David Blackwell joined the Tigers football program in March 2023, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with defensive tackles. He spent his first season as a senior defensive analyst before being elevated to his current role in 2024.
Blackwell has three decades of collegiate coaching experience across 10 different schools, including 11 years as a defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech (2020-21), Old Dominion (2019), East Carolina (2018), Jacksonville State (2014-17), Fordham (2012-13) and USF (2009).
During his first two seasons in Columbia, Blackwell mentored 2023 First Team All-SEC selection Darius Robinson, along with Chris McClellan and Kristian Williams, as key contributors on the defensive front. Robinson capped his Mizzou career with 43 tackles, a team-leading 14.0 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and six quarterback pressures before being selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With the departure of Robinson, McClellan and Williams made an impact in 2024, with McClellan recording 39 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and three quarterback pressures, while Williams added 30 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, and four quarterback hurries.
Blackwell came to Mizzou after a two-year stint (2020-21) at Louisiana Tech serving as the defensive coordinator for head coach Skip Holtz. He also oversaw the linebackers in 2021 in addition to his coordinator duties.
During Blackwell’s final season in Ruston, La., his defense ranked No. 1 in Conference USA and 18th nationally in fourth down conversation defense (.400), fourth in the conference and 12th nationally in fumbles recovered (12) and fourth in the league and 13th nationally in defensive touchdowns (3). The previous year, Blackwell oversaw a defense that ranked second in C-USA in interceptions after the Bulldogs defense registered nine picks for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Under Blackwell’s guidance, defensive lineman Milton Williams was named a Third Team All-American by Pro Football Focus, while linebacker Tyler Grubbs was chosen a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. In two years, 10 Bulldogs were honored with All-Conference USA recognition, including first teamer Milton Williams in 2020.
In his lone season (2019) as Old Dominion’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, Blackwell’s defense ranked fourth in Conference USA in total defense (371.1), turnovers forced (18), and fumbles recovered (9), fifth in tackles for loss per game (6.3), sixth in passing yards allowed (223.5) and seventh in rushing defense (147.6). Prior to his arrival in Norfolk, the Monarchs ranked last or second to last in virtually every defensive category.
While at ODU, Blackwell coached a pair of all-conference selections in linebacker Lawrence Garner and cornerback
Kaleb Ford-Dement. Garner ranked third in the league in total tackles with 111, while Ford-Dement was second in C-USA in passes defended with 15 (1.25).
Blackwell returned to his alma mater East Carolina, for his second stint, in 2018, where he served one year (2018) as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He was also named the interim head coach for the Pirates’ season finale against NC State after head coach Scottie Montgomery was let go. While in Greenville, N.C., Blackwell helped defensive end Nate Harvey, a former walk-on, earn American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors after leading the nation in tackles for loss (24.0) and tackles for loss per game (2.18), while ranking third nationally in sacks (13.5).
Under his leadership, the Pirate defense gave up eight less points per game in 2018 than the year prior, 75 yards fewer on the ground and more than 100 fewer yards per game. East Carolina also ranked third nationally in tackles for loss, while ranking third in the AAC in sacks and third down defense.
From 2014-17, Blackwell served as the co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Jacksonville State. While there, he helped JSU finish with a four-year record of 43-8, four-straight Ohio Valley Conference Championships and four consecutive FCS playoff appearances, including an FCS National Championship Game showing in 2015.
While leading one of the top defenses in the FCS, Blackwell had Jacksonville State ranked first nationally in defensive completion percentage (50.2), second in pass efficiency defense (105.5) and rushing yards allowed per carry (3.0), third in total defense (284.1) and yards per pass attempt (5.93), sixth in rushing defense (104.4), eighth in scoring defense (18.8) and ninth in sacks (133). For his efforts, Blackwell was twice named a finalist for FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to that, Blackwell spent two years (2012-13) as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Fordham.
During his final season, he coached the Rams into one of the top takeaway producers in the country with an FCS-leading 40 turnovers gained in 2013. Blackwell also mentored linebacker Stephen Hodge to All-America honors and Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year recognition in 2013 after Fordham finished with a 12-2 record and an FCS Championship Second Round appearance.
Blackwell served one year as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at then-Big East member USF in 2009. He directed a group which ranked 24th at the FBS level in total defense and tied for 19th in scoring defense en route to an 8-5 record and an International Bowl victory over Northern Illinoi, 27-3.
Prior to his brief stop in Tampa, Blackwell was an assistant at Clemson for six years where he spent four seasons (2003-06) as the Tigers inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator before shifting to just the inside linebackers coach during his final two years (2007-08).
Clemson was bowl eligible on five occasions during his tenure with bowl appearances in the 2008 Gator, 2007 Chick-fil-A, 2006 Music City, 2005 Champs Sports and the 2004 Peach as the Tigers were ranked in the Top 25 in both polls in three of those seasons. The Tigers also stood among the Top 25 in the four major defensive categories each of his last four years, which was a first in program history.
As Clemson's recruiting coordinator, both his 2005 and 2006 classes were ranked in the Top 20 by nearly every service, while the latter edition had the most Parade and USA Today All-America selections for the Tigers program in 16 years.
Blackwell also had stops at Pittsburgh (linebackers) from 2000-02 and Illinois State as the defensive line and recruiting coordinator (1996-97) and linebackers and recruiting coordinator (1998-99).
While in Pittsburgh, he helped the Panthers to a trio of bowl games (2000 and 2002 Insight.com, 2001 Tangerine) and coached All-America performer Gerald Hayes, who turned in three-straight 100-tackle campaigns and was a three-time all-conference honoree. During his final year at Illinois State, the Redbirds compiled a school-best 11-3 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs before losing to eventual national champion Georgia Southern.
A native of Greenville, S.C., Blackwell graduated from East Carolina in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He was a two-year (1990-91) member of the football team as an offensive lineman before suffering a neck-injury that ended his career. He spent his final three years (1992-95) as an undergraduate student assistant working with the rush linebackers.
Blackwell is married to the former Melissa Androutsos of Ivyland, Pa., and they are the parents of son David.
THE DAVID BLACKWELL FILE
Hometown: Greenville, S.C.
Education: East Carolina, 1997 (exercise science)
Wife: Melissa
Children: David
Birthday: May 4, 1971
BLACKWELL'S COACHING CAREER
- 2024-pres. – Missouri (Defensive Tackles)
- 2023 – Missouri (Defensive Analyst)
- 2021 – Louisiana Tech (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
- 2020 – Louisiana Tech (Defensive Coordinator)
- 2019 – Old Dominion (Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers)
- 2018 – East Carolina (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
- 2014-17 – Jacksonville State (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers)
- 2012-13 – Fordham (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
- 2009 – South Florida (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
- 2007-08 – Clemson (Inside Linebackers)
- 2003-06 – Clemson (Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2000-02 – Pittsburgh (Linebackers)
- 1998-99 – Illinois State (Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 1996-97 – Illinois State (Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 1992-95 – East Carolina (Student-Assistant)
