CONWAY, S.C. — Coastal Carolina University football head coach Tim Beck named Jeremiah Johnson as the Chanticleers' defensive coordinator.
 
Johnson, who most recently was in the same role at Louisiana Tech, replaces Craig Naiver who will not be retained for the 2025 season. 
 
"Change is never an easy thing but we are excited for Jeremiah to bring a fresh voice to our defensive unit," Beck said. "He's one of most innovative defensive minds in the game and his coaching style will complement our offense. Spring football and fall camp will be fun to watch as our new coordinators match up preparing for 2025."
 
"My family and I are really excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Beck and the Coastal Carolina Football Family," Johnson said. "It is an honor to be the Defensive Coordinator here and I am looking forward to building relationships with the student athletes, staff and community."
 
An innovative and experienced defensive mind, Johnson spent the 2023 season as defensive coordinator at Northern Iowa following a one-year stint at Kent State, where he served in the same capacity in 2022. Before Kent State, Johnson spent 15 seasons at Northern Iowa, including nine as defensive coordinator.
 
NOTING JOHNSON'S COACHING CAREER

• LA Tech's 2024 defense finished the season as the No. 12 ranked total defense in the nation, allowing just 308.4 yards per game. The ranking is a 98-place improvement over where they finished in 2023 (110). Johnson's group also showed a 91-place improvement in scoring defense, going from 117 to No. 26 and 88-place bump in rushing defense, going from 132 to No. 44.
• During his 16 seasons at UNI, Johnson coached 32 First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) defenders, five MVFC Defensive Players of the Year, one Buck Buchanan Award winner, 15 AP FCS All-Americans, and seven AFCA All-Americans. 
• UNI won four conference championships during Johnson's tenure in Cedar Falls (2007-2021, 2023). Additionally, the Panthers made 10 FCS Playoff appearances, while advancing past the first round in eight of 10 seasons. 
• Before being promoted to coordinator, he served as the defensive backs coach during the 2012 season. From 2007-2011, he served various roles in Cedar Falls, including video coordinator and DBs coach.
• The native of Lawrence, Kansas, spent the 2003-2005 seasons at Loras College on the Duhawk coaching staff, where he served under current Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman in 2005
• Prior to his work at Loras, Johnson was a graduate assistant/video coordinator at Wyoming in 2002.
• A 2000 graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in sports science, Johnson completed his master's degree in athletic administration at Loras in 2005.   
• Johnson is married to his wife Nicki and has a son, Lane, and a daughter, Drew.

 
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