Jappy Oliver enters his fourth season as defensive line coach. He continues to develop very strong defensive lines. In 2012, he coached the duo of Steven Means and Colby Way who combined for 21.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. Means was named second-team All-MAC. 

In his first season in 2010, he coached a defensive line that had 23.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. 

His defensive line improved on those numbers in 2011 with 24 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.

Oliver came to Buffalo after spending four years at Notre Dame as the Irish defensive line coach and boasts over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience. 

From 2005-08, Oliver helped the growth of Irish defensive ends Victor Abiamiri and Chris Frome as well as defensive tackles Derek Landri and Trevor Laws. Abiamiri was a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, while Landri was chosen that same year in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Laws was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2008 draft and became the earliest Irish defensive tackle selected since Bryant Young was taken in the first round 14 years earlier. Frome was signed the day after the ‘07 draft as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears and went to camp with the then-defending NFC champions. Oliver will also serve as the team’s pro liaison.

Oliver spent 2003-04 as defensive line coach under former Irish head coach Lou Holtz at South Carolina, teaming with former Irish defensive coordinator Rick Minter to achieve a noteworthy turnaround on the defensive side in 2004 as the Gamecocks finished with a national ranking of 20th in total defense (315.18 yards per game). 

Oliver previously served on the staff of Air Force’s Fisher DeBerry for eight seasons from 1995 through 2002, helping the Falcons to five postseason bowl appearances including wins in the Oahu Bowl (1998) and the Silicon Valley Bowl (2000).

Oliver was a standout athlete at Southwestern High School in Flint, Mich., earning all-city and all-district accolades in both football and basketball. He was the city’s athlete of the year in 1973 and captained teams in football, basketball and baseball. 

He has one daughter, Candace, and a son, Justin.