THE SPENCER FILE

PERSONAL

Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut
Education: Clarion (Pa.) University, 1995
Children: Alysia

COACHING RESUME

1996-97: Shippensburg (Running Backs)
1998-00: Trinity College (Running Backs/Defensive Line/Passing Game Coordinator)
2001-03: UMass (Defensive Line)
2004: Holy Cross (Defensive Line)
2005: Villanova (Linebackers)
2006: Hofstra (Defensive Line)
2007-08: UMass (Defensive Line/Special Teams Coordinator)
2009-10: Bowling Green (Defensive Line)
2011-13: Vanderbilt (Defensive Line)
2014-17: Penn State (Defensive Line)
2018-19: Penn State (Associate Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2020-21: New York Giants (Defensive Line)
2022-23: Florida (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2024-: Texas A&M (Defensive Line)

POSTSEASON Experience

2003: UMass (I-AA Playoffs)
2007: UMass (I-AA Quarterfinals)
2009: Bowling Green (Humanitarian)
2011: Vanderbilt (Liberty)
2012: Vanderbilt (Music City)
2014: Vanderbilt (BBVA Compass)
2014: Penn State (Pinstripe)
2016: Penn State (TaxSlayer)
2017: Penn State (Rose)
2017: Penn State (Fiesta)
2019: Penn State (Citrus)
2019: Penn State (Cotton)
2022: Florida (Las Vegas)
2024: Texas A&M (Las Vegas)

Sean Spencer joined the Texas A&M staff as the defensive line coach in January of 2024. A veteran coach with more than 20 years of experience at the collegiate and professional levels, Spencer served as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for two seasons at Florida following stints at Penn State, Vanderbilt, and with the New York Giants before arriving in Aggieland.

In 2024, Spencer helped guide the Aggies to an 8-5 record, including a program-best 5-0 start to SEC play, and an appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl. Texas A&M ranked among the top-35 nationally in tackles for loss (92.0) and scoring defense (22.2 p/g), while standing in the top-three in the SEC with 76 passes defended on the year. Three Aggie defensive linemen were selected in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, including first round selection Shemar Stewart, along with All-SEC and Walter Camp All-America Second Team honoree Nic Scourton and four-year letterman Shemar Turner.

During his first year at Florida, Spencer coached and mentored defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr., a second-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Dexter started every game for the Gators in 2022, finishing the season with 55 tackles, 4.0 TFL and four quarterback hurries.

Spencer’s unit contributed to a Florida defense that produced 22 takeaways during the 2022 season, ranking first in the SEC. Those takeaways factored into a turnover margin (8) that ranked eighth in the nation.

Prior to his time with the Gators, Spencer spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as the defensive line coach for the New York Giants. He made an immediate impact with the Giants in his first season as the defensive front registered 40.0 sacks. The line helped the defense put up some of its best numbers since the 2016 season, ranking 12th in the NFL allowing 349.3 yards per game in 2020 and 10th in rushing defense giving up 111.4 ypg.

Before moving to the NFL, Spencer spent six years at Penn State where he was the defensive line coach for four seasons and was later promoted to associate head coach and run game coordinator ahead of the 2018 season. The Nittany Lions finished in the top-10 of the AP Poll in three of his last four seasons, winning a Big Ten title in 2016 and earning New Year’s 6 Bowl berths in 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton).

The Nittany Lions’ line was one of the best in the nation under Spencer. In 2019, Penn State had 45.0 sacks, the seventh-highest total in the country and third-highest in the Big Ten. It was Penn State’s fifth consecutive season with at least 40.0 sacks, the first such streak for the Nittany Lions since team sacks were recorded in 1988. That season, Spencer’s linemen were also significant contributors to Penn State’s run defense, which finished first in the nation by allowing only 2.6 yards per carry. The Nittany Lions also finished fifth in the country and first in the conference in yards allowed per game with 95.0 in 2019.

In 2015 and 2018, Penn State led the nation in sacks, with 50.0 and 47.0, respectively. In 2017, the line helped the defense finish in the top-25 in the FBS in scoring defense (7th; 16.5 ppg), sacks (7th; 3.2/g), rushing defense (14th; 118.0 ypg), total defense (17th; 329.5 ypg), takeaways (23rd; 25) and tackles for loss (25th; 7.2/g).

The line played a pivotal role in Penn State’s Big Ten Championship in 2016, when the defense finished seventh in FBS in tackles for loss (8.1/g) and 19th in sacks (2.86/g).

In 2015, the defensive line not only paced a unit that led the FBS in sacks (3.54/g) but was sixth in tackles for loss (8.2) and 14th in total defense (324.5). Spencer led a unit that in 2014 helped Penn State finish third in the FBS rushing defense (100.5) and second in total defense (278.7).

Prior to Penn State, Spencer spent three seasons at Vanderbilt (2011-13), where he helped the Commodores finish in the top-25 in the nation in total defense all three years. Vanderbilt recorded 28.0, 31.0 and 28.0 sacks under Spencer, with the defensive line posting 42.5 tackles for loss in 2013.

Spencer coached the Bowling Green defensive line in 2009-10 and had two stints at UMass, coaching the defensive front from 2001-03 and 2007-08. He also spent time at Hofstra (2006), Villanova (2005), Holy Cross (2004), Trinity College (1998-2000), Shippensburg (1996-97) and Wesleyan (1995).

Spencer was a three-year starter at safety at Clarion (Pa.) University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1995. Spencer is a native of Hartford, Connecticut. He has one daughter, Alysia.