appearances. Otterbein then got a taste of coaching at the Division I level, leading the running backs at Ball State University from 1995-2001. A return to Hillsdale awaited in December 2001, when Otterbein was named the programs sixth head coach since 1954. I am fortunate to work with a staff that has a great work ethic, sets a great example for our players, and can recruit to this school, Otterbein said. Keith and his wife Amy have been married for more than 35 years. Their oldest son Steve, a 2007 Hillsdale College graduate, is entering his sixth season on the Chargers coaching staff. Their son Brad, a 2011 Hillsdale College graduate, is the newest addition to the coaching staff, taking over as quarterbacks coach in 2012. Their daughter Alyssa is a 2009 graduate of Hillsdale College.

Shreffler, the longest-tenured coach on the Charger football staff, was named the teams new offensive coordinator. In addition to those responsibilities, he has continued in his role as offensive line coach. Shreffler has played a big hand in keeping the Charger offense among the most potent in the GLIAC. In his four seasons as offensive coordinator, Hillsdale has ranked fourth in the conference in points scored, and second (2010) and third (2011) in total offense. A total of six different All-American honors, among five different players, have been bestowed upon Hillsdale College offensive players in 2010 and 2011. Its not difficult for him to remember what it was like to be a football player - a Hillsdale College player.  Shreffler played for the Chargers from 1989-1992.  He was a part of the last Hillsdale team to win a league championship, and he hopes he can lead a tough and experienced group to those lofty heights each season. Ive always seen Hillsdale as a place I want to be, both as a player and as a coach, Shreffler said.  I understand what the kids go through and the demands placed on them. Shreffler has spent time coaching the game at many levels.  After receiving his degree in secondary education from Hillsdale, Shreffler coached junior high football in Glendale, Ariz. before returning to the college game. He served two years coaching the offensive line at Olivet College, and one season at the University of St. Francis in Ft.Wayne, Indiana before returning to his alma mater, where players hes coached have enjoyed tremendous success. His recruiting focus is west Michigan. In 2003, Shreffler helped guide First Team All-GLIAC lineman Silas Johnson to a spot in the Cactus Bowl, an all-star game for Division II players. Shreffler also coached 2009 All-American Jared Veldheer throughout his highly decorated career. Veldheer went on to become the 69th selection of the 2010 NFL draft and is the starting left tackle for the NFLs Arizona Cardinals. His offensive line also enjoyed a banner season in 2002, when tailback Kevin Clive finished first in the country in all-purpose yards and third in the nation in rushing. In 2010, offensive lineman Phil Doerfler earned a host of awards, including First-Team All-GLIAC, the GLIAC Commissioners Award, the Jack McAvoy Award and the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award. Shreffler and his wife, Jill, reside in Hillsdale with their daughters Emma, Sarah and Grace. 

John Lindley enters his 18th season coaching for Hillsdale on the defensive side of the ball. He joined the Charger coaching staff in 2005 as its linebackers coach, and has since transitioned to coaching the defensive line beginning in 2017. Over the course of a decorated career, Lindley made previous coaching stops at Central Michigan University, Tiffin University, Michigan Tech University and Eastern Michigan University before becoming a Charger.  An enthusiastic and passionate coach, Lindley hits the practice field with one philosophy: We will be the most aggressive unit in football.  Under Lindleys guidance, linebacker Tom Korte put together an outstanding four-year career for the Chargers from 2005-08, and signed with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. More recently, Lindley has guided the career of three-time First-Team All-GLIAC linebacker Brett Pasche, as well as 2021 All-American defensive tackle Nate Chambers. On top of his position coaching duties, Lindley also spearheads Hillsdale's recruiting efforts in northeast Michigan.

Otterbein, who joins his father and older brother on the staff. The 2016 season will be his fifth on the Charger coachng staff. Otterbein played for Hillsdale from 2006-10 as a quarterback. His most memorable moment on the field took place in 2006, when he led Hillsdale to a come-from-behind 14-12 win over the University of Indianapolis on Homecoming. Since his graduation from Hillsdale, Otterbein has served for two seasons with the University of Indianapolis football program, from March 2011 through June 2012. He coached the Greyhounds tight ends and H-backs in the 2011 season, and guided the running backs for the teams spring session in 2012. He also helped out with special teams and ran the defensive scout teams in practice every day. He also acquired knowledge of game film and has experience with several different video editing systems. In August 2015, Otterbein took over as the program's recruiting coordinator. He recruits Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He earned his degree in marketing management from Hillsdale.

Blanchard has been involved during his life have been rivals of Hillsdale.  He serves as the Chargers defensive coordinator after spending four seasons as the teams defensive backs coach.  Blanchard played his high school ball at nearby Jonesville High School, where he was named First-Team All-State in the 1976 season. From there, Blanchard went on to play at Grand Valley State University, where he starred as a tailback and defensive back.  Blanchard netted First Team All-Conference honors for Grand Valley in 1980, his final two seasons with the Lakers.  He also led the team in interceptions both seasons.  Blanchards first college coaching stint at Hillsdale occurred between 1982 and 1984, when he was the outside linebackers coach under Dick Lowry.  In his first season, his unit set a school record for interceptions in a season with 32.  Blanchard coached the defensive backs at Eastern Michigan University in the 1986 season before taking a secondary position at Saginaw Valley State for six years.  Blanchard earned his bachelors degree in 1981 from Grand Valley State. Since returning to Hillsdale, Blanchard has guided the Charger defense to some memorable games and seasons by the team and its individual players. After going 11 years without a shutout, Blanchards defense has recorded shutouts in three of the past seven seasons, including the 2011 season finale, 42-0, over Tiffin. In 2011, the Charger defense ranked third in the GLIAC in points allowed, the best finish by the program since 2007. Hillsdales defense was No. 2 in the GLIAC in total defense that season, the best mark of Blanchards tenure. Over the second half of the 2011 season, the Chargers allowed an average of 12.6 points per game, improving on its first half points allowed average by 19 points per game. In 2012, Hillsdale ranked third in scoring defense and second in total defense, establishing another new high-water mark in recent program history for the defensive side of the ball. Following the 2009 season, defensive lineman Drew Berube was honored as Second-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Berube was one of several four-year players Blanchard coached on defense in the 2009 season. Blanchard's recruiting areas of emphasis are Cincinnati and the state of Indiana. He resides in Hillsdale with his wife Melanie who is a home health nurse at the Hillsdale Community Health Center. They have four children: Lauren (30), Kathryn (29), Michael (25) and Aaron (22).  Lauren is a graduate of Adrian College, while Kathy graduated from the University of Indianapolis. Both played collegiate softball.  Michael recently completed a four-year career with the Charger football team as a wide receiver, and was named All-GLIAC and All-Region as a baseball player for the Chargers.

Otterbein played football at Hillsdale College for four years from 2003-06. In February 2010, he came back home. Otterbein was named the teams wide receivers coach, and enters his seventh season in that role in 2016.  Otterbein, the oldest son of Hillsdale head coach Keith Otterbein, spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Eastern Michigan University after graduating from Hillsdale. While at EMU, he worked with the teams defensive linemen every day at practice, and assisted with practice preparation for the programs scout team offense and special teams. He also had extensive behind-the-scenes responsibilities in all aspects of EMUs football program, including working with the teams out-of-area recruiting program. Otterbein's recruiting territory covers north east Ohio. Otterbein earned his degree from Hillsdale in May 2007, majoring in secondary education and physical education, along with a minor in math. In April 2010, he received his masters degree in sports management from Eastern Michigan. Otterbein was a two-year starter at safety for the Chargers, and was selected to the GLIAC All-Academic Team three times.  He lives in Hillsdale with his wife Lisa and their son Tyson and daughter Lucille.

Shreffler will enter his 10th season in charge of Hillsdales defensive line in 2016, making him a part of the same coaching staff as his older brother Nate. Aaron Shreffler came to Hillsdale after spending one season as the offensive line coach at Georgia Southern University. He spent the prior seven seasons with St. Francis (Ind.) coaching both the offensive and defensive lines. Under Shrefflers day-to-day instruction, Drew Berube attained All-American status for Hillsdale following the 2009 season. Berube was later invited to participate in the rookie camp of the soon-to-be World Champion Green Bay Packers in 2010. Shreffler played center for Ohio University from 1992-97, but was recruited to play for Hillsdale when he was a prep standout at Celina (Ohio) High School.  While at Celina, Shreffler won several individual awards, including All-Region and All-Northwest Ohio. Shreffler's recruiting area includes central and western Ohio. Shreffler lives in Hillsdale with his wife Molly, and their daughter Lilly and son Luke.