Ryan Gunderson was named the San Jose State University quarterbacks coach in January 2017. He added the title of passing game coordinator to his duties beginning in 2018.
For the 2019 season, Gunderson was nominated for the Broyles Award recognizing the top assistant coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). San José State finished fourth nationally and tops in the Mountain West in passing offense. The Spartans' passing efficiency rating of 142.35 was the program's highest since 2013. For the first half of the season, Gunderson utilized a two-quarterback system with starter Josh Love and freshman Nick Nash. Love finished the season as the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and #3-nationally in passing yards game at 326.9.
Gunderson came to San Jose State with experiences from the Big Ten and Pacific-12 conferences and 10 post-season bowl games either as a player, graduate assistant coach and staff member.
The 2007 Oregon State University graduate majored in construction engineering management. He was a quarterback on the 2003 through 2007 Beavers teams, and was the starter in the annual Civil War rivalry game vs. Oregon in 2005. Gunderson was named an Oregon State team captain for the 2007 season and was awarded the squad's Coaches Award and Team Award at the end of the year.
Gunderson began his professional career at Oregon State as a graduate assistant for the 2008 season. He migrated into the school's player personnel department in 2010 as the assistant director. For the 2014 season, he was promoted to the director's role.
Prior to joining the Spartans, he was the University of Nebraska's director of player personnel for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. With the Huskers, he was directly involved in all aspects of student-athlete recruitment, roster management, social media activities for the head coach, prospect camps, staff and student-athlete compliance and assisting the offensive coordinator with plans and strategies on game day.
He and his wife, Hilary, have a son, Cooper.
| Ryan Gunderson facts |
| Born on September 22, 1984 in Portland, Ore. |
| 2018-19 San Jose State University quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator |
| 2017 San Jose State University quarterbacks coach |
| 2015-16 University of Nebraska director of player personnel |
| 2014 Oregon State University director of player personnel |
| 2010-13 Oregon State University assistant director of player personnel |
| 2008-09 Oregon State University graduate assistant |
| POST-SEASON PARTICIPATION |
| 2016 Music City Bowl (staff) |
| 2015 Foster Farms Bowl (staff) |
| 2013 Hawaii Bowl (staff) |
| 2012 Alamo Bowl (staff) |
| 2009 Las Vegas Bowl (coach) |
| 2008 Sun Bowl (coach) |
| 2007 Emerald Bowl (player) |
| 2006 Sun Bowl (player) |
| 2004 Insight Bowl (player) |
| 2003 Las Vegas Bowl (player) |
| THEY PLAYED FOR COACH GUNDERSON |
| Josh Love – Los Angeles Rams 2020 undrafted free agent signee |