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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks

Jeff Behrman

Become a Blue Streak

Jeff Behrman '95 (pronounced BEAR-man) enters his third season as Head Coach in 2025. 

A former Blue Streak quarterback, Behrman returned to University Heights after 27 seasons in the collegiate ranks, including the past seven years as the head coach at Union College (NY).

In his second season at JCU, Behrman steered the Blue Streaks to a 9-3 record. JCU returned to the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2018, hosting a first round playoff game. A total of 15 Blue Streaks garnered All-OAC recognition, with Matt Wrather becoming JCU's first-ever two-time winner of the Ken Wable Award, Tyren Montgomery winning the Ed Sherman Award, and Owen Schuckert securing the OAC's first Special Teams Player of the Year. Additionally, 7 players garnered All-Region status, while Wrather finished as an All-American in addition to making the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. 

In his first season, Behrman guided the Blue Streaks to an 8-2 record. The Blue Streaks tallied 14 All-OAC selections, with seven First Team honorees. His team finished #20 in the D3football.com Top 25. JCU Football notched two Academic All-America® honorees (Matt Wrather and Bricker Thiel) for the first time since 1983. He's also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Gridiron Club.

Behrman has established a strong reputation as an excellent program builder during his lengthy collegiate coaching career. At Union, Behrman turned an 0-10 team into a 10-0 team in the span of four seasons, guiding the Dutchmen to the 2019 NCAA Division III Tournament. Behrman tallied a 42-20 (.677) record during his six seasons. 

During his tenure at Union, Behrman proved himself as an excellent recruiter, winning the 2019 AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year award and the 2019 Liberty League Coach of the Year award. The Dutchmen won a school-record 21 straight regular season games from 2018-21. Additionally, he serves as a board member for the Capital District Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Behrman brings a wealth of experience to the role. Before getting the head job at Union, the seasoned veteran spent 10 seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Stony Brook University from 2006-15. The Seawolves won four Big South titles and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in 2011 and 2012. Behrman helped to mentor tight end Will Tye, who became the first Stony Brook alum to play in an NFL game. All the while, Behrman learned under the tutelage of longtime head coach Chuck Priore.

Sandwiched in between a pair of 2-season stints at Trinity College (the latter as the offensive coordinator), Behrman worked as the wide receivers coach at Hofstra for two seasons. During his second stint at Trinity, the Bantams went undefeated in back-to-back seasons. He enjoyed his first stint as an offensive coordinator at Blackburn College for the 1999 season. 

His coaching career started at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where he was the graduate assistant during the 1996 season. Behrman then headed to Glenville State for the 1997 and 1998 seasons, where he worked as a wide receivers and tight ends coach. 

Over the span of his career, Behrman has coached 10 players who have gone on to play in the NFL or CFL (including Marques Colston), along with 12 All-Americans, 130 All-Conference selections, and 7 Players of the Year. He's won 9 championships during his coaching career.

Behrman's roots at John Carroll date back to his days as a backup quarterback for the Blue Streaks. 

Following a prolific basketball and football career at Stow High School, Behrman competed as a freshman for the starting quarterback job in 1991. Behrman appeared in 4 games, throwing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Craig Frabotta on his first collegiate throw. Behrman also started in a 17-7 win over Ohio Northern. Future Hall of Famer P.J. Insana won the starting role, but Behrman threw for 241 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1992. After taking the 1993 season off, Behrman threw for 211 yards and 3 TDs in 1994.

Behrman battled adversity as a redshirt senior in 1995. He was elected captain before the season, and started the opener vs. Ohio Wesleyan. However, he suffered a broken ankle during the 28-13 win. But Behrman spent eight weeks in rehab with eight screws and a metal plate in his ankle, and managed to return. He played for a series in a 33-7 win in Week 9, and started the opening series of the season finale vs. Baldwin Wallace before giving way to the starter, Nick Caserio. Behrman's comeback earned him recognition as a 1995 NSCA All-American Strength & Conditioning Athlete of the Year. 

Behrman won a number of accolades, including the team's Leadership Award and Loyalty Award following the 1995 campaign. Behrman notched Academic All-OAC honors and won the Jerry D. Keller Award for Outstanding Community Service while playing for the legendary, late Tony DeCarlo '66G and Joe Perella. 
 
Year Overall Conf. NCAA Playoffs
2024 9-3 8-1 1-1
2023 8-2 8-1 0-0
JCU Totals 17-5 16-2 1-1
2022 6-4
2021 8-2
2019 11-1 1-1
2018 7-2
2017 7-4
2016 3-7
Union Totals 42-20 1-1
Career Totals 59-25 2-2

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