Elon, N.C. – Elon University Head Football Coach
Tony Trisciani has announced the hiring of Nate Harris and Ty Greenwood to his coaching staff. Harris will coach running backs, while Greenwood will coach the cornerbacks and serve as the team's defensive pass game coordinator. The hirings fill positions that were open following resignations by Clay Browning and Arketa Banks.
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Nate Harris
Harris, who has a master's degree in interactive media from Elon, was most recently the running backs coach and on-campus recruiting coordinator at the University of West Alabama, where the Tigers went 2-0 in an abbreviated 2020 campaign and 7-4 in 2021. West Alabama averaged 189.5 yards rushing in 2021 and scored 22 touchdowns on the ground. Demetrius Battle (934 yards) and James Smith III (517 yards) both rushed for more than 500 yards on the season and each averaged 5.8 yards per carry. Battle was named Gulf South First Team All-Conference in 2021, becoming the first Tiger running back to earn first team recognition since 2013.
Prior to his time at West Alabama, Harris was the running backs coach at Guilford College from 2018-19. Guilford averaged 166.7 yards rushing during his tenure with the Quakers despite a 5-14 combined record in those two seasons. Under Harris' tutelage, running back De'Eric Bell was named 2018 AFCA First Team All-American All-Purpose Back, as well as first team all-conference.
Harris also served as a defensive backs coach at Middle Creek (N.C.) High School for three years, helping the program to a 35-6 record, back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2015 and 2016, and two South Wake conference titles.
A 2012 graduate of Western Carolina University with a double major in broadcasting and public relations, Harris joined the Catamounts as a walk-on and eventually earned a full athletic scholarship and was a two-year team captain. He produced almost 2,000 all-purpose yards in his career. In 2013, Harris earned his master's degree in interactive media from Elon.
Ty Greenwood
Greenwood joins Elon after three years (two seasons with the cancelation of 2020) at North Carolina Central, where he served as cornerbacks coach, defensive pass game coordinator and recruiting coordinator. The 2019 squad ranked 11
th nationally in passing yards allowed at just 170.0 per contest and was 20
th in the country with 14 interceptions.
Under Greenwood's tutelage, cornerback Bryan Mills flourished, leading the MEAC with five interceptions and being named Phil Steele First Team All-Conference as well as BOXTOROW All-America, recognizing the top HBCU players. Mills earned an invitation to the NFL Combine, played in his first NFL game with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, and is currently playing with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.
At North Carolina Central in 2021, the team ranked second in the MEAC in passing yards allowed per game.
From 2015-18, Greenwood worked with the cornerbacks and linebackers at Delaware State University. Prior to that, he was a quality control coach at Kansas for the 2013-14 seasons. Greenwood also spent six seasons as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Pierce College in Los Angeles.
A 2004 graduate of Delaware State, Greenwood was a three-year starter at defensive back. He earned All-MEAC honors and was the team's defensive MVP in 2003, totaling 68 tackles.
