Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ryan Switzer has earned a promotion after serving as the interim head coach at Tulsa this season.
Switzer was in his second season as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Tulsa when head coach Kevin Wilson was fired after 11 games. Switzer served as the team’s interim head coach for its final game, a 63-16 loss to Florida Atlantic.
Switzer was an interesting choice as interim head coach, considering that the team had offensive coordinator Steve Spurrier Jr. listed as associate head coach as well as being offensive coordinator, Ron Burton listed as assistant head coach and defensive line coach and Chris Polizzi as defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Despite the setback in his lone game as head coach, Switzer will be staying on the staff with a promotion under new head coach Tre Lamb, the school announced on Wednesday.
Lamb joined the Golden Hurricane after one season as the had coach at East Tennessee State and four at Gardner-Webb.
After serving as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator in his first two seasons, Switzer will add the title of passing game coordinator for 2025 under Lamb. Tulsa is the first coaching stop for the 30-year-old, who was forced to retire from football due to injuries in 2022.
A Charleston, West Virginia native, Switzer attended North Carolina, where he was a four-time All-ACC selection and a two-time All-American as a wide receiver and punt returner. He led the NCAA in punt return yardage as a freshman in 2013.
Despite his 5-foot-9, 183-pound stature, Switzer was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but he had a hard time finding success as the NFL level as a receiver.
Switzer was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team as a punt return for the Cowboys in 2017, but was traded to the Raiders in April 2018. A few months later, the Raiders shipped him to Pittsburgh, along with a sixth-round draft pick, in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Switzer spent two seasons in Pittsburgh. In 2018, he played in all 16 games and made one start, catching a career high 36 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown while developing a connection with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He also returned 30 punts for 252 yards and 30 kickoffs or 607 yards.
In 2018, he played in nine games before being placed on the injured reserve with a back injury. He attempted to return to the team in 2020, but was waived in favor of Ray-Ray McCloud.
Switzer spent some time with the Cleveland Browns practice squad in 2020, before suffered another injury in 2021 that eventually ended his playing career.