The Wilmington College football coaching staff grew by three, head coach Kevin Burke announced.
The hirings are assistant offensive line coach Nathan Brady, defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Kevin Griffin, and defensive backfield coach Jeremy Harris.
Brady comes to Wilmington after serving as an offensive linemen for four years on the University of Central Florida football team in Orlando. He graduated in May 2023 with a bachelor of science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Communication and Public Affairs. He also had a minor in Sports Business Management.
During the fall, he was the offensive line coach at his alma mater, Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Fla. While with the Saints, he coached an offensive line that saw nine different players take snaps in game action. He also helped several defensive linemen and tight ends make the transition to the offensive line. Brady assisted in all aspects of game planning, practice, and on-field coaching during games.
While at UCF, outside of his time on the field, he volunteered in several different areas. He helped out at the Central Florida Dreamplex, instructing young adults with disabilities through basketball drills and competitions along with hosting and participating in a football camp and facility tour at UCF. Other volunteer opportunities included conducting research surveys and selling tickets at the Arnold Palmer Invitational professional golf tournament held at Bay Hill.
“Nathan played for one of the best offensive line coaches in the country, Herb Hand, at the University of Central Florida,” Burke said. “He loves watching offensive line film and is meticulous in his teaching methods.”
Burke continued, “He has a great grasp of the techniques of offensive line play and understands how to structure practice to get the most efficient instruction time possible. He has a strong desire to be a positive mentor for our athletes.”
Griffin joins Burke’s staff from NAIA institution Madonna University in Livonia, Mich. As a Crusader, Griffin was the associate head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for the 2023 season. Griffin’s duties included managing graduate assistant and student coaches, calling defensive plays on gameday, and helping game plan during the week, among other tasks. Off the field, Griffin oversaw the team’s grade checks, progress reports, and study halls.
Before Madonna, Griffin was in Oklahoma at NAIA Langston University as the defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, linebackers coach and pro liaison. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, Griffin helped the Lions defense to several Top-10 national rankings in such categories as rushing defense, total defense, opponent’s 3rd down conversion, and more.
“Kevin Griffin brings a wealth of coaching and recruiting experience to Wilmington,” said Burke said. “Kevin has had great success coordinating defenses at the college level. Kevin can coach any of the three levels on defense and will be a great mentor to our defensive line.
“Adding someone with his experience to our defensive staff was huge. He has a dynamic personality and cares deeply about building relationships with the players he recruits and coaches.”
Harris joins the Quakers staff from the National Football League (NFL), after serving the 2023 season as a defensive backs coach intern with the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a Jaguar, he was under head coach Doug Pederson and shadowed defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and defensive back coaches Deshea Townsend and Cody Grimm. He helped draw offensive and defensive plays with Visio and printed play cards. He cut up videos of the opposing passing game and would warm up the defensive backs during pre-game.
He was a Skills Position and Speed & Agility Coach at Skills to Make Plays, before his time in Jacksonville, where he would work out athletes in specific drills. He also worked them out mentally to help prepare them for football season.
At East Los Angeles College from 2018 to 2020, Harris was the defensive backs and special teams coach, serving as the defensive passing game coordinator.
Harris was a captain in college at New Mexico State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Individualized Studies in 2013. He was drafted in the 7th round of the NFL draft in 2013 and played with four different teams before transitioning out of playing after the 2016 season.
“When we spoke with Jeremy, we were immediately impressed with his teaching progression, his desire to develop young men on and off the field, and his obvious love of the game of football,” said Burke. “The experience he has gained playing in college and the NFL, working as an intern in NFL training camps and being a secondary coach in one of the top junior college conferences in the country will help our defensive backs tremendously.”
These three men join a staff that has been overhauled since the end of the 2023 season, where the Quakers finished 3-7 overall and 2-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).
