Coaches

Shawn Mennenga was named the Browns’ special teams assistant coach on February 14, 2011

Mennenga most recently spent the past two seasons (2009-10) as the linebackers coach at South Dakota State University. In 2009, the Jackrabbits’ defense ranked in the top 20 nationally in four categories, including pass efficiency (4th – 99.55), rushing defense (14th – 104.3 ypg), points per game allowed (16th – 17.4) and total defense (17th – 289.5 ypg).

Before joining South Dakota State’s staff, Mennenga spent four seasons (2005-08) as the defensive coordinator at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. He spent the previous four years at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, where he served one season as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator (2001) and the final three as the team’s head coach (2002-04). 

During his collegiate coaching career, he has also held assistant positions at Hutchinson Community College (defensive coordinator – 1998-2000), Western Kentucky University (outside linebackers – 1997) and Southwest Baptist University (1995-96 – secondary; 1994 – graduate assistant).

Mennenga lettered one season as a defensive back at the University of Missouri in 1992. A native of Melbourne, Iowa, he and his wife, Christie, have a son, Garrett, and a daughter, Ashley.

Shawn Mennenga’s Coaching Background:

1994                Southwest Baptist University, graduate assistant coach

1995-96           Southwest Baptist University, secondary coach

1997                Western Kentucky University, outside linebackers coach

1998-2000       Hutchinson Community College, defensive coordinator

2001                Culver-Stockton College, defensive coordinator

2002-04           Culver-Stockton College, head coach

2005-08           Fort Hays State University, defensive coordinator

2009-10           South Dakota State University, linebackers coach

2011                Cleveland Browns, special teams assistant coach