A football coaching veteran with experience at programs in multiple divisions, Ben Hodges is returning to Central College as the new defensive coordinator.

A 2006 honors graduate, Hodges most recently served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Murray State University (Ky.) for the past four seasons. His offense led the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring in 2021.

Hodges also has prior defensive coaching experience as well, serving as the inside linebackers coach at The Citadel (S.C.) in 2019, and the linebackers and special teams coach at Saginaw Valley State University (Mich.) in 2018. Hodges was the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Western Illinois University in 2017 after serving there as running backs coach and co-special teams coordinator in 2016. 

His longest stint was at Eastern Kentucky University, where he served from 2006-16 in various roles, including being the recruiting and video coordinator and working with special teams, tight ends, wide receivers, and outside linebackers.

Hodges has strong ties to Central, where he was a student assistant for the Dutch for four seasons, including the first two years of Jeff McMartin’s head coaching tenure. His older brother, Bob, was an offensive lineman for the Dutch that graduated in 2003, and his father, Mike, was a 1975 grad that played fullback on Central’s 1974 NCAA Division III championship squad.

Hodges joins Michael Chorowicz as a new coordinator on the Dutch staff as they prepare to begin spring practices in late March. The Dutch are expected to return at least 14 starters from a squad that posted an 8-2 record last fall.