Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Chris Conrad will begin his 14th season at Slippery Rock University in 2025. Conrad will once again serve as The Rock’s offensive line coach and associate head coach. In addition to his on-field coaching duties, Conrad also serves as The Rock’s recruiting coordinator.
CAREER AT A GLANCE
• Slippery Rock has had 21 different offensive linemen earn All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors since Conrad came to The Rock in 2012.
• Conrad has overseen the development of eight All-Americans in Chris Larsen, Ryan Podgorski, Steve Gaviglia, Ian Park, Cory Tucker, Jake Tecak, Yuriy Hryckowian and Joe Cooper. Park and Tucker both went on to play professionally while Cooper was one of just 10 players from NCAA Division II schools to be named on the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl watchlist.
• Park signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the start of the 2018 season following the conclusion of his Rock career and currently plays professionally in Japan. Tucker starred for SRU from 2011-15. As a senior, Tucker was named an All-American as well as a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. Once his collegiate career came to an end, Tucker spent the NFL preseason in training camp with the Cleveland Browns in 2016 and eventually signed a professional contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
• SRU has had an offensive lineman named as one of the national finalists for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award in four different seasons since Conrad joined the staff with Cory Tucker (2014, 2015), Chris Larsen (2019) and Yuriy Hryckowian (2023).
• Under Conrad’s guidance, The Rock’s 2024 offensive line ranked 18th in the nation in sacks allowed at just 0.93 per game.
• The Rock’s offensive line paved the way for an offense that ranked ninth in Division II in total first downs, 24th in passing offense and 25th in third down conversion percentage on the way to SRU posting a 12-2 record, winning Super Region One and advancing to the national semifinals in 2024.
COACHING TIMELINE
2012-Present: Slippery Rock (offensive line/recruiting coordinator)
2009-11: Carnegie Mellon (offensive tackles and tight ends)
2001-08: Shaler Area High School (offensive and defensive lines, 04-08 T&F throwing coach)
CAREER PATH
• Conrad’s run game coordination, a duty he oversaw from 2014-19, took off in 2014 when Shamar Greene ran for 1,482 yards and the offensive line helped pave the way for a 214.5 yard per game average on the ground. In 2013 The Rock’s offensive line helped lead SRU to the third best total offensive output in the PSAC with 5,529 yards.
• Those numbers only got better in 2015 when Greene won the PSAC rushing title and finished fourth in the nation in total rushing yards with 1,545. The Rock shattered multiple single-season team rushing records in 2015, including yards (3,608) and touchdowns (46).
• In 2016, The Rock’s offensive line blocked for an offense that ranked fifth in the PSAC in scoring, fifth in total yardage, fourth in passing offense and second in first downs per game. Greene also became the program's all-time leading rusher, despite having his season cut short due to injury, finishing with 4,275 yards.
• In 2017, Slippery Rock’s offensive line set the tone for a unit that ranked 11th in the nation in both scoring and third down conversion percentage. Slippery Rock possessed arguably the most potent offense in the PSAC as it ranked first in the 16-team conference in scoring, passing offense, first downs and third down conversion percentage while coming in second in total offense.
• The 2019 season saw The Rock lead the PSAC in passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and first downs while ranking second in total offense, second in rushing yards per game, third in third down conversion percentage and third in points per game thanks in no small part to excellent offensive line play.
• Conrad joined The Rock’s staff after serving three seasons as offensive tackles and tight ends coach at Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to that, he served eight seasons as offensive and defensive line coach at Shaler Area High School. He also served five seasons as the throwing coach for the Titans’ track and field teams.
PLAYING CAREER
• A native of Brea, California, Conrad attended Fresno State University, where he was a four-year letter winner as an offensive lineman. He earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors in his senior season.
• Conrad was the 66th overall pick of the 1998 NFL Draft, selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round. He played 17 games (four starts) in two seasons with the Black and Gold before a neck injury early in 2000 ended his NFL career.
PERSONAL
• Conrad and his wife, Stephanie, have two children, Michael and Joelle, and reside in Wexford.
