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Tony Levine begins his first season with the University of Houston, joining head coach Kevin Sumlin's staff in January as Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach. Levine spent the last two seasons with the NFL's Carolina Panthers, where he was assistant special teams and strength and conditioning coach for two seasons. Levine joined the Panthers in 2006 from the University of Louisville, where he played an integral role in the Cardinals success for three seasons. Levine came to Carolina after three successful years at Louisville during which the Cardinals posted a 29-8 overall record, including an 11-1 record and a #6 national ranking in 2004, as well as an appearance in the 2006 Gator Bowl. Levine began as director of football operations in 2003, where he was responsible for the overall day-to-day operation of the school's football program in Coach Bobby Petrino's first year as head coach. In 2004 he was named special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach and made an immediate impact. Under Levine's tutelage, the Cardinals ranked near the top in Conference USA in almost all special teams statistical categories, while Louisville's defense finished 15th nationally in total defense, 18th in rush defense and 24th in scoring defense. Superlatives from his two seasons as special teams coach included seven blocked kicks, three punt returns for touchdowns and an NCAA single-season record of 77 consecutive extra points by place kicker Arthur Carmody. Carmody, a former walk-on, was also named first team All-Big East Conference under Levine. Carmody was not the first kicker to benefit from Levine's watchful eye. As special teams coordinator at Louisiana Tech in 2002, he coached Josh Scobee, who earned second team All-WAC honors and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2004 draft. In addition, kick returner Erick Franklin broke the single season school record for kickoff return yardage. Levine spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons working as the offensive graduate assistant at Auburn, where he coached the tight ends. During those two seasons, the Tigers compiled a 16-9 mark while winning back-to-back Southeastern Conference Western Division titles. Robert Johnson, Lorenzo Diamond and Cooper Wallace, three of the tight ends Levine worked with, went on to earn roster spots in the NFL. Prior to Auburn, Levine worked as an assistant coach at Southwest Texas State University, helping with the wide receivers in 1997 before coaching the tight ends in 1998 and 1999. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Levine served as co-recruiting coordinator in 1999. Levine began his coaching career in 1996 as an assistant coach and freshman head coach at Highland Park (MN) Senior High, his alma mater. A walk-on at the University of Minnesota, Levine became a three-time letter-winner at wide receiver for the Gophers and was twice named Academic All-Big Ten. In addition to earning a bachelor's degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports management, he also holds a master's degree in physical education from Southwest Texas State University and an educational specialist degree in adult education from Auburn. His playing resumé also includes one season as a wide receiver for the Minnesota Fighting Pike of the Arena Football League. Levine and his wife, Erin, have two sons, Benjamin and Asher. |
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