Pete Sundheim - Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach - Football Coaches

Pete Sundheim

Title:
Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach
Email:
psundheim@liberty.edu

Pete Sundheim is the senior member of the Flames’ football coaching staff, beginning his 23rd year with the program. He was promoted to associate head coach during the spring of 2007, after serving as assistant head coach for two years.

Sundheim oversaw Liberty’s tight ends from 2004 through 2008, coaching three-time Big South all-conference selection Chris Luck and Corey Rasberry, a 2008 Big South second-team all-conference honoree.

The 2009 season saw Sundheim return to a position he previously coached, as he instructed Liberty’s running backs. He served in the same position during the 2001-03 seasons, where he coached Liberty’s all-time rushing leader Dre Barnes.

Under Sundheim’s direction, Liberty has seen several players post considerable rushing numbers the past two seasons.

There were only three other FCS teams in the country who rushed for more touchdowns than the Flames in 2009, as Liberty capped off the season with 31 scoring runs. In 2010, SirChauncey Holloway became the third Liberty player in the last 12 season to reach a double-digit rushing touchdown total, when he scored 10 times.

Before his last two offensive position stints, Sundheim spent his first 12 years on the Flames coaching staff as a defensive specialist. In 2000, he served as the defensive backs coach, while previously coaching three years as linebackers coach (1995-96, 1999), eight seasons as the defensive secondary coach (1989-94, 1997-98) and three campaigns as defensive coordinator (1997-99).

In 1997, Sundheim’s defense showcased itself as one of the most opportunistic squads in the NCAA I-AA ranks. Liberty led the country in turnovers (40), ranking second in turnover margin (1.82) and yielding only 17.7 points a contest, the second-best mark by a Flames’ defensive squad over the past 19 years.

Sundheim, who also serves as the program’s professional scout liaison, joined the Liberty coaching staff in 1989 after a one-year stint as the defensive secondary coach at Azusa Pacific University.

Sundheim broke into the collegiate coaching ranks in 1973, spending six years at Middlebury College, where he served as the head track coach, defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator. He then served at Brown, where he spent three years as the Bruins’ defensive secondary coach.

Sundheim left Brown to pursue business interests at Presto-tek Corporation as the company’s operations and sales manager. However, he kept his hand in coaching as a scout at Citrus Junior College. Sundheim then moved on to coach at Azusa Pacific, while also working as an area representative for Champion Products.

Like many collegiate coaches, Sundheim first entered the coaching ranks at the high school level. He was an assistant football and track coach at Long Branch High School in Long Branch, N.J.

Sundheim completed his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Delaware in 1971. He started his junior and senior years at strong safety for the Blue Hens and was a member of three Lambert Cup teams. Sundheim helped lead his team to two MAC championships and three-consecutive Boardwalk Bowl Games. He was awarded defensive most valuable player honors his senior year.

The Sundheim File

Year at Liberty: 23rd

Coaching Experience:

1989 – Present (22 years) – Liberty (Assoc. HC, Asst. HC, DB, LB, DC, RB, RC, TE)

1988 (1 year) – Azusa Pacific (DB)

1982-87 (6 years) – Citrus JC (Scout)

1979-81 (3 years) – Brown (DB)

1973-79 (6 years) – Middlebury (DB, DC, Track)

1971-72 (2 years) – Long Branch HS (Asst. Coach/Track)

Recruiting Area: Southern Virginia, Eastern North Carolina, Florida Panhandle

Education: B.A., Physical Education (Delaware, ’71)

Hometown: Sparta, N.J.