Willie Cashmore, a former Drake University football standout, returned to his alma mater for the 2013 season. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator for the 2019 season and also coaches the Bulldogs’ defensive line. In his first season back at Drake in 2013, Cashmore coached the Bulldogs' tight ends and following that year he coached the Bulldogs' defensive line while also assisting with special teams.
In 2019, several Bulldogs defensive linemen had outstanding seasons. Gavin Dineen earned his second-straight All-Pioneer Football League First Team honor while Erin Morgan was named to the All-PFL Second Team for the second consecutive year. Jacob Hardy and Victor Jergens collected All-PFL Honorable Mention accolades. Jergens was later named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team.
Former Bulldogs defensive lineman Nathan Clayberg had an outstanding final season in 2018 being named the Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Year. Clayberg recorded 33 tackles including 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 stacks, and also broke up six passes and blocked two kicks.
That 2018 season, Clayberg and the others on the Bulldogs' defensive line were instrumental in helping the defense be one of the best in the nation. The Bulldogs' defense ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense (19.1 ppg), ninth in total defense (296.0 ypg), sixth in rushing defense (96.8 ypg), 10th in interceptions (17 INT), 10th in tackles for loss (8.1 TFL/g) and 15th in defensive touchdowns (3). Clayberg was selected to the All-PFL First Team for the second-straight year while Dineen earned his first All-PFL First Team honor. Morgan was picked to the All-PFL Second Team while Peter Read garnered All-PFL Honorable Mention honors.
Cashmore's 2017 defensive line group ranked second in the PFL with 27 sacks and was led by First Team All-PFL selections Clayberg and Tanner Evans. Clayberg led the Bulldogs' defensive line with 44 tackles, while Evans led the group with six sacks. To go along with their success on the field, Clayberg and Evans were just as successful in the classroom as they both were named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
Under Cashmore's direction, Josh Lee was named 2016 Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Year, while return specialist Terry Wallen, Clayberg, Evans and Mack Marrin each received All-PFL honors.
In 2015, Cashmore led Marrin to first-team All-PFL honors and guided seniors punter Cam Bohnert, long snapper Michael Vankat, and defensive lineman Al Wegener to honorable mention honors. Marrin was named the PFL Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
Cashmore helped guide seniors Matt Acree and Brett Park to first-team All-PFL honors and sophomore Mack Marrin as PFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and honorable mention honors in 2014.
In his first season at Drake, he helped coach Eric Saubert to first-team All-PFL honors with 549 yards on 47 catches with two touchdowns. During that season, the Bulldogs’ tight ends accounted for 40 percent of the team’s receiving yardage and 47 percent of the team’s catches.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Cashmore spent four seasons as an assistant at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In those four seasons, he helped transform the Reivers from a first-year program in 2009 to an NJCAA National Championship in 2012.
During the national championship season, Cashmore coached the team’s defensive backs and special teams as the team recorded a sterling 12-0 record en route to the title with 10 Reivers earning All-America honors. During his first three seasons at IWCC, he coached the team’s running backs and also oversaw the program’s special teams in 2010 and 2011.
As a student-athlete, Cashmore lettered four seasons at Drake (2003, 05, 06, 07) and received a bachelor’s degree in math education in 2007. On the field, he set program records and led the Pioneer Football League in scoring with 108 points in 2006 and tied the single-game scoring record with 30 points in a contest at Jacksonville. He also ranked ninth nationally in the FCS in scoring that season while earning All-PFL honors.
Following his graduation, Cashmore spent a year in China teaching English through Drake’s Teach in China Program before joining the staff at IWCC.
Cashmore is married to the former Kara Engebrecht, a fellow Drake graduate and volleyball student-athlete. The couple have twins, Lydia and William. Cashmore's younger brother, Pat, was also a member of the Bulldogs’ football program.
