After two years as Northwestern's assistant director of strength and conditioning, Jay Hooten was elevated in July of 2011 to the position of Director of Football Performance, assuming oversight of all aspects of Northwestern Football's strength, speed and conditioning training.

Hooten joined the NU strength and conditioning staff in January of 2009 and spent the next two seasons directing the training programs of the Wildcats wrestling, baseball and men's soccer teams while also devoting significant time to the football program.

An Ohio native, Hooten spent six years as a football performance assistant at Ohio State, where he assisted with the strength and conditioning program for the three-time Big Ten and 2002 national champion Buckeyes. After leaving Ohio State, Hooten spent a year as the Director of Sports Performance at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio, before taking over as the owner and director of Fast-Twitch Performance Enhancement in Dayton.

Hooten is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and also is a certified specialist with the National Association of Speed and Explosion.

A graduate of Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, Hooten earned his bachelor's degree in health and sport science. He graduated from Northridge High School in Dayton where he was teammates with current NU assistant coach Matt MacPherson.

Hooten and his wife Lori have four children, daughter Joss, son Landon and twin boys Jaxn and Jeremy. The Hootens reside in Skokie.