Clark County native named head football coach at Valparaiso

“My family and I are extremely excited to be joining the Valpo community and for the opportunity to lead the Valpo Football Family,” Waddle said in a press release. “I think that there is a great group of young men on the roster, and we’re excited to invest in those student-athletes and continue to add more high-quality people and football players to the program. During my interview, I met some wonderful people who shared the same values and vision that I have. I think Valpo is not only an outstanding fit for me professionally, but also an outstanding fit for me and my family personally. We look forward to taking Valpo to the top of the Pioneer Football League.”

Waddle led Marietta to the first 8-0 start in school history this past season. The Pioneers lost their last two regular-season games to Mount Union and John Carroll and then fell to Westminster College in the Extra Points Bowl.

Waddle was 55-61 at Marietta. Prior to getting the job at Marietta after the 2012 season, he spent eight seasons on Joe Fincham’s staff at Wittenberg. He was the defensive coordinator for the nation’s No. 1 defense in 2009.

Waddle graduated from Greenon in 1997 and from Wittenberg in 2003. He played defensive back for the Tigers.

Waddle takes over a program that finished 4-7 last season under Landon Fox, who was 21-42 in six seasons. Fox’s contract was not renewed after the 2024 season.

Valparaiso placed ninth in the Pioneer Football League last season with a 2-5 record. The program has finished with a winning record twice in this century: 6-5 in 2017; and 4-2 in the spring season of 2021.

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Waddle to the Valpo Athletics family,” Director of Athletics Laurel Hosmer said in a press release. “His experience building success and winning culture as a head coach, passion for developing student-athletes on and off the field and high character made it clear he was the right leader for our football program. I’m confident Coach Waddle will continue to build on the foundation that has been laid and look forward to what our program will accomplish under his leadership.”