Wisconsin native who coached for Vikings gets DC job at Virginia Tech

Looking for a success story about a guy from the Upper Midwest who made it big in football coaching? There are plenty to choose from, but the newest name on the list is Sam Siefkes, who has reportedly been hired as the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech.

How did he reach this point in his career? For the Wisconsin native, it’s been a steady climb.

Siefkes was a standout athlete at Oconomowoc High School in the greater Milwaukee area, excelling in lacrosse. He went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science. He later obtained a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and began his coaching career.

From 2012 to 2014, Siefkes coached defensive backs, linebackers, and specialists at UW-La Crosse. He then spent the 2014 football season at Florida International University before becoming a graduate assistant defensive coach for the Wisconsin Badgers in 2015.

Siefkes continued to build his résumé, serving as the defensive coordinator at Division III Wisconsin-Platteville for two seasons. He then moved on to Wofford College, where he was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2018 to 2020.

In 2021, Siefkes joined the NFL, hired by the Minnesota Vikings under the Rick Spielman-Mike Zimmer regime as a defensive quality control coach. He remained with the team in 2022, serving as an assistant linebackers coach under head coach Kevin O’Connell.

When Jonathan Gannon was hired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, he brought on 14 new assistants. At just 31 years old, Siefkes became the youngest among them, taking on the role of linebackers coach.

According to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, the Vikings “really didn’t want to lose him” to Arizona.

Now, fast-forward to the present day, and Siefkes is reportedly stepping into the defensive coordinator role at Virginia Tech.

“He brings NFL experience from two seasons with the Vikings as a quality control coach and assistant linebackers coach,” said college football insider Pete Thamel. “Along with his time at Wofford, he’s also coordinated defense at UW-Platteville.”

Thamel continued: “His time around one of the NFL’s most innovative and successful defenses in Arizona attracted Tech’s brass to him, and he also brings collegiate play-calling experience.”

Not a bad career path, wouldn’t you say?