Across the board, the 2025 Monarch defense ranked among the nation's elite despite playing with only one returning full-time starter, finishing: sixth in the NCAA in stop rate; second in the NCAA and first in the SBC in 4th down defense; eighth in the NCAA and fist in the SBC in yards per completion; ninth in the NCAA and first in the SBC in explosive plays allowed; 12th in the NCAA and first in the SBC in red zone defense; 14th in the NCAA and second in the SBC in scoring defense; 17th in the NCAA and second in the SBC in yards per play; 22nd in the NCAA and second in the SBC in third down defense; 26th in the NCAA and second in the SBC in pass efficiency defense; 32nd in the NCAA and second in the SBC in yards per rush.
A standout defensive lineman at Kansas State from 2004-06, Seiler was voted team captain and named the Kansas State Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2006. He made 21 tackles that season, including four sacks, helping lead the Wildcats to the 2006 Texas Bowl. Before playing football for the Wildcats, Seiler was a heavyweight wrestler at Oklahoma State University and member of their 2003 National Championship team.
Seiler graduated from Kansas State in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and nuclear engineering. He also holds an MBA from Wichita State University. Before coaching, Seiler spent two years working as a structural engineer at Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas.
Away from the gridiron, Blake and his wife, Inge, are the proud parents of four children: daughters Elle and Brynn, and sons Riggs and Jayd.Seiler's defense was without two-time All-American Jason Henderson for all but one game, as he redshirted while recovering from an injury.
The 2023 season saw the defense under Seiler allow 50 less yards per game than it did in the 2022 season and force 21 turnovers. ODU was stout against the run finishing fourth in the Sun Belt in rush defense and fifth in the league in scoring defense. The defense scored three touchdown with a pair of interception return touchdowns, one from Kris Caine and one from LaMareon James, and a fumble return from James. The group also had several long returns, including Wayne Matthews' 55 yard fumble return and Tahj Ra El's 40-yard interception return.
Linebacker Jason Henderson led the country for the second-straight year with 14.2 tackles per game and became the first player since Luke Kuechly of Boston College to lead the country in tackles in consecutive years. Henderson also finished fourth in the country in tackles for loss. He earned multiple All-America honors, including first-team accolades by Walter Camp and The Sporting News.
ODU was the only team in the country to have three players record 100 tackles on the year, as Henderson, who had 170, was joined by Matthews with 135 and Terry Jones with 107.
Seiler led linebacker Jason Henderson to ODU's best individual performance by a defensive player in program history. Henderson led the country with 186 tackles, finishing seven tackles shy of the FBS record, while breaking ODU and Sun Belt Conference records. Henderson was named an All-American by five publications, becoming ODU's first FBS All-American.
Linebacker Ryan Henry tied for the team lead with four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss despite missing three games.
ODU's defense led the Sun Belt and placed 12th in the country in Red Zone defense, and 32nd in the country in sacks per game.
In his first season on the field as the leader of the ODU defense, Seiler implemented an aggressive defense that saw ODU tied the program record in holding teams to 20 points or less five teams and place third in Conference USA in rush defense and 35th in the country in rush defense, the highest finish in program history.
The ODU defense had five players earn all-conference honors, including both inside linebackers, the position Seiler coaches, and cornerbacks Roger Cray and Tre Hawkins III and safety R'Tarriun Johnson.
Young led ODU with 104 tackles and broke the school career record with 350 stops, while Cray finished tied for 11th in the country in pass breakups.
Seiler was ODU's nominee for the Broyles Award, given to the top FBS assistant coach in the country.
Seiler spent the 2019 season at West Virginia as the linebackers coach.
Prior to the 2019 season, Seiler coached at Kansas State for 10 years. While at K-State, Seiler coached a pair of All-American’s and two Big 12 Defensive Linemen of the Year. Seiler was the defensive coordinator for the Wildcats in 2018 and his defensive unit ranked No. 3 in the Big 12 in scoring defense and No. 4 in total defense.
He was the assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach the year prior, and coached a pair of All-Big 12 linebackers. Seiler coached the defensive ends the previous four seasons and helped Jordan Willis (2015) and Ryan Mueller (2013) to Big 12 Defensive Linemen of the Year honors, while Willis was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
He began his coaching career in 2009 as a quality control coach with the defensive line.
A standout defensive lineman at Kansas State from 2004-06, Seiler was voted team captain and named the Kansas State Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2006. He recorded 21 tackles that season, including four sacks, helping lead the Wildcats to the 2006 Texas Bowl. Before playing football for the Wildcats, Seiler was a heavyweight wrestler at Oklahoma State and member of their 2003 National Championship team.
Seiler graduated from Kansas State in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and nuclear engineering. He also holds an MBA from Wichita State. Before coaching, Seiler spent two years working as a structural engineer at Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas.
Away from the gridiron, Blake and his wife, Inge, are the proud parents of four children: daughters Elle and Brynn, and sons Riggs and Jayd.