Jim Purtill will serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019. He helped improve a stagnant offense in 2018 which led to an increase of five wins from the 2017 campaign. He saw five different offensive student-athletes selected to the All-GLIAC Teams. The offense averaged 329.5 yards per contest including 135 on the ground. DU's quarterbacks completed 52.6 percent of their passes for 2,140 yards in 2018. They also managed the game extremely well with 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Haiden Majewski had a 119.6 efficiency rating with 13 touchdowns. Seth Acda was the team's leading rusher with 581 yards and two scores.
Purtill has a wealth of football coaching experience and will be a vital part of the team’s success in the future. He previously served as pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh for two seasons (2015-16). The Titans had the best two-year run in school history with a 24-4 record and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championship. The team was ranked second in 2016 and fifth in 2015 by season’s end. UW-Oshkosh won the 2015 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and set school records for points (550).
Purtill spent from 1999-2013 as the head coach at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. He guided the Green Knights to their most successful era in school history rebuilding the program into a conference and national power. He served as offensive coordinator/offensive line coach in addition to his head coaching duties at St. Norbert. SNC went 130-30 during Purtill’s time on the sidelines with four undefeated regular seasons and eight national Top 25 rankings. His teams won 11 Midwest Conference titles and he was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Purtill has ties to Michigan as well having coached at Albion College from 1995-1998. He served as offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for the Britons and was named American Football Quarterly NCAA Division III Offensive Coordinator of the Year in 1996. Albion won three Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles during his time and made two appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Purtill also has prior NCAA Division II and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference experience serving as offensive line coach at Ferris State University from 1988-1994. While in Big Rapids, the Bulldogs won their first conference championship in school history in 1992. The program also won the conference title in 1993 and 1994 making trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The team set 42 school records and established an unbeaten streak of 29 games during that span.
Purtill received his bachelor’s degree from Miami University (Ohio) in education and achieved his master’s degree from Salem College (W.Va.) in physical education.
