Central’s Maiuri given expanded football post
PELLA—One of the architects of a Central College offense that has set 90 school records during his tenure, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Maiuri (my-OOR-ee) has been named the school’s associate head coach.
Maiuri joined the Dutch staff in 2015 and has helped the squad post a 55-14 (.797) record since then, with American Rivers championships and NCAA Division III playoff berths in 2019 and 2021. Led by 2021 AFCA Division III Coach of the Year Jeff McMartin, Central received the league’s coaching staff of the year award in both those seasons.
Central is coming off a 12-1 season in which Maiuri helped the offense set 62 school records as quarterback Blaine Hawkins set an all-divisions NCAA record with 63 touchdown passes and received the Gagliardi Trophy as Division III’s outstanding player. Four offensive players have received all-America distinction during Maiuri’s tenure and Central quarterbacks have received first-team all-conference honors four times. The Dutch have led the conference in total offense and passing offense three times in that span.
Last fall Central led Division III in scoring offense (53.5 points per game), total offense (570.1 yards), passing offense (394.5) and first downs (382).
“Ryan has really grown in the position since he was hired seven years ago,” McMartin said. “The connectedness he’s made with the players and the staff, his work ethic and his knowledge of the game and of Central football have put him in a position where he has earned this opportunity.”
Maiuri is more than a play-caller, McMartin said.
“He’s really impacted not only our offense but the entire team,” he said. “He’s had a huge impact on our recruiting and has built strong relationships with our players.”
A Sterling Heights, Michigan native, Maiuri was a quarterback at Lakeland College (Wis.), where he received Illini-Badger Conference player of the year honors in 2005 and graduated in 2006. He led the Muskies to their first-ever playoff berth and was the league’s offensive player of the year in 2004.
Maiuri played in Hamburg, Germany following graduation, then spent two seasons as Lakeland’s football strength and conditioning coordinator and was a graduate assistant for defensive backs. He was the tight ends coach at Winona State University (Minn.) before becoming quarterbacks coach and junior varsity offensive coordinator at Adrian College (Mich.).
From 2012-14, Maiuri was a graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota, working with quarterbacks and wide receivers. He received a master’s degree in counseling from Lakeland in 2008 and a master’s in kinesiology from Minnesota in 2014.
