Ross Kolodziej joined the Northwestern football coaching staff as the defensive line coach in January 2026.
Kolodziej (pronounced kah-LAH-gee) brings extensive collegiate and professional experience to Evanston, along with a seven-year playing career in the National Football League. He most recently comes from Stanford, having spent three years as the Cardinal defensive line coach.
During his tenure at Stanford, Kolodziej saw defensive lineman Clay Patterson earn All-ACC honorable mention recognition in 2025, marking Stanford's first All-ACC defensive lineman and the program's first all-conference selection at the position since 2022. Patterson led the Cardinal in sacks with 4.0 and was one of the ACC's top-graded defensive linemen, per Pro Football Focus.
Stanford's run defense showed steady improvement under Kolodziej's guidance, seeing a decrease in rushing yards per game allowed in each of his three seasons with the program. Most recently in 2025, the Cardinal ranked 28th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 119.3 yards per game–the fewest rushing yards per contest recorded by Stanford since 2014. Since 2024, Stanford allowed just 66.4 rushing yards per game in victories, the second-lowest mark nationally during that span.
Young players played key roles along the defensive line during Kolodziej's first season at Stanford in 2023, including interior linemen Anthony Franklin and Lance Keneley, who each recorded career-best multi-sack seasons. As a unit in 2023, the Cardinal rushing defense saw a decrease of over 60 rushing yards per game from the previous season.
Kolodziej joined Stanford after spending eight seasons at his alma mater, Wisconsin. He served as the Badgers' defensive line coach for his final two seasons on staff after previously holding the role of head strength and conditioning coach for football from 2015-20.
During his time at Wisconsin, the Badgers produced 12 first-team All-Americans, including six consensus All-America selections, and sent 56 players to the NFL. In 2022, Wisconsin ranked 11th nationally in total defense (303.5 yards per game), 10th in rushing defense (99.2 ypg) and fourth nationally in yards per rush allowed (2.91). Senior nose tackle Keeanu Benton earned third-team All-Big Ten honors after recording 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Kolodziej's first season coaching the Badgers' defensive line in 2021 coincided with one of the most dominant defenses in school history. Wisconsin led the nation and set a school record by allowing just 64.8 rushing yards per game, becoming only the second FBS team since 2008 to allow fewer than 70.0 rushing yards per game over an entire season. The Badgers' defense also allowed just 2.12 yards per carry – the best mark in the country and the lowest by an FBS defense since 2016. That unit surrendered just 239.1 rushing yards per game, the third-best total in school history and the lowest mark at Wisconsin since 1954.
Kolodziej mentored a pair of All-Big Ten selections during the 2021 season, with Benton earning second-team honors and Matt Henningsen receiving third-team recognition. Henningsen was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and was selected in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.
Prior to transitioning to an on-field coaching role, Kolodziej spent seven seasons as a head strength and conditioning coach under Paul Chryst, including six at Wisconsin. He previously served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Pittsburgh in 2013 before being promoted to head strength coach the following year. He returned to Wisconsin in 2015 and held the position through the 2020 season.
Kolodziej began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin in 2012, working with the defensive line. That role followed a professional playing career that included seven seasons in the NFL and three seasons in the United Football League from 2009-11. A two-time team captain in the UFL, he helped the Las Vegas Locomotives capture back-to-back league titles.
As a player, Kolodziej was a 45-game starter on the defensive line at Wisconsin, contributing to Big Ten championship teams in 1998 and 1999 and Rose Bowl appearances following the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He was also a member of Wisconsin's Big Ten championship teams in indoor and outdoor track and field in 2000 and 2001, competing in shot put.
Selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Kolodziej played for the Giants, Vikings, 49ers and Cardinals during his seven-year NFL career. While with Arizona, he started 14 games during the 2005 season as part of a unit that finished the season ranked Top-10 in the league in total defense.
A native of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Kolodziej also spent the 2009 offseason as a strength and conditioning intern at Wisconsin and completed his degree during that time. He and his wife, Miriam, have four children: Liz, Taylor, Asher and Abram.
Kolodziej (pronounced kah-LAH-gee) brings extensive collegiate and professional experience to Evanston, along with a seven-year playing career in the National Football League. He most recently comes from Stanford, having spent three years as the Cardinal defensive line coach.
During his tenure at Stanford, Kolodziej saw defensive lineman Clay Patterson earn All-ACC honorable mention recognition in 2025, marking Stanford's first All-ACC defensive lineman and the program's first all-conference selection at the position since 2022. Patterson led the Cardinal in sacks with 4.0 and was one of the ACC's top-graded defensive linemen, per Pro Football Focus.
Stanford's run defense showed steady improvement under Kolodziej's guidance, seeing a decrease in rushing yards per game allowed in each of his three seasons with the program. Most recently in 2025, the Cardinal ranked 28th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 119.3 yards per game–the fewest rushing yards per contest recorded by Stanford since 2014. Since 2024, Stanford allowed just 66.4 rushing yards per game in victories, the second-lowest mark nationally during that span.
Young players played key roles along the defensive line during Kolodziej's first season at Stanford in 2023, including interior linemen Anthony Franklin and Lance Keneley, who each recorded career-best multi-sack seasons. As a unit in 2023, the Cardinal rushing defense saw a decrease of over 60 rushing yards per game from the previous season.
Kolodziej joined Stanford after spending eight seasons at his alma mater, Wisconsin. He served as the Badgers' defensive line coach for his final two seasons on staff after previously holding the role of head strength and conditioning coach for football from 2015-20.
During his time at Wisconsin, the Badgers produced 12 first-team All-Americans, including six consensus All-America selections, and sent 56 players to the NFL. In 2022, Wisconsin ranked 11th nationally in total defense (303.5 yards per game), 10th in rushing defense (99.2 ypg) and fourth nationally in yards per rush allowed (2.91). Senior nose tackle Keeanu Benton earned third-team All-Big Ten honors after recording 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Kolodziej's first season coaching the Badgers' defensive line in 2021 coincided with one of the most dominant defenses in school history. Wisconsin led the nation and set a school record by allowing just 64.8 rushing yards per game, becoming only the second FBS team since 2008 to allow fewer than 70.0 rushing yards per game over an entire season. The Badgers' defense also allowed just 2.12 yards per carry – the best mark in the country and the lowest by an FBS defense since 2016. That unit surrendered just 239.1 rushing yards per game, the third-best total in school history and the lowest mark at Wisconsin since 1954.
Kolodziej mentored a pair of All-Big Ten selections during the 2021 season, with Benton earning second-team honors and Matt Henningsen receiving third-team recognition. Henningsen was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and was selected in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.
Prior to transitioning to an on-field coaching role, Kolodziej spent seven seasons as a head strength and conditioning coach under Paul Chryst, including six at Wisconsin. He previously served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Pittsburgh in 2013 before being promoted to head strength coach the following year. He returned to Wisconsin in 2015 and held the position through the 2020 season.
Kolodziej began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin in 2012, working with the defensive line. That role followed a professional playing career that included seven seasons in the NFL and three seasons in the United Football League from 2009-11. A two-time team captain in the UFL, he helped the Las Vegas Locomotives capture back-to-back league titles.
As a player, Kolodziej was a 45-game starter on the defensive line at Wisconsin, contributing to Big Ten championship teams in 1998 and 1999 and Rose Bowl appearances following the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He was also a member of Wisconsin's Big Ten championship teams in indoor and outdoor track and field in 2000 and 2001, competing in shot put.
Selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Kolodziej played for the Giants, Vikings, 49ers and Cardinals during his seven-year NFL career. While with Arizona, he started 14 games during the 2005 season as part of a unit that finished the season ranked Top-10 in the league in total defense.
A native of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Kolodziej also spent the 2009 offseason as a strength and conditioning intern at Wisconsin and completed his degree during that time. He and his wife, Miriam, have four children: Liz, Taylor, Asher and Abram.
Coaching Assignments
| Years | Position | Institution |
| 2023-25 | Defensive Line Coach | Stanford |
| 2021-22 | Defensive Line Coach | Wisconsin |
| 2015-20 | Head Strength & Conditioning Coach | Wisconsin |
| 2014 | Head Strength & Conditioning Coach | Pittsburgh |
| 2013 | Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Pittsburgh |
| 2012 | Graduate Assistant | Wisconsin |