Veteran coach Bill D’Ottavio is in his sixth season with the Southeastern coaching staff. After coaching the safeties in 2021, D’Ottavio moved to defensive coordinator starting in the 2022 season.
D’Ottavio led a Southeastern defense that ranked among the national leaders in total defense (295.2, 8th), scoring defense (18.0, 8th), sacks (3.08, 9th), tackles for loss (7.0, 11th), passing yards allowed (161.2, 6th), first downs allowed (201, 7th) and third down conversion percentage defense (31.8, 9th).
Under D’Ottavio, Kaleb Proctor was named Southland Player of the Year and KK Reno was named SLC Defensive Player of the Year. Both Proctor and Reno were named FCS All-American, while Proctor was seventh in the Buck Buchanan Award voting and was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Proctor and Reno were joined on the All-SLC team by Joshua Randall and Ian Conerly-Goodly, while Evan Aubrey was named a FCS Football Central Freshman All-American.
D’Ottavio’s 2024 defense featured a wealth of All-Southland Conference selections during a 7-5 season. Keydrain Calligan and Warren Peeples were first team choices, while Proctor, Reno, Shemar Pearl, Khamron Ford and Coryell Pierce represented D’Ottavio’s charges on the second team, as SLU held Southland opponents to 19.5 points per game.
In 2023, D’Ottavio oversaw a Southeastern defense that featured All-Southland Conference selections Conerly-Goodly, Arlen Williams and Herman Christophe.
The 2022 Southeastern defense finished among the FCS national leaders in turnovers forced (24, 10th), interceptions (16, 5th) and defensive touchdowns (3, 11th) on the way to helping the Lions to the 2022 Southland Conference championship. D’Ottavio’s defense featured All-Southland Conference performers Williams, Ferlando Jordan, Donte’ Daniels, Jack Henderson and Zy Alexander.
In his debut season in Hammond, Donniel Ward-Magee earned All-Southland Conference honors for the second straight season under D’Ottavio’s direction.
Prior to coming to Hammond, D’Ottavio served as defensive coordinator at Samford for 13 seasons. Among his charges were NFL Draft picks Jaquiski Tartt, James Bradberry, Corey White and Nick Williams.
His 2014 Bulldog defense led the nation in fewest passing yards allowed, while the 2012 Samford team led the Southern Conference with 14 interceptions. In 2008, the Bulldogs led the league in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, first downs allowed and turnover margin.
Prior to his time at Samford, D’Ottavio was the assistant head coach at Tulane from 2004-06 and was on the same coaching staff as SLU head coach Frank Scelfo. D’Ottavio coached the Green Wave cornerbacks and helped TU lead Conference USA in pass defense in 2005.
D’Ottavio, a 1986 graduate of Millersville University, started his coaching career at his alma mater as a student assistant. He went on to coaching stints at Pittsburgh (1987-88), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1989-94), Middle Tennessee State (1995-96), Millersville (1997-98) and Central Florida (1999-2003).
D’Ottavio hails from Roxbury, New Jersey.
