During his 17 years as an assistant football coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Bill Conley coached tight ends, linebackers, defensive ends and special teams for head coaches Earle Bruce, John Cooper and Jim Tressel. All-American and/or eventual NFL players he coached include Cris Carter, Thomas "Pepper" Johnson, Chris Spielman, Mike Vrabel, Andy Groom, B.J. Sander, Ben Hartsock, Darnell Sanders and Mike Nugent.
Conley coached teams that included the 2002 National Champions, and others earning berths in numerous bowl games, including the Rose, Fiesta, Outback, Sugar, Citrus, Holiday, Hall of Fame and Cotton Bowls.
As the Buckeyes' recruiting coordinator in 1991 and 1992, and then from 1994 to 2004, Conley distinguished himself and gained national acclaim. Recognized by ESPN as the No. 1 college recruiter in the country, Conley consistently brought high-impact or "franchise" players to Ohio State. The list of players he recruited includes two Heisman Trophy winners in Eddie George and Troy Smith. Others include Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson, Orlando Pace, Terry Glenn, Greg Bellisari, Andy Katzenmoyer, Chris Gamble, Nate Salley, Mike Nugent, and Ashton Youboty.
Conley is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he was a member of three Big Ten championship teams, including the 1968 National Championship team, under legendary head coach Woody Hayes. Conley earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio State, and a master's degree in administration from Wright State University.
Since retiring from Ohio State in the spring of 2004, Conley continues working to improve the skills of the nation's top athletes, while keeping his ears to the ground for coaches looking for that next franchise player. Along with being one of the nation's top motivational speakers, Conley is National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN™, and serves as a radio and television analyst and host for several Central Ohio stations.
In 2005, Conley - with co-author, J.C. Phillips - published "Buckeye Bumper Crops". The autobiography features some of Conley's most compelling recruiting stories and memories of his tenure as a Buckeye assistant coach. The book also offers insights to Conley's philosophies of recruiting, providing tips that are sure to help a new generation of coaches and recruiters.
For more information, or to schedule Coach Bill Conley to speak at your next event: Contact Coach Conley at (614)208-5463, or Jeff Phillips at (740)412-3408.
