University of Rochester Head Football Coach Chad Martinovich announced several promotions and new additions to his coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season.
 
On defense, Jason Henshaw has been promoted to defensive coordinator and will retain his recruiting coordinator duties and continue to coach the defensive line. Henshaw is the most senior member of the 'Jackets assistant coaches, entering his eighth season on the River Campus.
 
He's joined on the defensive side of the ball by Casey Williams, linebackers coach, and now the 'Jackets' special teams coordinator. Two volunteers are assisting on defense and special teams, in Bob Conroy (defensive assistant) and Steve Romano (punters/kickers).
 
On the offensive side of the football, Eric Ruest returns for his third season with the 'Jackets as the Offensive Coordinator and offensive line coach and will be joined by a pair of new faces in David Sims and Brandon Williams.
 
Sims, who joins the Yellowjackets from James Madison University, will serve as URochester's passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Williams, who comes to the River Campus from SUNY Brockport, will coach the wide receivers.
 
Sims spent the past two seasons as the running backs coach with the Dukes in Harrisonburg, VA, and previously coached at the University of Pennsylvania, Furman and Shorter, and played collegiately at Georgia Tech.
 
Williams was the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator for the Golden Eagles last season, and previously coached at Colgate, Methodist, Misericordia and his alma mater, Montclair State.
 
Ruest, Sims and Williams will also be joined by a pair of volunteer assistants on the offensive side of the ball, Bradley Beckwith '24 and Vince Tobia. Beckwith will coach Rochester's tight ends for the second-straight season, while Tobia will work with the running backs.
 
A pair of former Yellowjacket student-athletes will also serve as student assistant coaches this fall in Alex Kailan and Samuel Nuamah.
 
The Yellowjackets will open the 2026 campaign against the Case Western Reserve University Spartans on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m. inside Edwin Fauver Stadium.