Sean Spencer, a 20-year college coaching veteran, is in his first season coaching as the Giants' defensive line coach. Spencer spent the previous six seasons at Penn State, where he was also associate head coach and run game coordinator the last two years.
Under Spencer, the Nittany Lions' line was traditionally one of the nation's best. In 2019, Penn State had 45 sacks, the seventh-highest total in the country and third-highest in the Big Ten. It was Penn State's fifth consecutive season with at last 40 sacks, the first such streak for the Nittany Lions since team sacks were recorded in 1988. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was fifth in the conference with a team-high 9.5 sacks and was named All-Big Ten first team for the second straight year.
Last season, Spencer's linemen were also significant contributors to Penn State's run defense, which finished first in the nation by allowing only 2.6 yards-per-carry and fifth in the country and first in the conference by surrendering just 95.0 yards a game.
In 2015 and 2018, Penn State led the nation in sacks, first with 50 and then with 47 (3.6 a game). In the latter season, the Nittany Lions ranked fourth in the country with 8.2 tackles for loss a game.
In 2018, the defense was a frequent fixture in the opposition's backfield, leading the country in sacks (3.62) for the second time in the last four years and ranking fourth in tackles for loss (8.2). That previous season, the line helped the defense finish in the Top 25 in FBS in scoring defense (7th; 16.5), sacks (7th; 3.23), rushing defense (14th; 118.0), total defense (17th; 329.5), takeaways (23rd; 25) and tackles for loss (25th; 7.2).
The line played a pivotal role in Penn State's Big Ten Championship run in 2016, when the defense finished seventh in FBS in tackles for loss (8.1) and 19th in sacks (2.86).
In 2015, the defensive line not only paced a unit that led the FBS in sacks (3.54 a game) but was sixth in tackles for loss (8.2) and 14th in total defense (324.5). Under Spencer's guidance, former walk-on Carl Nassib won the Rotary Lombardi Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Hendricks Award and Woodson-Nagurski Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year while breaking the Penn State single-season sacks record with 15.5 in 2015. Nassib also became Penn State's 13th unanimous Consensus All-American.
Defensive tackles Austin Johnson (second team) and Anthony Zettel (third team) garnered 2015 All-Big Ten honors. Johnson joined the Giants in March.
Spencer led a unit that in 2014 helped Penn State finish No. 3 in the FBS rushing defense (100.5) and second in total defense (278.7).
During his 2011-13 tenure at Vanderbilt, Spencer's defensive lines helped Vanderbilt finish in the top 25 in the nation in total defense all three years. The Commodores recorded 28, 31 and 28 sacks under Spencer, with the defensive line posting 42.5 tackles for loss in 2013.
Spencer coached the Bowling Green defensive line in 2009-10, when he mentored Chris Jones to All-Mid-American Conference honors and helped the Falcons to the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl.
Spencer had two stints at Massachusetts, coaching the defensive line in 2007-08 and in 2001-03. He also has coached at Hofstra (2006), Villanova (2005), Holy Cross (2004), Trinity College (1998-2000), Shippensburg (1996-97) and Wesleyan (1995).
Spencer was a three-year starter at safety at Clarion (Pa.) University where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science. He and his wife, Allyson, have a daughter Alysia (16).
1996-97 Shippensburg University - running backs
1998-2000 Trinity College - running backs, passing game coordinator, defensive line
2001-03 University of Massachusetts - defensive line
2004 College of the Holy Cross - defensive line
2005 Villanova University - linebackers
2006 Hofstra University - defensive line
2007-08 University of Massachusetts - defensive line/special teams
2009-10 Bowling Green State University - defensive line
2011-13 Vanderbilt University - defensive line
2014-17 Penn State University - defensive line
2018-19 Penn State University - assoc. head coach/run game coor./defensive line
2020 New York Giants - defensive line
