Wilson Love has been named the new head strength and conditioning coach for the Oregon football program, the UO athletic department announced on Friday.
“Wilson has a strong commitment to supporting student-athletes and as well as a track record of helping them develop to their highest potential in all areas,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said. “We look forward to his considerable impact on our football student-athletes and program and are excited to welcome him to the Oregon family.”
“A quality strength and conditioning program is the backbone of a college football team, and we are thrilled to have Wilson Love lead the way,” head coach Dan Lanning said. “His ability to connect with student-athletes and get the most out of them both physically and mentally is very impressive. I am confident he will have the Ducks ready to compete at a championship level on a daily basis.
“I had the pleasure of working with Coach Love early in his career at Alabama, and he has grown into one of the very best strength and conditioning coaches in the nation. The energy and intensity he brings to our program will be vital in cultivating a championship culture.”
Love comes to Oregon after spending the last two seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alabama working with the defensive line in 2014 before spending two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s assistant strength and conditioning coach. Love was named Florida Atlantic’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2017, and added the title of assistant head coach for 2018-19 before making the move to Ole Miss.
Love holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is also CPR/AED certified.
“The opportunity to serve the student-athletes at the University of Oregon is an incredible honor,” Love said. “Being a part of brand like Oregon is why you coach! I want to thank athletic director Rob Mullens, head coach Dan Lanning, and the entire UO administration for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to serve this fine institution. The vision Coach Lanning has for the program will make the University of Oregon the premier spot in all of college football. Time to create!”
Love’s first strength and conditioning staff at Oregon will include Shaud Williams, who will remain with the Ducks as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. Williams has spent the last four seasons at Oregon, helping the Ducks to a pair of Pac-12 Championships and a Rose Bowl title.
“We are really excited that Shaud Williams will be staying on with us here at Oregon,” Lanning said. “He provides important stability and familiarity for our student-athletes as we transition in our new staff. Shaud has done a tremendous job for the Ducks over the last four seasons, playing a vital role in the development of our student-athletes both on and off the field. Coach Love and I are thrilled to have Coach Williams on board, someone who our student-athletes trust and are comfortable going to in any situation. He will be incredibly helpful as Coach Love implements his vision for our strength and conditioning program.”
As the head strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss, Love helped lead the Rebels to a 10-3 overall record in 2021 and a trip to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Ole Miss knocked off Mississippi State, 31-21, in the annual Egg Bowl, moving to 2-0 against its in-state rival with Love on staff.
Love and Ole Miss went 4-5 in an all-SEC regular season in 2020, finishing with a .500 record after a 26-20 win over Indiana in the Outback Bowl. Two players from the 2020 Ole Miss team were taken in the NFL Draft, with receiver Elijah Moore going in the second round and offensive lineman Royce Newman going in the fourth round.
Love followed head coach Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss after helping him rebuild the Florida Atlantic program from 2017-19. The Owls reached the Boca Raton Bowl twice and won a pair of Conference USA championships during Love’s three seasons, the program’s first bowl appearance in nine seasons and first league title since 2007.
FAU went 11-3 overall and 8-0 in conference play in 2017, blowing out North Texas in the league championship game and Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl. Love earned a promotion to assistant head coach going into 2018, and the Owls returned to the top of Conference USA in 2019 with another 11-3 overall record and a sweep in the conference title game and Boca Raton Bowl.
Love began his coaching career at his alma mater, Alabama. He worked with the defensive line as a graduate assistant in 2014 before taking the assistant strength and conditioning role in 2015 and 2016. The Crimson Tide played for two national titles in Love’s two seasons on the strength and conditioning staff, winning the championship with a 45-40 victory over Clemson to cap the 2015 season.
As a player at Alabama, Love was a three-time all-SEC academic selection as a defensive end and helped the Crimson Tide to back-to-back national championships (2011-12). He graduated from Alabama in 2013 with a degree in commerce and business administration.
“Wilson has a strong commitment to supporting student-athletes and as well as a track record of helping them develop to their highest potential in all areas,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said. “We look forward to his considerable impact on our football student-athletes and program and are excited to welcome him to the Oregon family.”
“A quality strength and conditioning program is the backbone of a college football team, and we are thrilled to have Wilson Love lead the way,” head coach Dan Lanning said. “His ability to connect with student-athletes and get the most out of them both physically and mentally is very impressive. I am confident he will have the Ducks ready to compete at a championship level on a daily basis.
“I had the pleasure of working with Coach Love early in his career at Alabama, and he has grown into one of the very best strength and conditioning coaches in the nation. The energy and intensity he brings to our program will be vital in cultivating a championship culture.”
Love comes to Oregon after spending the last two seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alabama working with the defensive line in 2014 before spending two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s assistant strength and conditioning coach. Love was named Florida Atlantic’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2017, and added the title of assistant head coach for 2018-19 before making the move to Ole Miss.
Love holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is also CPR/AED certified.
“The opportunity to serve the student-athletes at the University of Oregon is an incredible honor,” Love said. “Being a part of brand like Oregon is why you coach! I want to thank athletic director Rob Mullens, head coach Dan Lanning, and the entire UO administration for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to serve this fine institution. The vision Coach Lanning has for the program will make the University of Oregon the premier spot in all of college football. Time to create!”
Love’s first strength and conditioning staff at Oregon will include Shaud Williams, who will remain with the Ducks as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. Williams has spent the last four seasons at Oregon, helping the Ducks to a pair of Pac-12 Championships and a Rose Bowl title.
“We are really excited that Shaud Williams will be staying on with us here at Oregon,” Lanning said. “He provides important stability and familiarity for our student-athletes as we transition in our new staff. Shaud has done a tremendous job for the Ducks over the last four seasons, playing a vital role in the development of our student-athletes both on and off the field. Coach Love and I are thrilled to have Coach Williams on board, someone who our student-athletes trust and are comfortable going to in any situation. He will be incredibly helpful as Coach Love implements his vision for our strength and conditioning program.”
As the head strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss, Love helped lead the Rebels to a 10-3 overall record in 2021 and a trip to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Ole Miss knocked off Mississippi State, 31-21, in the annual Egg Bowl, moving to 2-0 against its in-state rival with Love on staff.
Love and Ole Miss went 4-5 in an all-SEC regular season in 2020, finishing with a .500 record after a 26-20 win over Indiana in the Outback Bowl. Two players from the 2020 Ole Miss team were taken in the NFL Draft, with receiver Elijah Moore going in the second round and offensive lineman Royce Newman going in the fourth round.
Love followed head coach Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss after helping him rebuild the Florida Atlantic program from 2017-19. The Owls reached the Boca Raton Bowl twice and won a pair of Conference USA championships during Love’s three seasons, the program’s first bowl appearance in nine seasons and first league title since 2007.
FAU went 11-3 overall and 8-0 in conference play in 2017, blowing out North Texas in the league championship game and Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl. Love earned a promotion to assistant head coach going into 2018, and the Owls returned to the top of Conference USA in 2019 with another 11-3 overall record and a sweep in the conference title game and Boca Raton Bowl.
Love began his coaching career at his alma mater, Alabama. He worked with the defensive line as a graduate assistant in 2014 before taking the assistant strength and conditioning role in 2015 and 2016. The Crimson Tide played for two national titles in Love’s two seasons on the strength and conditioning staff, winning the championship with a 45-40 victory over Clemson to cap the 2015 season.
As a player at Alabama, Love was a three-time all-SEC academic selection as a defensive end and helped the Crimson Tide to back-to-back national championships (2011-12). He graduated from Alabama in 2013 with a degree in commerce and business administration.
