Denny Marcin Dies at Age 75
9/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Denny Marcin, a 1964 graduate of Miami, passed away on Wednesday afternoon. He was 75.
Before joining the NFL ranks, Marcin coached at Miami. Beginning in 1974, he served as a defensive coordinator and then assistant head coach. In those four years, the Red and White won three MAC Championships and went an impressive 34-10-2. In his playing days (1961-63), under then-head coach John Pont, Marcin helped Miami capture the 1962 MAC title going 8-2-1 overall and earning a trip to the Tangerine Bowl.
Marcin made his name as one of the NFL's top defensive line coaches, joining the New York Giants in 1997. During Marcin's five-year tenure, the Giants became one of the most consistent defenses in the league , led by defensive end Michael Strahan, who Marcin coached to four Pro Bowls and an NFL-record 22.5 sacks in 2001.
Prior to joining the Giants staff, Marcin's coaching career saw him travel far and wide not only across the United States but also to the far reaches of the globe, spending two seasons (1993 and 1995) as a "guest coach" for the Konan University football team in Japan. Just before joining the Giants, Marcin was the defensive line coach for the University of Illinois for nine seasons (1988-96). In his time with the Illini, he coached two NFL first-round draft picks in Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy.
Prior to his stint at Illinois, Marcin spent 10 years at the University of North Carolina (1978-87) where he sent 24 players to the NFL, including Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
