Greg Gasparato was named the inside linebackers coach on January 19, 2015. Gasparato, a 2009 Wofford graduate, joined the Terriers after spending two seasons as the defensive graduate assistant at Appalachian State. In addition to working with the outside linebackers, he coordinates the Wofford special teams units. His recruiting areas include the Atlanta area (Fulton, Cobb and DeKalb counties), north Georgia, western North Carolina, Charlotte, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
At the end of the 2017 season, the defense was 26th in the nation in total defense. Colton Clemons was the team leader in tackles with 90, while Datavious Wilson was fourth with 71 tackles. While overseeing the special teams, Luke Carter was named first team All-Southern Conference at kicker, going 11-of-12 on the season and averaging 61.0 yards per kickoff. He also had a 42.3 punting average, with the net punting average second in the league and 30th in the nation. The team posted a 10-3 overall record and won the Southern Conference Championship with a 7-1 mark. He reached the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the fourth time (two as a player, two as a coach).
Last season, the defense was fifth in the nation in total defense, 11th in rushing defense and 22nd in passing defense. Datavious Wilson led the team in tackles with 97 and was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team. Lincoln Stewart was third on the team with 61 tackles, while John Patterson had 19 tackles. As special teams coordinator, David Marvin set a new school record for field goals in a season, which included five from 50 yards or longer. Marvin and Brian Sanders combined to post a 41.63 net punting average that led the nation.
During his first season working with the inside linebackers, Drake Michaelson led the team in tackles with 88 and John Patterson was second with 78 tackles.
In 2014, Gasparato completed his second season as a graduate assistant on Appalachian State’s football coaching staff, working with former Wofford defensive coordinator Nate Woody. Gasparato assisted with Appalachian’s defense while pursuing a master’s degree in educational media.
Prior to his arrival at Appalachian State in 2013, Gasparato gained two years of collegiate coaching experience with stints as defensive backs at Juniata College in 2011 and as outside linebackers coach at Brevard College in 2012. He began his coaching career as safeties coach and special-teams coordinator at Richland Northeast H.S. in Columbia, S.C. in 2010.
As a player, Gasparato saw action in 31 games as a safety at Wofford from 2005-08. He tallied 40 career tackles, including 28 as a junior in 2007, when he made two starts at strong safety and helped lead the Terriers to a share of the Southern Conference championship. Wofford defeated Montana in the NCAA Playoffs before falling in the quarterfinals. In 2008, the Terriers were 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the SoCon to reach the NCAA Playoffs.
Gasparato comes from a prominent football background. His late father, Nick, was a longtime assistant coach at Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Virginia, South Carolina, Temple and Penn State (where he helped lead the Nittany Lions to the 1986 national championship) and also served as a high school coach at State College (Pa.), Dutch Fork (S.C.) and Cape Coral (Fla.) High Schools. Greg’s brother, Mike, was a running back at Penn State from 2001-04.
Gasparato earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Wofford in 2009. He and his wife, Bria, reside in Spartanburg with their son, Dominick. Bria’s brother, Kyle Lanham, played football at Wofford and graduated in 2009.
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