With 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to his credit, Granville Eastman joined the North Carolina Central University football coaching staff in January 2014. He served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach until his
promotion to interim head coach on Dec. 8, 2017.
Prior to joining NCCU, Eastman spent nine seasons (2005-13) as the defensive coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarkesville, Tennessee. During his 11 total seasons at APSU, he coached defensive backs and linebackers, and also served as special teams coordinator (2003-04) and interim head coach (winter 2013).
Eastman coached four seasons (1999-2002) at Tiffin University in Ohio, including the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, while working with defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure.
A native of Toronto, Canada, Eastman secured his first coaching position at York University in his hometown, where he spent two seasons (1994-95) working with defensive backs.
He then served as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons (1996-98) at Arkansas State University, earning a master’s degree in sociology in 1999.
He has interned with five NFL teams since 2002, lending his services to the Detroit Lions (2002), Arizona Cardinals (2004), Tennessee Titans (2006), Indianapolis Colts (2011) and Minnesota Vikings (2012).
Eastman was a two-time all-city defensive back at Stephen Leacock High School in Toronto before attending Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was a three-year letterman as a defensive back. Twice Saint Mary's played in national title games while he was there. Eastman earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s University in 1992.
Eastman also volunteers as a coach and mentor with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
He is married to the former Lynnette Armstrong. They are the proud parents of two sons - J.R. and Brandon.
The Granville Eastman File
Education:
Saint Mary’s University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada), 1992, bachelor’s degree/criminology certificate
Arkansas State University, 1999, master’s degree in sociology
Collegiate Playing Experience:
Saint Mary’s University, defensive back (1989-92)
Coaching Experience:
York University (Toronto, Canada), assistant coach (defensive backs), 1994-95
Arkansas State University, graduate assistant (defense), 1996-98
Tiffin University
- assistant coach (defensive backs/recruiting coordinator), 1999
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/defensive line/recruiting coordinator), 2000
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/defensive backs/recruiting coordinator), 2001-02
Austin Peay State University
- assistant coach (defensive backs/special teams coordinator), 2003-04
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/special teams/outside linebackers/safeties), 2005-06
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/special teams/defensive backs), 2007-09
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/special teams/linebackers), 2010
- assistant coach (defensive coordinator/safeties), 2011-12
- interim head coach, January-March 2013
- assistant head coach (defensive coordinator/secondary), 2013
North Carolina Central University
- assistant head coach (defensive coordinator/safeties), 2014-17
- interim head coach (defensive coordinator/safeties), 2018
