8 Coaches in New Positions That Could Thrive

By Mac Brown, @SSN_GSU

As promised, the third stop of our countdown has arrived. Just like last week, this list isn’t in ascending or descending order, but rather a comprehensive list. This time it will cover eight coaches on staff that are in new positions for the 2025 season and how they could thrive. Whether they were external hires this last offseason or promoted within, these eight coaches will undoubtedly play a huge role in a hopefully improved season for the Panthers. Just like the players, it will be up to them whether or not that happens. Let’s begin…

1.  Enrique Davis – Running Backs Coach

Coach Davis was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and a three-time All-American. He committed to play at Ole Miss and helped the Rebels win two Cotton Bowls during his time. He even made a couple of practice squads in the NFL, most notably with the Atlanta Falcons. Like most when their playing careers have wrapped up, Davis headed into the coaching profession. Davis has coached at just about every level ranging from high school to the NFL. His last stop was at his alma mater where he was an analyst and played a crucial role in recruiting. Davis has seen a lot in his short time in the profession and his players and Panther fans will only benefit from that.

Davis will be leading yet another incredibly deep and talented running back room for Georgia State in 2025. With players like Branson Robinson, Djay Braswell, Jordon Simmons, Rashad Amos, Phoenix Moss, and the highly talented freshman, Ladainnian Martin all fighting for carries, Davis should have plenty to work with. Like last season as well, there may never be a true breakout lead back in this bunch and we may see more of a committee approach. If this were to happen, it will likely bode well for the Panthers and their run game may return to days of glory. No Panther fan will mind though if someone does breakthrough and we see another 2023-Marcus Carroll. Ole Miss was top 50 in rushing yards each season Davis was in Oxford and used plenty of run options. The Panthers need to establish a dominant run game once again and Davis just may be the man to lead them to it.

2.  Glenn Ford Jr. – Cornerbacks Coach

Coach Ford graduated from Carver High School in Columbus, GA (Yup, that one.) in the mid-nineties and was a three-year starter at defensive back for the University of Georgia. Ford played professionally as well but due to a major injury, was forced an early retirement. After his playing career, Ford founded the iDareU Academy in Atlanta, GA, which helps provide recruiting assistance and athletic training for student athletes. Ford hasn’t been coaching as long as some of his colleagues, but he does have NFL experience through a Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Washington Football Team in 2017 and as defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns in 2019. Ford was most recently a defensive analyst for the Panthers last season and was promoted to cornerbacks coach back in January. Ford has been helping young athletes reach their goals for decades now and that won’t be stopping during his time at Georgia State.

Ford will be served no small task in his first season as cornerbacks coach as the cornerbacks’ room has probably seen the most change and new faces. If Ford is to stay in the college coaching ranks for the foreseeable future, this is something he will just have to adjust to. Some of these new faces do come with a tremendous amount of talent though. With transfer portal signings of guys like Isaiah Dunson, Tyler Scott, and Bernard Causey III this group could end up being a strength for the Panthers this season. Atlanta may have the busiest airport in the world, but Ford and crew will look to turn the metro area into a “No Fly Zone” in 2025.

3.  Troy Kruchten – Outside Linebackers Coach

Coach Krutchen is a Sun Belt native hailing from The Woodlands, TX. He played linebacker for Louisiana from 2019 to 2021 and helped the Ragin’ Cajuns win back-to-back Sun Belt championships. Once his playing time was done, he followed his former head coach, Billy Napier to the Sunshine State. During his time in Gainesville, Kruchten served as a graduate assistant and worked primarily with the linebackers. He additionally served as the assistant edge/linebackers coach as well as an assistant to the defensive coordinator. Kruchten, in a short time, has gained essential experience at a top-level program. Now he will see if he can use that experience to help bolster the front seven of the Georgia State defense.

Kruchten’s group may not be as deep as some of the others on the team, but his top end talent could potentially be the best. Cam Williams had a monster spring game in April and is looking to build off that to have a huge season. Zavier Carter, an incoming transfer from UCF, is arguably the most talent player on the roster. If Kruchten is able to tap into their full potential, both guys could have breakout seasons. Kruchten may not have much to work with, but the pieces he does have could very well make him shoot up the coaching ranks. 

4.  Bryant Ross – Offensive Line Coach

Coach Ross is an Atlanta native who’s been coaching for over a decade and just might have the most impressive resume of any coach on this list. Ross has coached at Mississippi State and Louisiana and helped five different guys make it to the NFL at both of those stops. Most notably, at Louisiana, he was instrumental in developing current NFL starters Robert Hunt and Kevin Dotson and helped the Ragin’ Cajuns become one of the best run blocking teams in the conference. It’s safe to say that Louisiana does not experience their recent successes without the help of Coach Ross.

The offensive line might be the youngest group of position players on the team and Ross will have his work cut out for him because of it. He’ll lean on the leadership of Redshirt Senior, Mason Cook, and he’ll need it. Winning up front normally means winning the game and Ross is no stranger to this. He’ll look to do exactly what he did while at Louisiana here in Atlanta. His track record shows he knows how to coach these guys up and get them to perform at their highest. That won’t be changing now that he’s at Georgia State.

5.  Jes Sutherland – Tight Ends Coach

Coach Sutherland is from Atlanta as well and attended the Woodward Academy in College Park. He played quarterback and played well enough to be named Honorable Mention All-State Class 4A and led his team to an 11-3 record. This earned him a spot on the Samford Bulldogs roster where he would spend three seasons. From there, he would transfer to UGA and finish out his playing career. He joined the Panthers in 2024 as an offensive analyst and was promoted to Tight Ends Coach this offseason. He’s a little more unproven than the rest of the coaches on this list but all that means is that GSU is the place where he can etch his name.

Sutherland, like most of his colleagues, will be working with some talent in 2025. His group will be led by guys like Lane Waddle, Cam Overton, and incoming freshman Grant Hollier. There’s reason to believe all three could play a big role in the offense this season and try to fill the hole that Dorian Fleming left, the team’s second leading receiver from last year who’s now at Maryland. If Sutherland is able to keep this group focused and healthy, they could be yet another strength for the Panthers. A good tight end can help a quarterback; a great one can be his best friend. And with this group, there may be some budding friendships in the locker room.

6.  Juwan Taylor – Inside Linebackers Coach

Coach Taylor was a three-star recruit from the state of Florida who committed to play linebacker at UGA. Just like Coach Sutherland, it’s safe to assume this is where he first met and developed a relationship with Head Coach Dell McGee. Unlike Sutherland though, Taylor saw heavy amounts of playing time, earning nine starts his senior season. His 52 total tackles were best for sixth on the team. He helped lead the Bulldawgs to the 2018 National Championship Game and was a leader off the field. He joined the Panthers in 2024 as a graduate assistant who primarily worked with linebackers. In the offseason he was promoted to Inside Linebackers Coach.

On paper, Taylor’s group doesn’t appear to be as deep as some of the others on the roster. Just because it seems Taylor may not have as much to work with though doesn’t mean that the top end of his group isn’t incredibly talented. The inside linebackers will be led by sophomore Damaine Wilson. Wilson was named All-Conference Honorable Mention last year and is looking to have an even better 2025. Wilson will be one of the unquestioned vocal leaders on the team and will likely lead with his play as well. If Taylor can help Wilson reach his full potential, he very well could have a First-Team All-Sun Belt linebacker. And if Taylor can coach like he played, there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t.

7.  CJ Wilford – Safeties Coach

Coach Wilson is from Moorpark, CA and played a couple of seasons at a junior college in the mid-2010s. Once his playing time was done, he spent three years at Southern Utah where he helped lead the Thunderbirds to the 2017 Big Sky Championship. While there he also became the youngest full-time D1 position coach at the ripe age of 23. He then, like two other coaches on this list, headed down to Lafayette, LA and joined Billy Napier’s staff for three seasons. In his first two seasons he had the role of defensive backs quality control assistant and was a nickels and safeties graduate assistant in his final season in the Bayou State. The Cajuns ranked third in the country in interceptions in 2020 with 16 and Wilford was a huge part of that. Wilford has shown the ability to coach at a high level, and based on his trajectory, that level should continue to increase.

Wilford will be working with what could arguably be the strongest and deepest unit on the defense. With guys like Deuce Walker, D’Icey Hopkins, and Jordan Huff holding down most of the playing time as starters and with young guys like Chandler Jordan, Joseph Holt, and Ty Snead waiting in the wings, the depth of this group will not be understated. Walker was arguably the MVP of the Spring Game in April and Hopkins had the game-sealing interception in the back of the endzone. These guys can play and with Wilford leading them, the sky truly is the limit.

8.  Zach Conowal – Special Teams Analyst

Conowal is a familiar face for the Panther Family. Conowal spent two seasons as the Special Teams and Recruiting graduate assistant and one season as a defensive student assistant at GSU. During that time, Conowal helped the Panthers to back-to-back bowl victories in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, he helped coach the 2022 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention Michael Hayes, as well as Noel Ruiz. Ruiz would go on to be invited to NFL minicamps. As a student assistant in 2020, he assisted a defense that ranked nationally in sacks, tackles for loss, and turnovers. He then headed up north to Pennsylvania for one season as the Travel Coordinator and Linebackers Coach for Mercyhurst University. Conowal would spend one season up there and then venture back down south to the Peach State. In 2024, Conowal was a graduate assistant for the Panthers yet again and in this last offseason, was promoted to Special Teams Analyst. Conowal may not have the title of “coach” yet at the D1 level, but that day is just around the corner. Based on his ability to build relationships with players and his growing knowledge of the game, the Panthers would be lucky to have him have that title for them one day.

Conowal’s role for 2025 is probably still not completely determined yet. But one thing is for certain, whatever this staff asks of Conowal, Panther fans should feel confident he can get it done. 2025 may be the last time we see Conowal as an analyst and not a coach. He’s earned the opportunity to be considered and 2025 should only strengthen his case.  

Be on the lookout next week for the next part of the countdown to the season.