Zac Etheridge

Last updated

Zac Etheridge
Current position
TitleDefensive backs coach
Team Houston
Conference Big 12
Biographical details
Born (1988-07-06) July 6, 1988 (age 36)
Troy, Alabama, U.S.
Playing career
2007–2010 Auburn
Position(s) Safety
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2012 Penn State (GA)
2013–2014 Georgia Tech (GA)
2016–2017 Western Carolina (DB/OLB)
2018 Louisiana (DB)
2019–2020 Houston (DB)
2021–2023 Auburn (S)
2024–presentHouston (DB)

Zac Etheridge (born July 6, 1988) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the defensive backs coach at Houston. As a player, he was a four year starter at safety for Auburn, as well as a team captain on their 2010 National Championship team.

Contents

High school career

Etheridge attended Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama. [1] He initially played basketball and baseball before ultimately deciding to focus on football. [2] Etheridge grew up watching Auburn and Alabama football and began to dream of playing for Auburn after watching the programs 2004 team and becoming enamored with the programs sense of "family and tradition". [2] Described as scrawny, Etheridge originally struggled in gaining attention from major programs but received an offer from Auburn after attending a camp ran by the team. [2] On August 14, 2005, he would commit to play college football at Auburn University. [2]

College career

Etheridge would make an immediate impact at Auburn, starting 12 out of 13 games as a freshman in 2007 and earning Freshman All-American honors with 65 tackles. [3] Etheridge remained a strong contributor for the Tigers as a sophomore, recording 75 tackles and one interception. [4] [5] In his junior season he suffered a neck injury while attempting a tackle in a game against Ole Miss. [6] [7] Following the injury he lacked control over his body and was ultimately diagnosed with torn neck ligaments and a broken vertebrae. [8] [6] The injury threatened to end Etheridge's playing career but he would return to the field for his senior season in 2010 after completing 9 months of physical therapy. [6] [9] In 2010, he was named a team captain, started all 14 games and would have three interceptions on the season including one in the first quarter of the Tigers national championship victory over Oregon. [9] [10] In 2012, Etheridge was awarded the James Owens Courage Award, which is awarded to an Auburn player who demonstrates "courage in the face of adversity". [11]

Coaching career

Etheridge began his coaching career in 2012 when Bill O'Brien hired him as a graduate assistant at Penn State. [4] He would then serve in the same role for two seasons at Georgia Tech before being hired by Western Carolina as a defensive backs and outside linebackers coach. [12] In 2018, Etheridge worked as the defensive back coach at Louisiana. Following two seasons as the defensive backs coach at Houston, Etheridge returned to his alma mater in 2021. [3] In 2022, following the firing of Bryan Harsin for Hugh Freeze it was announced that Etheridge would remain on the new staff, making him and running backs coach Cadillac Williams the only coaches retained by Freeze. [9] [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Williams</span> American football player and coach (born 1982)

Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American professional football coach and former running back who is the running backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the running backs coach at Auburn University from 2019 to 2023, he also served as their interim head coach in 2022, the first African American to hold the position in Auburn history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Lewis</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Tim Lewis is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator for the Boston College Eagles. He played college football as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Panthers and was selected by the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. Following a neck injury that cut his playing career short after four seasons, Lewis began serving as a coach in the collegiate and professional levels and obtained his first head coaching position with the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019. He also served as the defensive backs coach for the St. Louis BattleHawks and co-defensive coordinator for the Arlington Renegades of the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Roof</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Terrence Edwin Roof Jr. is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the UCF Knights. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Oklahoma. Roof served as the head football coach at Duke University from 2003 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Frazier</span> American football player and coach (born 1959)

Leslie Antonio Frazier is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. He played professional football as a cornerback for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL), winning a Super Bowl in the 1985 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Rocker</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Tracy Quinton Rocker is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a defensive tackle in the NFL.

Nicholas Eason is an American football coach and former defensive end who is currently the defensive tackles coach and run game coordinator at Clemson University. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Auburn Tigers, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Malzahn</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Arthur Gustav Malzahn III is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He was the head football coach at Auburn University from 2013 to 2020. He helped lead the 2010 Auburn Tigers to a national championship. As head coach at Auburn, he led the team to a SEC Championship win and an appearance in the 2014 national championship. Malzahn has coached Heisman winner Cam Newton and two Heisman finalists: Nick Marshall and Tre Mason, including coaching 14 All-Americans. During Malzahn's tenure at Auburn, he was the second-longest tenured head coach at one school in the SEC, behind Nick Saban. Out of active head coaches, Malzahn also holds the best record against Coach Saban.

Reginald Wayne Herring is an American football coach and former player and most recently the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). A former linebacker at Florida State University, he began his coaching career in 1981. He has now coached for 36 years across college and the NFL. Herring arrived in Denver to coach linebackers in 2015 after previous stops in the league with Chicago (2014), Houston and Dallas (2008–10). Herring has coached nine linebackers who have made Pro Bowl appearances during their careers, including outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware (9), Mario Williams (4), and Connor Barwin (1), and inside linebackers Zach Thomas (7), Keith Brooking (5), Lance Briggs (7), Brian Cushing (1), Sean Lee (2) and DeMeco Ryans (2). Herring also served as the interim head football coach for the University of Arkansas in the 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Freeze</span> American football coach (born 1969)

Danny Hugh Freeze Jr. is an American football coach who is the head coach at Auburn University. A successful high school football coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee, Freeze coached Michael Oher and Greg Hardy. He subsequently was the head football coach at Lambuth University from 2008 to 2009, Arkansas State University in 2011, the University of Mississippi from 2012 to 2016, and Liberty University from 2018 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travaris Robinson</span> American football player and coach (born 1981)

Travaris Jerod Robinson is an American football coach and former safety who is the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Georgia. Prior to that, he was the cornerbacks coach at the University of Alabama and the defensive backs coach at the University of Miami. He played college football at Auburn. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuben Foster</span> American football player (born 1994)

Reuben Foster is an American football linebacker for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League. A consensus All-American in high school, Foster was regarded as the best linebacker prospect of his class before committing to Alabama, where he played from 2013 to 2016. In his final season there he was awarded the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation's best linebacker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Ford</span> American football player (born 1991)

Donald “Dee” Ford is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.

The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in American football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Allen (American football)</span> American football coach (born 1970)

Thomas E. Allen is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Pennsylvania State University. He previously served as the head coach at Indiana University Bloomington from 2017 to 2023. He was named the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year and AFCA Coach of the Year.

Kane Wommack is an American college football coach and former player who is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Alabama. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana from 2018 to 2020 and as the head coach of South Alabama from 2021 to 2023.

Noah Igbinoghene is an American professional football cornerback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. Igbinoghene has also played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Jamien Sherwood is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn.

Jeff Schmedding is an American football coach who is currently the defensive coordinator at Washington State University. He most recently served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Auburn University. He has previously served as the defensive coordinator for Boise State University.

Josh Aldridge is an American college football coach and former player who is currently the linebackers coach for the Auburn Tigers. He played college football at Harding and has previously been a coach at Lindenwood, Ouachita Baptist, West Georgia, Lenoir–Rhyne, and Liberty. Aldridge served as the interim head football coach at Liberty for the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl.

Marcus Harris is an American professional football defensive tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks and the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft.

References

  1. ↑ Staff Reports (August 3, 2008). "CHHS graduate Zac Etheridge enters his sophomore year as Auburn's strong safety". The Troy Messenger. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Han, Giana; Goldman, Laura (August 27, 2021). "From Auburn player to Auburn coach, Zac Etheridge comes 'full circle'". al. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Vitale, Josh. "Former Auburn football standout Zac Etheridge returns as cornerbacks coach". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  4. 1 2 junny (March 28, 2012). "Zac Etheridge To Join Penn State Coaching Staff". Black Shoe Diaries. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Zac Etheridge College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Woodberry, Evan (October 27, 2010). "A year after injury, feel-good tale of Zac Etheridge and Rodney Scott persists". al. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Duarte, Joseph (October 30, 2019). "10 years later, Zac Etheridge thankful after 'scariest part of my life'" . Houston Chronicle . Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ Schlabach, Mark (January 7, 2011). "Zac Etheridge relishes second chance". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Vitale, Josh. "Auburn football's Zac Etheridge confirms he's being retained on Hugh Freeze's staff". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ King, Nathan. "'No puppies allowed': Inside Zac Etheridge's vision as recruiter, teacher". AuburnUndercover & ITAT. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ Erickson, Joel A. (September 5, 2013). "Former Auburn safety Zac Etheridge will receive James Owens Courage Award Saturday". al. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ Crepea, James (April 9, 2016). "Ex-Auburn DB Zac Etheridge hired at Western Carolina". al. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Samra, Steve (February 12, 2023). "Hugh Freeze assesses the value of having former players on staff". On3. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ Ferguson, Justin. "Keeping Zac Etheridge was a no-brainer, and it's already paid off in a big way". www.auburnobserver.com. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.