Vinnie Rizzo enters his sixth season as the Golden Eagles' offensive line coach in 2025. A former Division I athlete with years of coaching experience, he has routinely turned out top offensive units in his years in the coaching ranks. Rizzo also handles many of the team's social media and recruiting duties.
The Golden Eagles offense reached a new level of effectiveness in 2024, led in large part by a veteran offensive line that had played much of two seasons together. Clarion boasted the third-most productive offense in the PSAC West, averaging 364.9 yards per game. The Golden Eagles ranked third in the PSAC West in rushing (146.5 ypg) and passing (218.4 ypg). On an individual level, offensive guard Devin Webb earned Second Team All-PSAC West honors.
The 2023 Golden Eagles were once again among the conference leaders in rushing, averaging 154.5 yards per game on the ground and making holes for three different 100-yard rushers over the course of the year. Clarion battled injuries on the offensive line, but three players started eight or more games as the rest of the room gained valuable experience.
In 2022 the Golden Eagles' offensive line paved the way for one of the most dynamic rushing attacks in the PSAC. Clarion ranked fifth in the conference and second in the West division with an average of 161.5 rushing yards per game, and the team's 17 rushing touchdowns ranked sixth in the conference. They blocked for all-conference running back Khalil Owens, who finished the season 10th in the PSAC and fifth in the West division in rushing.
After the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rizzo first got the opportunity to hit the sidelines in Clarion during the 2021 campaign. Senior offensive tackle Jake Lindner earned Second Team All-PSAC West status, and the offensive line blocked for another all-conference selection in running back Khalil Owens.
Before coming to Clarion, Rizzo spent four seasons as the offensive line coach at ASA College Brooklyn, helping the Avengers rewrite the offensive record books. The Avengers offense was among the best in junior college football during the 2019 season. The 2019 offensive line featured four All-Conference selections and an All-American selection, as ASA ranked second nationally in points per game (46.7), second nationally in rushing yards per game (254.6), and fourth nationally in yards per game (463.4) en route to a 8-2 overall mark.
The 2018 offensive line was consistently regarded as one of the top units in the country and factored heavily in the Avengers setting single-season school records in total offense (470.8 ypg; 3rd in NJCAA) and rushing yards per contest (255.3 ypg, 4th in NJCAA).
In 2017, Rizzo coached an offensive line unit that featured the #1 rated 247Sports Offensive Tackle, Badara Traore (LSU) and #1 rated Offensive Guard Johncarlo Valentin (Baylor). The line led the way for an offense that ranked 6th in points per game (41.9) and 7th in total offense (4,661). The offensive line only allowed 16 sacks on 289 passing attempts during the season.
Before his time at ASA Brooklyn, Rizzo spent two seasons at Nassau Community College, helping the Lions to an undefeated season and Valley of the Sun Bowl Champions. During the 2015 season, the Lions ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in total offense, passing offense, and scoring offense.
Prior to entering the coaching profession, Rizzo signed with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. He was named Top Newcomer for the 2014 season.
Rizzo is a 2013 graduate from the University of Akron, earning a degree in Business Administration. He was a two-year letterman for the Zips. In 2012, he was a starter on the front line that supported an offense ranked first in the Mid-American Conference and 16th nationally in passing (312.8 ypg), and sixth in the league and 45th in the country in total offense (427.2 ypg). Prior to Akron, Rizzo was a two-year starter on the offensive line at Nassau Community College, where he served as a team captain and earned All-Conference honors.
Rizzo currently resides in Clarion with his wife, Julia.
