Mettlach to Join MTU Football Coaching Staff for 2017 Season

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech football program and Head Coach Steve Olson are pleased to announce that Dan Mettlach will be joining the coaching staff as an Offensive Assistant and Assistant Head Coach for the 2017 season. Mettlach returns to Tech after an outstanding four-year career (2001-04) as a quarterback for the Huskies.

"We are very excited about the addition of Dan Mettlach to our coaching staff," Head Coach Steve Olson said. Dan will come to our staff as an assistant head coach and will be an offensive position coach. He also brings recruiting knowledge of all areas we recruit and in addition brings an array of coaching talents to our staff. He has coached all the offensive skill positions, special teams, and been an offensive coordinator."

"I'm very excited to be coming back to Tech and joining this great coaching staff," Mettlach said. "Ever since I got into the coaching profession I've always had it in the back of my mind to get back here someday. It worked out with our current situation for myself and my family and we couldn't pass up this opportunity. Joining a successful program that has strong values in the way the team is run is exciting. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Tech family and looking forward to getting started."

Mettlach has spent the previous three seasons at Finlandia University where he served as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Mettlach helped start the program with Head Coach Tim Driscoll, who spent 10 years as Tech's Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach.

Prior to arriving at Finlandia, Mettlach was the Special Teams Coordinator, Passing Game Coordinator, and Quarterbacks Coach at Macalester College (NCAA III) in St. Paul, Minnesota for the 2012 and 13 seasons. In 2011, he helped guide Hillsdale College to a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship as the Quarterbacks Coach. The Chargers averaged 31.6 points and 241.6 passing yards per game. Hillsdale racked up an average of 463.3 yards on offense each time they took the field. Quarterback Anthony Mifsud threw for 2,507 yards and 15 touchdowns during the championship run in 2011.

Mettlach also spent three seasons at Northern Michigan (2007-09) University where he filled various roles including quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, strength and conditioning coach, and academic coordinator. At each stop, Mettlach has also been key in the recruiting process, covering the states of Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Arizona.

As a player at Tech, Mettlach is in the record books as one of the top quarterbacks in program history. He ranks fourth in school history in total offense with a combined total of 6,348 yards and 66 touchdowns. Mettlach is sixth overall in passing yards, completing 358 attempts for 5,261 yards and 50 touchdowns. He helped guide the Huskies to a GLIAC Championship in 2004 along with being selected to the GLIAC All-Conference First Team and being named the GLIAC Player of the Year. Mettlach was a team captain in 2003 and 2004 and was a Daktronics Honorable Mention All-American following the 2004 campaign as well.

Michigan Tech wrapped up the season 4-6, but had huge wins over Ashland and another Miner's Cup victory in overtime at Northern Michigan. The Huskies are now making preparations for the 2017 campaign under first year Head Coach Steve Olson.