Al Washington came to Elon in February 2011 as the linebackers coach after spending the previous two seasons as the defensive line coach at Slippery Rock University which won 12 games in that span, including knocking of a pair of top-25 foes.
In his first season with the Phoenix, Washington worked with a very talented group of linebackers that included 2011 All-American and All-SoCon selection Joshua Jones as well as SoCon All-Freshman Team member Jonathan Spain. Under Washington, Jones amassed a career-high 112 tackles, including a league-leading 17.0 tackles for a loss, in 2011 on his way to finishing his career as Elon’s fifth leading tackler of all time with 343 stops. Linebacker Jonathan Spain also collected freshman All-America accolades.
A former football student-athlete at Boston College, Washington served as North Carolina State University's video graduate assistant for one season after coaching at Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institution (RPI) in 2007.
Washington helped lead RPI to an 8-2 record, a Liberty League championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs and was a member of the 2007 Liberty League "Coaching Staff of the Year."
As a student-athlete, Washington was a four-year letterwinner on the defensive line under current NC State head coach Tom O'Brien.
While playing at Boston College, Washington earned the team's Paul Cavanaugh Award in 2006 and the Leadership Award in 2005. The Cavanaugh Award is given annually to the player whose on and off the field accomplishments speak volumes about his commitment, outlook, volunteer work, ethics and work in the community and on the team.
After graduating from BC in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, Washington signed with the Canadian Football League's Sakatchewan Roughriders. He also played for the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Washington is originally from Columbus, Ohio.
