Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Forrest Rhyne begins his third season on the Villanova coaching staff in 2026 and his second season as a full-time assistant coach working with the team’s linebackers. He is one of the top players in school history at the position and returned to campus after a professional playing career which included appearing in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts.
 
The same work ethic that fueled Rhyne’s success as a player has translated to his coaching career. During the 2025 season, he helped former teammate Shane Hartzell earn first team All-CAA accolades and third team Stats Perform All-America honors while topping 100 tackles for the year. Rhyne and Hartzell are linked by each having topped 300 tackles during their Wildcats careers.
 
Villanova ranked as one of the top defenses in the FCS last year. The team led the CAA and ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense and turnover margin, as well as finishing atop the conference in interceptions and turnovers gained. Along the way to reaching the semifinals of the FCS playoffs, the Wildcats were 13^th in the FCS in turnover margin as well as 19^th in both red zone defense and scoring defense.
 
Rhyne has made a name for himself with his keen football instincts and game preparation. His attention to detail allowed him to develop into one of the top linebackers in the country while wearing a Villanova uniform, and during Rhyne’s final collegiate season in 2021 his 154 total tackles were the most of any FBS or FCS player nationwide. He finished second in the voting for that year’s Buck Buchanan Award which is presented to the top defensive player in the FCS.
 
Rhyne signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and spent time on the team’s practice squad and active roster before making his NFL debut during Week 12 of the 2022 campaign when he registered a tackle in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He went on to sign offseason contracts with the Steelers in 2023 and the BC Lions of the CFL in 2024.
 
While playing for the Wildcats, Rhyne was a three-time member of the CAA Football First Team Defense and was chosen as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. He finished his collegiate career with 309 total tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.