Panthers Add Bellisari as Linebacker Coach

July 26, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican University football team announced this week that former Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari has joined the coaching staff as the coach of the linebackers for the 2007 season.

Bellisari currently is a quarterback for the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League. He led the VooDoo in the 2006-07 season with 47 touchdown passes and a quarterback rating of 107.5. Prior to joining New Orleans, Bellisari played for the Manchester Wolves of the arenafootball2 league and the now defunct Dayton Warbirds of the National Indoor Football League.

Bellisari was a safety and quarterback on the Ohio State football team in 1998 under head coach John Cooper and saw most of his action on special teams. In the second game of the season versus Toledo, Bellisari became the first true freshman in Ohio State record to play on offense, defense, and special teams in one game. He earned the job of starting quarterback in the second game of the 1999 season versus UCLA and went on to start each game he participated in through the 2001 season. During his OSU career, Bellisari threw for 5,878 yards and 35 touchdowns and also ran for 825 yards and five touchdowns. He ranks third in Buckeye history with 6,496 yards of total offense, trailing only Art Schlichter (8,850) and Bobby Hoying (7,151). Chosen by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, Bellisari spent two years with the team as a safety.

Bellisari holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from The Ohio State University. He resides in Columbus.

‘We are excited to have someone with Steve’s experience join our staff,” Ohio Dominican head coach Dale Carlson said. “His knowledge and love of the game of football will provide our players with motivation to achieve our goal of earning a spot in the postseason.”

Visit the Panther Athletics website for more information.