DURHAM, N.C. – The spring football practice season at North Carolina Central University begins with five new assistant coaches and a new director of football operations, head coach Trei Oliver announced on Tuesday.
 
Joining the NCCU coaching staff are Courtney Coard as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, Cedric Williams as run game coordinator and offensive line coach, Pete Bennett as wide receivers coach, Kevin Maurice as running backs coach, and Andre Pope as safeties coach.
 
Camille Wilson, who served as an operations assistant during the 2021 campaign, has been promoted to director of football operations.
 
Other promotions and adjustments to the returning coaching staff include cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator Ty Greenwood being elevated to defensive pass game coordinator, while Claude Clayborne will move from the defensive line to coach linebackers.
 
Matt Leone will continue in his role as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and Evan Harrington remains working with tight ends.
 
Coard, who was a defensive tackle at NCCU from 2004-07, returns to his alma mater after spending the past six seasons as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at North Carolina A&T State University. Before serving as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Georgia in 2015, the Charlotte native was North Carolina A&T's defensive line coach from 2011-14, helping to establish one of the top defenses in the nation. He also was an assistant defensive line coach at Grambling State University from 2009-10. As a four-year starter on NCCU's defensive front, Coard earned CIAA All-Rookie Team honors and played on two CIAA championship teams, including a Black college national title in 2006.
 
Williams brings experience as an offensive line coach at Georgia State University (2017-18), Newberry (S.C.) College (2012-15), Mississippi Valley State University (2011), and Tennessee State (2009-10). He also served two stints at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, as assistant strength and conditioning coach (2016) and as a graduate assistant (2006-08). As a four-year starter on the offensive line with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Williams was a team captain (2002) and first team all-SEC selection (2000).
 
Bennett joins NCCU from the University of Memphis, where he was a senior analyst for the 2021 campaign. He served as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at both the University of South Alabama (2018-20) and the University of Central Arkansas (2014-17), following a six-year stint as the wide receivers coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (2008-13). Bennett played quarterback and receiver at North Carolina Wesleyan College (2004-05).
 
Maurice comes to Durham by way of New Mexico State University, where he was the tight ends coach last season. He served as running backs coach at both Eastern Washington University (2017-spring 2021) and the University of North Dakota (2015-16). A running back at the University of Texas El Paso (2003-04) and Eastern Arizona College (2001-02), Maurice has also worked at Purdue University (supervisor of player personnel and assistant recruiting coordinator; 2012-14), the University of Nevada (graduate assistant; 2011), the University of Miami (recruiting assistant; 2011), the University of Cincinnati (recruiting and player personnel assistant; 2010), and Midwestern State University (running backs coach; 2009).
 
Pope has served as recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach at both West Texas A&M University (2021) and Shepherd University (2018-20), and as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach during his time at Avila University (2013-17). He was an all-American defensive back at Fairmont State University before playing both safety and linebacker at the University of West Georgia in his final two seasons.
 
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