Holy Cross Athletics

Recruiting Areas: Western/Central Pennsylvania, Upstate/Western New York, Canada

Patrick Denecke joined the Holy Cross football team in 2024 as the program’s offensive line coach. 

In his first season with the Crusaders, Denecke helped Holy Cross earn a share of its sixth consecutive Patriot League Championship, with the team posting a 5-1 record in conference play.

Denecke spent the 2023 season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Western Illinois. In Denecke’s time as the Leathernecks’ offensive coordinator, quarterback Matt Morrissey earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors. 

Prior to his time at Western Illinois, Denecke spent a season at Valparaiso coaching the offensive line. In his time on staff, Denecke helped the team win three league road games in the same year for the first time since 1962. The Beacons went 3-1 in league road contests, the first time Valpo had won three PFL road games in the same season since the league was founded in 1993.

With Denecke's offensive line paving the way, running back Aaron Dawson was named a 2022 First Team All-PFL selection after shattering a 73-year-old program record for the longest scoring run from scrimmage (99 yards vs. Butler), threatening the program's single-game rushing record (241 yards at Morehead State) and finishing second in program history in single-season rushing yards (1,204). Dawson was one of two members of the Valpo offense selected to the 2022 FCS National Bowl, joining offensive lineman Aaron Byrd, who was also a First Team All-PFL choice. Another offensive lineman – Drew Parrish – was named to the Academic All-PFL First Team.

In Denecke's first season on staff, the team ranked in the top five in the PFL in the following offensive categories – total offense (340.9), turnovers lost (16), passing efficiency (140.4), rushing offense (125.7, fourth), passing offense (215.2) and fewest passes had intercepted (10, fourth). The program enjoyed its best season in terms of total offense since 2017 and had the program's best passing offense since 2018.

Denecke came to Valpo after a stint at the University of Maine, where he was on staff from January 2016 to January 2022 and most recently served as the assistant head coach and run game coordinator. During his tenure at Maine, Denecke also spent time as the offensive line coach and tight ends coach.

Denecke helped Maine become the first FCS program to have two first-round picks in the Canadian Football League Draft in 2021. His team earned a pair of FBS wins and produced an All-American. He was on staff in 2018 when the Black Bears won the Colonial Athletic Association championship and reached the FCS Semifinals.

Prior to his tenure at Maine, Denecke was a member of the University of Nevada staff from 2013 to 2015. He started as a defensive graduate assistant before moving to the offensive side of the ball, where he was a graduate assistant who worked as an assistant offensive line coach. He also spent the 2015 spring season as the interim tight ends coach. In 2015, Nevada was one of two teams in FBS with two 1,000-yard rushers.

Denecke’s coaching career began in 2010 at Bethany College, were he spent three seasons as the Bison’s offensive line coach. 

Denecke completed his playing career at Washington & Jefferson in the fall of 2009, where he capped his collegiate career as a three-year letterman and two-year starter on the offensive line. He helped the Presidents post a 40-7 record with two conference titles and four trips to the NCAA Playoffs. Denecke led Washington & Jefferson to the quarterfinal round in the 2008 season.

A native of Hamburg, N.Y., Denecke graduated from Washington & Jefferson in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He completed a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Nevada in 2015 and also has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Bethany College. 

DENECKE’S COACHING CAREER: 
2024- | Holy Cross (Offensive Line) 
2023 | Western Illinois (Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line)
2022 | Valparaiso (Offensive Line)
2019 | Maine (Assistant Head Coach / Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line)
2018 | Maine (Offensive Line)
2016-17 | Maine (Tight Ends)
2013-15 | Nevada (Graduate Assistant)
2010-12 | Bethany College (Offensive Line)