Veteran coach Bill D’Ottavio is in his fifth 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’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 Kaleb Proctor, Shemar Pearl, KK Reno, 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 Ian 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.
