Football
Dennis Dottin-Carter
- Title:
- Defensive Line
- Seasons At RU:
- First Season
- Alma Mater:
- Maine, 2004
Dennis Dottin-Carter is in his first season as Rutgers' defensive line coach in 2026. A native of Massachusetts with an extensive Northeast background, he spent the last three seasons in the Big Ten with Minnesota and brings 18 years of coaching experience overall to New Jersey, including as interim head coach at Delaware. Dottin-Carter, an all-conference defensive end during his playing days, has developed multiple NFL draft picks and All-Americans.
Taking over as defensive line coach for the Golden Gophers in 2025, Dottin-Carter was part of a unit that led the Big Ten and ranked sixth nationally with three sacks per game. That included three games with at least seven sacks and a high of nine in the win over Nebraska. Defensive lineman Anthony Smith led the conference with 12.5 sacks, while placing second with 17.5 tackles-for-loss overall on the way to earning First Team All-Big Ten honors.
Dottin-Carter served as senior defensive analyst the previous two seasons (2023-24) with a focus on the Minnesota defensive line. The Golden Gophers won eight games in 2024, capped by a victory over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, as the defense ranked fourth nationally in first downs defense (208), fifth in total defense (285.7), ninth in scoring defense (16.9) and 12th in rushing defense (109.6). The defensive line broke up 14 passes on the season. The defense saw an increase of 19 tackles-for-loss upon his arrival in 2023, ending the season with a win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Prior to Minnesota, Dottin-Carter was Yale’s assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the 2022 Ivy League champions. Defensive linemen Reid Nickerson and Clay Patterson earned Second Team All-Ivy honors under Dottin-Carter’s tutelage, while the defense finished fifth in the country in scoring defense and seventh in rushing defense.
Dottin-Carter previously spent five seasons (2017-21) as Connecticut’s defensive line coach. Defensive lineman Travis Jones was drafted in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens and earned Second Team All-America by Pro Football Focus. During the 2016 season, Dottin-Carter coached Foley Fatukasi, brother of former Scarlet Knight Olakunle Fatukasi, to All-American Athletic Conference honors before being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
Before UConn, Dottin-Carter coached four seasons at Delaware (2013-16), where he served as the Blue Hens’ defensive line coach for one year before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2014. He was named interim head coach for the final five games of the 2016 season. At Delaware, Dottin-Carter oversaw the development of 2013 All-America selection Zach Kerr, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts and spent eight seasons in the NFL. Defensive lineman Bilal Nichols was drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Bears in 2018 after claiming Third Team All-America status.
Dottin-Carter took part in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and in 2016 with the Seattle Seahawks.
Dottin-Carter began his coaching career at his alma mater, Maine, in 2008 as tight ends coach. He went on to coach fullbacks, running backs, defensive line and special teams in his five-year tenure (2008-12) with the Black Bears.
With Dottin-Carter as defensive line coach, Maine's 2012 defense led the Colonial Athletic Conference in scoring defense and ranked 16th nationally. Defensive end Mike Cole led the CAA with seven sacks in just five games and would go on to become the school's all-time leader in sacks. The 2011 Maine team reached the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs and boasted the top passing defense in the CAA, while Cole was tabbed All-CAA after leading the conference in sacks.
A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dottin-Carter earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and physical education from Maine following a standout playing career in which he led the Black Bears to Atlantic 10 titles in 2001 and 2002. He was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection as a defensive end in 2002 and a second-team pick in 2003.
Personal
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
Alma Mater: Maine, 2004
Child: Daughter, Noelle
Coaching History
2026-present: Rutgers (defensive line)
2025: Minnesota (defensive line)
2023-24: Minnesota (senior defensive analyst)
2022: Yale (assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2017-21: Connecticut (defensive line)
2016: Delaware (interim head coach)
2014-16: Delaware (co-defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2013: Delaware (defensive line)
2012: Maine (special teams/defensive line)
2011: Maine (defensive line)
2010: Maine (running backs/fullbacks/tight ends)
2009: Maine (fullbacks/tight ends)
2008: Maine (tight ends)
Taking over as defensive line coach for the Golden Gophers in 2025, Dottin-Carter was part of a unit that led the Big Ten and ranked sixth nationally with three sacks per game. That included three games with at least seven sacks and a high of nine in the win over Nebraska. Defensive lineman Anthony Smith led the conference with 12.5 sacks, while placing second with 17.5 tackles-for-loss overall on the way to earning First Team All-Big Ten honors.
Dottin-Carter served as senior defensive analyst the previous two seasons (2023-24) with a focus on the Minnesota defensive line. The Golden Gophers won eight games in 2024, capped by a victory over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, as the defense ranked fourth nationally in first downs defense (208), fifth in total defense (285.7), ninth in scoring defense (16.9) and 12th in rushing defense (109.6). The defensive line broke up 14 passes on the season. The defense saw an increase of 19 tackles-for-loss upon his arrival in 2023, ending the season with a win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Prior to Minnesota, Dottin-Carter was Yale’s assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the 2022 Ivy League champions. Defensive linemen Reid Nickerson and Clay Patterson earned Second Team All-Ivy honors under Dottin-Carter’s tutelage, while the defense finished fifth in the country in scoring defense and seventh in rushing defense.
Dottin-Carter previously spent five seasons (2017-21) as Connecticut’s defensive line coach. Defensive lineman Travis Jones was drafted in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens and earned Second Team All-America by Pro Football Focus. During the 2016 season, Dottin-Carter coached Foley Fatukasi, brother of former Scarlet Knight Olakunle Fatukasi, to All-American Athletic Conference honors before being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
Before UConn, Dottin-Carter coached four seasons at Delaware (2013-16), where he served as the Blue Hens’ defensive line coach for one year before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2014. He was named interim head coach for the final five games of the 2016 season. At Delaware, Dottin-Carter oversaw the development of 2013 All-America selection Zach Kerr, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts and spent eight seasons in the NFL. Defensive lineman Bilal Nichols was drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Bears in 2018 after claiming Third Team All-America status.
Dottin-Carter took part in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and in 2016 with the Seattle Seahawks.
Dottin-Carter began his coaching career at his alma mater, Maine, in 2008 as tight ends coach. He went on to coach fullbacks, running backs, defensive line and special teams in his five-year tenure (2008-12) with the Black Bears.
With Dottin-Carter as defensive line coach, Maine's 2012 defense led the Colonial Athletic Conference in scoring defense and ranked 16th nationally. Defensive end Mike Cole led the CAA with seven sacks in just five games and would go on to become the school's all-time leader in sacks. The 2011 Maine team reached the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs and boasted the top passing defense in the CAA, while Cole was tabbed All-CAA after leading the conference in sacks.
A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dottin-Carter earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and physical education from Maine following a standout playing career in which he led the Black Bears to Atlantic 10 titles in 2001 and 2002. He was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection as a defensive end in 2002 and a second-team pick in 2003.
Personal
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
Alma Mater: Maine, 2004
Child: Daughter, Noelle
Coaching History
2026-present: Rutgers (defensive line)
2025: Minnesota (defensive line)
2023-24: Minnesota (senior defensive analyst)
2022: Yale (assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2017-21: Connecticut (defensive line)
2016: Delaware (interim head coach)
2014-16: Delaware (co-defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2013: Delaware (defensive line)
2012: Maine (special teams/defensive line)
2011: Maine (defensive line)
2010: Maine (running backs/fullbacks/tight ends)
2009: Maine (fullbacks/tight ends)
2008: Maine (tight ends)
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