Clarion Athletics

Josh Hager was brought on to the Golden Eagle coaching staff as the team's defensive coordinator in March 2022. A veteran defensive coach, he will return for his fourth season in the Blue & Gold in 2025.

In 2024 the Golden Eagles boasted a trio of all-conference defenders, led by First Team All-PSAC West defensive end Jake Tarburton. Despite missing time to injury during the season Tarburton was one of the most disruptive and productive defensive linemen in the conference, ranking among the PSAC West leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. Fellow defensive lineman Owen Kling earned his first career all-conference honors, making the Second Team, while linebacker Griffin Buzzell earned Second Team honors for the second straight year. Clarion's run defense ranked second in the PSAC West and fifth overall in the conference.

Hager coached a pair of all-conference performers in the 2023 season, with linebacker Griffin Buzzell and defensive end Jake Tarburton earning All-PSAC honors at the conclusion of the season. Buzzell finished ninth in the PSAC and fourth in the PSAC West with an average of 7.6 tackles per game, while Tarburton finished with 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Cornerback Johnny Hutton ranked seventh in the PSAC with 10 pass break-ups, including three picks.

Hager did his part in the rebuild of the Golden Eagle defense in 2022, helping Clarion improve by leaps and bounds in most statistical measures from the previous season. The defense allowed nearly 100 fewer points than they did the year before despite playing one additional game, with the points per game allowed dropping by nearly two touchdowns. The team was opportunistic in taking away the ball, ranking fifth in the PSAC in interceptions and contributing two pick-sixes to the effort.

Hager came to Clarion after spending the 2021 season as the defensive coordinator at Division III Alvernia. Under Hager’s guidance, linebacker Tajon Whiten finished second on the team and seventh in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) with 72 total tackles on the season, including five tackles for loss 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
 
Prior to his time at Alvernia, Hager was the defensive coordinator at Division II Missouri Southern from 2019-20. In 2019, the Lions featured the top two tacklers in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) in Richard Jordan, Jr. (10.9 tackles/game) and Colton Winder (8.6 tackles/game). Winder finished second in all of NCAA Division II in tackles per game by a freshman that year.
 
Before coming to Missouri Southern, Hager led the Garden City Community College defense from 2016-18. In 2018 the Broncbuster defense was the top scoring defense in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC). The team earned an appearance in the NJCAA National Championship game, where the Broncbusters held East Mississippi Community College’s offense out of the end zone for the first time in 11 years while also limiting EMCC to 1-13 on third down.  In 2016 the Broncbuster defense finished first in the NJCAA and propelled the team to the 2016 National Championship. It was the first time in program history GCCC finished as the top defense in the country and the first time a KJCCC school finished in the top spot. In 2016 the defense forced 35 takeaways and in 2017 the defense forced 33 takeaways that resulted in five touchdowns on the way to the El Toro Bowl (2016) and the Heart of Texas Bowl (2017).

In his career, Hager coached one national Defensive Player of the Year, two conference Defensive Players of the Year, two conference Defensive Linemen of the Year, 11 All-Americans, 41 First Team All-Conference players, and one first round draft pick in Mike Hughes (Minnesota Vikings - 2018).

Before his time at GCCC, Hager was the defensive coordinator at Saint Vincent College from 2014-16. The Bearcats boasted the top pass defense in the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) and reduced their scoring defense average by more than 10 points per game, and snapped a 22-game losing streak leading up to Hager’s arrival in Latrobe. Prior to that, Hager was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisc from 2012-13. The Green Knights won the Midwest Conference (MWC) championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III Football playoffs during both of his seasons. In 2013, St. Norbert ranked first in the MWC in total defense, giving up 308.0 yards, and scoring defense, allowing 16.1 points.

Prior to St. Norbert, Hager spent time at a pair of NCAA Division II schools, the University of Minnesota-Crookston, and Michigan Tech. He served as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator for four seasons at Michigan Tech before taking over as defensive coordinator at Crookston for one season. He also spent time at Central Connecticut State, the University of Mary, St. Louis Park High School, Valley City State University & Dickinson State University.
 
Hager earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Teaching and Education from Valley City State University in 1998. He later went on to earn a Master of Science in Secondary School Administration/Principalship from the University of Mary in 2005.