Will Blanden was hired to be the Defensive Coordinator for Lackawanna College football in March 2026, ahead of the 2026 fall campaign.
Blanden comes to Lackawanna after a five-season stay at Cornell University. With the Ivy League’s Big Red, Blanden spent time as the defensive backs coach, as well as the Defensive Pass Game Coordinator, before taking over as the safeties coach. Blanden coached several All-Ivy League defensive backs in each of his years at Cornell.
Before his stint in Ithaca, he spent eight years at Bloomsburg, serving as the interim defensive coordinator and then the special teams coordinator. In his time at Bloom, the Huskies were 52-28 with two NCAA DII playoff appearances. Blanden coached three All-Americans, including two on the defensive line, along with a PSAC Defensive POTY and a first-team Academic All-American. Blanden coached outstanding players like Justin Shirk, a 2014 BSN National POTY, as well as Bloomsburg’s all-time sack leader, Chris Gray, who finished his career with 29.5 sacks.
Blanden also had stops at Division III Nichols College, where he was the defensive backs coach, as well as strength and conditioning coach, and at Western Connecticut State, where he spent two seasons as the defensive backs coach.
Blanden played football and basketball at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he eventually became a quarterback, defensive back, and wide receiver during his time with the Bison. Blanden was a standout offensive player for the Bison in his time, ranking second in 2006 in total offense and helping the Bison win four of their final five games. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, then picked up his Master’s in Business Administration at Nichols College.
