For years, Rod Rutherford was the prey.

Defensive coordinators stayed up late developing useful schemes in hopes of diminishing Rutherford's dual-threat quarterback repertoire, while opposing defenders were typically left disgruntled in their efforts to hunt him down.

But in the five years that followed him setting the single-season passing yardage record as a senior at Pitt, Rutherford has been transformed. He went from being chased to tirelessly chasing the dream of making a mark in the NFL.

After a professional career that has taken him to Charlotte, back to Pittsburgh, to Germany and to Erie, Rutherford believes he has chased enough.

"I still don't think playing is out of my system, but I think the window for me is pretty much shut," Rutherford said of a possible spot in the NFL. "A lot of guys chase that dream, but I don't think I can continue chasing. I think it's time to get started on my next life."

That next life, coincidentally, involves another chase -- becoming a successful coach.

Rutherford took a big step in that direction last month when he was named the defensive backs coach at Saint Vincent College. Rutherford joins a staff headed by coach Bob Colbert, which aims to improve on an 0-10 mark a year ago in Saint Vincent's first football season after a 45-year hiatus.

Although Rutherford may not have an extensive coaching background, he has done enough to believe it's a profession he should diligently pursue.

He got his feet wet on the college level last year, serving as a volunteer assistant at Pitt. But it was his two stints in the high school ranks at his alma mater, Perry Traditional Academy, and at Harding High School in Charlotte, when he was on the Carolina Panthers practice squad that has had the most profound impact on his new career.

"Kids here knew me, so I got their attention very quickly. When I was in Charlotte, kids knew nothing about me, but they gave me the same response when I was trying to teach them. That gave me the sign that this was the right direction to move," Rutherford said.

The chain of events which led Rutherford to Saint Vincent -- the same campus where he spent a summer as a member of the Steelers practice squad in 2005 -- didn't begin until late May, when one of Colbert's coaches, Craig Smith, took a job at John Carroll University.

Typically, coaching moves occur much earlier in the offseason, so Colbert had minimal time to compile a list of potential replacements. Rutherford's name vaulted to the top with the help of a lengthy list of recommendations from Colbert's brother, Kevin, the Steelers director of football operations.

"Everybody had a high opinion of him," Colbert said. "When I talked to Rod about the position and about what our mission statement is here at Saint Vincent, he seemed like a great fit. We offered, and I'm glad he took it."

Guiding the Bearcats defensive backs will no doubt be a change of pace for Rutherford since he hasn't played defense since his high school days. But sharing knowledge from a quarterback's point of view could make a significant difference.

Rutherford will also be looked upon to play a major role in the team's recruiting efforts. Having played on the high school, college and professional levels in Pittsburgh, "He obviously has some name recognition in the Western Pennsylvania area," Colbert said.

Rutherford is still open to continuing his playing career, but he said it would take an exceptional opportunity to do so. He played for the Erie RiverRats of the American Indoor Football Association this summer, and was named to the league's all-star team. But while his athletic exploits earned him a rare championship double -- a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers and an NFL Europe title with Hamburg -- Rutherford is betting a different avenue is the right way to go.

"I want to continue to be involved in football," he said. "Some guys take other routes, but this is the way I'm going."