Dave Cohen joined Western Michigan’s staff as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2010. He spent four seasons as the head coach at Hofstra prior to joining the Broncos.
His four seasons as head coach of the Pride resulted in improved play on both sides of the line of scrimmage. In 2006 the Pride posted their best total defense average since 1996, and ranked in the top half in the conference in rushing defense, pass defense scoring defense and total defense. In 2007 Hofstra recorded the second most improved record in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), going from 2-9 in 2006 to 7-4. The Pride led the CAA in rushing defense in 2007, allowing just 113. 9 yards per game, which ranked as the best average since the 1996 campaign. The Pride also ranked second in total defense, allowing just 312 yards per game. That mark was the second-lowest total since 1996. While the Pride was in the middle of the CAA in total offense, they did improve by an average of 122 yards per game from 2006 to a mark of 388.5 in 2007 season. Hofstra also led the CAA in punt return average (14.7 ypr) thanks mostly to current sophomore Anthony Nelson (20-312-15.5), who led the conference with a 15.6 yards per return mark. For his efforts, Cohen was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top FCS coach in the country.
Born in Huntington, New York, Cohen was a three-time league champion, all-county and All-Long Island selection at Commack North High School, where he played under Bill Edwards, who is the high successful, long-time Pride softball coach. A 1988 business management graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post, Cohen earned his master’s degree in education administration from SUNY-Albany in 1990. While at C.W. Post, he was a two-year starter at defensive tackle and earned CoSIDA Academic All- Region honors as a senior.
