Tim McGarigle – a Northwestern alum (2006), the school's all-time leading tackler and the FBS' third all-time career tackler with 545 stops – joined Northwestern's coaching staff in 2018 and was named defensive coordinator in January 2024 while continuing to serve as linebackers coach.
McGarigle is the first Northwestern alum to hold defensive play-calling duties since Jerry Brown (1999-2001). McGarigle has coached six All-Big Ten linebackers, including Mac Uihlein in 2025, Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller in 2023, and the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Paddy Fisher, in 2020.
In his second season as defensive coordinator in 2025, McGarigle was named a nominee for the Broyles Award, awarded annually to the top assistant coach in college football. McGarigle's defense allowed 19.8 points per game as a team, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 23rd in FBS. It marked the best scoring defense by a Northwestern team since 2020, and the best in a full season since 2015. Northwestern’s defense ranks fourth in the Big Ten, producing 20 total takeaways during the season (11 fumble recoveries, 9 interceptions), while the team’s 11 fumble recoveries led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the nation. Seven Wildcats on the defensive side earned All-Big Ten accolades in 2025, the most selections since 2017, headlined by Robert Fitzgerald earning Second Team All-Big Ten recognition (Coaches) and Uihlein earning Third Team honors (Coach and Media).
During his first season as coordinator in 2024, McGarigle’s defense scored three defensive touchdowns, which ranked third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally. Defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard was named All-Big Ten for the second straight season and recorded 6.0 sacks with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Mueller was named All-Big Ten for the second time in his career and totaled 57 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and five passes defensed, despite missing time due to injury.
In 2023, McGarigle helped Northwestern to an 8-5 overall record, which tied for a second-place finish in the Big Ten West with a 5-4 mark in conference games. The Wildcats ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a 14-7 victory over Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, the program's fifth consecutive bowl win. Northwestern's defense ranked third in the Big Ten recording 13 interceptions and was fourth in the league forcing 22 turnovers. According to SP+, a tempo and opponent-adjusted metric that measures efficiency, Northwestern recorded a defensive rating of 18.6, the 18th-best mark nationally.
For the second time under McGarigle's leadership Northwestern had two players post 100+ tackles in the same season in 2023. Gallagher finished tied for second in the Big Ten with 120 stops, while Mueller recorded 110 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions, becoming just the fifth Big Ten player to post those numbers since 2000.
While working under defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, McGarigle was part of two Big Ten West Division Championship teams at Northwestern in 2018 and 2020. The Wildcats posted the conference's top scoring defense and ranked fifth nationally, surrendering just 15.9 points per game in 2020. In 2018, Northwestern's defense posted 26 takeaways, the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 11th-best nationally.
Prior to joining Northwestern, McGarigle spent the 2017 season working as a defensive quality control coach for the NFL's Green Bay Packers under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Before his NFL tenure, he spent the 2016 season as linebackers coach at Illinois and four seasons at Western Michigan (2012-15) as linebackers coach and defense run game coordinator. McGarigle began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2011.
During his playing career with the Wildcats, McGarigle totaled 545 career tackles. As a senior in 2005, he posted 156 tackles, and was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Dick Butkus Award, and earned two All-Big Ten selections. He totaled three consecutive 140-plus-tackle seasons after posting 98 in his debut. McGarigle earned his undergraduate degree in communications studies in 2006.Â
The Chicago native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and played three seasons. He was named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 7, 2007, and was named the team's Iron Man following the 2007 off-season for superior achievement and dedication during team workouts. McGarigle also played two seasons in the United Football League for the Florida Tuskers.
Tim and his wife, Charlotte, have four children.
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– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun.
"I'm truly honored and grateful to Coach Braun and the entire Northwestern community for entrusting me with the role of defensive coordinator. Northwestern has been my home as a player and coach, and I'm excited for the opportunity to lead this defense. I look forward to building on our success and continuing to work with our incredible student-athletes and coaching staff.
– Defensive Coordiantor/Linebackers Coach Tim McGarigle (Northwestern Class of 2006)
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McGarigle is the first Northwestern alum to hold defensive play-calling duties since Jerry Brown (1999-2001). McGarigle has coached six All-Big Ten linebackers, including Mac Uihlein in 2025, Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller in 2023, and the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Paddy Fisher, in 2020.
In his second season as defensive coordinator in 2025, McGarigle was named a nominee for the Broyles Award, awarded annually to the top assistant coach in college football. McGarigle's defense allowed 19.8 points per game as a team, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 23rd in FBS. It marked the best scoring defense by a Northwestern team since 2020, and the best in a full season since 2015. Northwestern’s defense ranks fourth in the Big Ten, producing 20 total takeaways during the season (11 fumble recoveries, 9 interceptions), while the team’s 11 fumble recoveries led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the nation. Seven Wildcats on the defensive side earned All-Big Ten accolades in 2025, the most selections since 2017, headlined by Robert Fitzgerald earning Second Team All-Big Ten recognition (Coaches) and Uihlein earning Third Team honors (Coach and Media).
During his first season as coordinator in 2024, McGarigle’s defense scored three defensive touchdowns, which ranked third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally. Defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard was named All-Big Ten for the second straight season and recorded 6.0 sacks with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Mueller was named All-Big Ten for the second time in his career and totaled 57 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and five passes defensed, despite missing time due to injury.
In 2023, McGarigle helped Northwestern to an 8-5 overall record, which tied for a second-place finish in the Big Ten West with a 5-4 mark in conference games. The Wildcats ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a 14-7 victory over Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, the program's fifth consecutive bowl win. Northwestern's defense ranked third in the Big Ten recording 13 interceptions and was fourth in the league forcing 22 turnovers. According to SP+, a tempo and opponent-adjusted metric that measures efficiency, Northwestern recorded a defensive rating of 18.6, the 18th-best mark nationally.
For the second time under McGarigle's leadership Northwestern had two players post 100+ tackles in the same season in 2023. Gallagher finished tied for second in the Big Ten with 120 stops, while Mueller recorded 110 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions, becoming just the fifth Big Ten player to post those numbers since 2000.
While working under defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, McGarigle was part of two Big Ten West Division Championship teams at Northwestern in 2018 and 2020. The Wildcats posted the conference's top scoring defense and ranked fifth nationally, surrendering just 15.9 points per game in 2020. In 2018, Northwestern's defense posted 26 takeaways, the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 11th-best nationally.
Prior to joining Northwestern, McGarigle spent the 2017 season working as a defensive quality control coach for the NFL's Green Bay Packers under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Before his NFL tenure, he spent the 2016 season as linebackers coach at Illinois and four seasons at Western Michigan (2012-15) as linebackers coach and defense run game coordinator. McGarigle began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2011.
During his playing career with the Wildcats, McGarigle totaled 545 career tackles. As a senior in 2005, he posted 156 tackles, and was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Dick Butkus Award, and earned two All-Big Ten selections. He totaled three consecutive 140-plus-tackle seasons after posting 98 in his debut. McGarigle earned his undergraduate degree in communications studies in 2006.Â
The Chicago native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and played three seasons. He was named NFL Special Teams Player of the Week against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 7, 2007, and was named the team's Iron Man following the 2007 off-season for superior achievement and dedication during team workouts. McGarigle also played two seasons in the United Football League for the Florida Tuskers.
Tim and his wife, Charlotte, have four children.
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What They're Saying
"Tim McGarigle's appointment as defensive coordinator reflects his outstanding coaching contributions and unwavering commitment to Northwestern's student-athletes. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping our defense, evident in the team's success and many achievements of the players he has coached. We have full confidence Tim will continue to raise the bar for our program, building on his existing success with the program."– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun.
"I'm truly honored and grateful to Coach Braun and the entire Northwestern community for entrusting me with the role of defensive coordinator. Northwestern has been my home as a player and coach, and I'm excited for the opportunity to lead this defense. I look forward to building on our success and continuing to work with our incredible student-athletes and coaching staff.
– Defensive Coordiantor/Linebackers Coach Tim McGarigle (Northwestern Class of 2006)
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Coaching Career
| Years | Position | Institution |
| 2024-Present | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach | Northwestern |
| 2018-23 | Linebackers Coach | Northwestern |
| 2017 | Defensive Quality Control Coach | Green Bay Packers |
| 2016 | Linebackers Coach | Illinois |
| 2014-15 | Linebackers Coach/Run Game Coordinator | Western Michigan |
| 2012-13 | Linebackers Coach | Western Michigan |
| 2011 | Graduate Assistant | Northwestern |