Jason Semore begins his first season at Valdosta State as the Blazers’ Defensive Coordinator. He comes to Titletown in the summer of 2021 after two years as defensive analyst at Georgia Tech University. Prior to that, he spent one season at Temple where he served as a senior defensive advisor under head coach Geoff Collins in 2018. In Semore’s one season at TU, the Owls ranked among the top four teams nationally in defensive touchdowns (8 – 1st), forced fumbles (31 – 3rd), fumble recoveries (13 – 3rd) and interceptions (18 – 4th).
Prior to his one season at Temple, Semore spent three seasons at NCAA Division I FCS powerhouse Montana, first as special teams coordinator and secondary coach (2015), followed by two seasons as defensive coordinator (2016-17). He helped lead the Griz to three-straight winning seasons, including an FCS playoffs appearance in 2015, and produced the Big Sky Conference’s top-ranked defense in 2016 (349.0 ypg).
In his first season as the Grizzlies defensive coordinator in 2016, his defense finished second in the nation in third down conversion defense, fifth in red zone defense and ninth in team tackles for loss. The 2016 Griz produced the Big Sky’s top total defense, allowing teams just 349 yards per game.
In Semore’s defensive setup, Montana linebacker Josh Buss finished his team defensive MVP sophomore season with the most tackles-for-loss in the league, averaging 1.82 per game for a total of 20 on the season, 15 of which were solo.
Semore joined the Grizzly football staff in December of 2014 after a one-year stint at Colorado School of Mines where he served as the defensive coordinator. That season, the Orediggers went 10-2 overall and tied for the league title with an 8-1 record.
Prior to his position at CSM, he had a two-year stint (2012-13) as a defensive assistant at Oklahoma State University where the Cowboys were ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation in five defensive categories, including 14th in scoring defense. OSU competed in the 2013 Heart of Dallas Bowl and the 2014 Cotton Bowl, finishing 10-3 overall and ending the season ranked #17.
Before his time in Stillwater, he spent two-and-a-half years at Tulsa as an outside linebackers coach. His Golden Hurricane defensive unit led the country in interceptions and in turnover margin, also advancing to the 2010 Hawai’i Bowl and the 2011 Armed Forces Bowl.
Semore served as the co-defensive coordinator, secondary coach and special teams coordinator at his alma mater, Adams State, for three seasons.
He began his collegiate coaching career at Mines where he served as a secondary coach with the Orediggers in 2007. His first coaching position was in 2006 when he served as the defensive coordinator for Round Valley High School in Springerville, Ariz. His defense led Arizona’s Class 3A in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense.
Semore played linebacker at Adams State from 2001-05, and earned a degree in history, government and philosophy in 2005. He earned his master’s in criminal justice administration from the University of Phoenix in 2007. He later received a master’s in educational methods from Tulsa in 2012.
He has a wife, Jessyca, along with two daughters, Paityn and Palmer, and a son Decker.
