The Green Bay Packers have promoted Jerry Montgomery to defensive line/running game coordinator and Ryan Downard to safeties coach, while also hiring Ramsen Golpashin as an offensive quality control coach, Quinshon Odom as a coaching assistant (minority fellowship) and Micheal Spurlock as a special teams quality control coach. Head Coach Matt LaFleur made the announcements on Thursday.
Montgomery is entering his eighth season with the Packers, having worked as defensive line coach ove the past four seasons. He came to Green Bay in 2015 as the defensive front assistant, a position he held for three seasons. Montgomery has helped with the development of DL Kenny Clark, who joined Henry Jordan (1960-61, 1963, 1966) and Dave Hanner (1953-54) as the only Packers defensive tackles to make multiple Pro Bowls (2019 and 2021). Montgomery joined the Packers after coaching at the collegiate level for 11 seasons, which included eight seasons coaching the defensive line at the University of Oklahoma (2013-14), the University of Michigan (2011-12), the University of Wyoming (2009-10) and the University of Northern Iowa (2007-08). He began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Iowa, as a student assistant in 2002. Montgomery continued coaching as an assistant at Iowa City West High School (2003-04) and as the defensive coordinator at North Iowa Community College (2005) while also playing for the Chicago Rush, Colorado Crush and Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League (2003-05).
Downard (DOWN-erd) begins his fifth season in Green Bay after serving as assistant defensive backs coach from 2019-21 and defensive quality control coach in 2018. He came to Green Bay after working at Bowling Green for two seasons, serving as the safeties coach in 2017 and the director of football operations in 2016. In 2017, he oversaw the development of Marcus Milton, who converted from cornerback to tie for the team lead with three interceptions, as well as junior-college transfer Fred Garth, who led the team with 95 tackles. From 2014-15, Downard was a defensive coaching assistant with the Cleveland Browns, assisting with the defensive line in 2014 and the defensive backs in 2015. Prior to his two seasons with the Browns, he served as a graduate assistant at both Texas Tech and Toledo. Downard played defensive back at Eastern Michigan, where he earned honorable mention Freshman All-America recognition from Scout.com in 2007 after ranking No. 2 in the country among freshmen with six interceptions.
Golpashin comes to Green Bay from the college ranks. The former Oregon Duck worked in the football program at UCLA from 2018-21, serving as a defensive line analyst and offensive line graduate assistant. Golpashin also coached for the University of Hawaii (2015-16), Oregon (2016-17) and the University of California-Berkeley (2017-18) as well, primarily working with the offensive line. He also worked as a chief of staff intern at his alma mater for a year. Golpashin played on the offensive line at Oregon from 2007-11, helping the Ducks to three consecutive conference titles (2009-11) and a 2011 BCS National Championship appearance.
Odom returns to the Packers, having previously worked in the player personnel department for the 2018 season. He spent last season as an offensive line graduate assistant at the University of Texas. Odom assisted with the Buffalo Bills' running backs during the 2021 training camp as part of a Bill Walsh Diversity Coach Fellowship. Around his time with Green Bay, he coached at Vanderbilt, first as an offensive graduate assistant in 2016-17 and then as an offensive quality control coach in 2019-20. In 2015, Odom was an intern for the Eastern Kentucky football team. The Lakeland, Fla., native played quarterback at Shaw (N.C.), helping the Bears to a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title during a four-year career from 2010-13.
Spurlock joins the Packers after spending the last two seasons as a senior analyst for Ole Miss. He was a wide receiver and kick returner in the NFL from 2006-14 and coached in the league as a special teams assistant for the Dallas Cowboys in 2016. Spurlock was the first player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers' history to return a kickoff for a touchdown and the only player in San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers' history to return a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in the same season. He finished his NFL career with 3,374 total return yards and five return touchdowns, along with 47 catches for 502 yards (10.7 avg.) and three scores. Spurlock began his post-playing career as an assistant coach at Philadelphia (Miss.) High School. He also spent a few years as a college coach with stints at Southeastern Louisiana University (wide receivers and special teams in 2018-19), University of Texas-San Antonio (special teams quality control/linebacker assistant in 2017) and Coahoma Community College (running backs coach/special teams coordinator in 2016).
