Almond joins football staff as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head football coach Ashley Ingram has announced the hiring of Tyler Almond as the program’s new Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach.
VIDEO: Tyler Almond Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head football coach Ashley Ingram has announced the hiring of Tyler Almond as the program's new Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach.
Almond will coordinate the defense with veteran DC Larry Slade. Slade will continue to coach safeties while Almond handles linebackers.
"Tyler came highly recommended from several coaches that I have a lot of respect for," Ingram said. "He will add a lot of new ideas to our defense. I'm excited for him and his family to join the Carson-Newman family."
Almond comes to the banks of Mossy Creek after three years at the FBS level. He spent 2023 as a defensive analyst at ECU after spending the 2022 season as a defensive quality control specialist at Georgia Tech. An 18-year coaching veteran at the high school and college levels, he spent the 2021 season at South Florida (QC/special teams) where the Bulls ranked ninth national in special teams efficiency.
"We're fired up for the opportunity," Almond said. "I'm eager to get back on the field. I got to follow Coach Ingram the past few years competing against him. I've got a lot of respect for him and I'm excited for what we are building here."
His on-field college coaching career includes two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Dixie State (2019 and spring 2021), six seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Sacramento State (2011-16), and two seasons as running backs coach at Sierra College (2009-10). As defensive coordinator at Dixie State, he coached a defense that ranked among the NCAA Division I FCS top 20 in takeaways (seventh), pass efficiency defense (16th) and pass defense (16th) during the 2021 spring season and ranked third nationally in sacks in 2019.
He was also selected to participate in the 2020 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 under 35 Leadership Institute.
At Sac State, he served as assistant defensive line coach in 2011, then spent five seasons as the Hornets' linebackers coach, and coached eight all-Big Sky Conference honorees, four FCS all-Americans and two semifinalists for the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year).
Almond's coaching resume also includes two seasons as head coach and assistant athletics director (2017-18) and four seasons as an assistant coach (linebackers, running backs and special teams – 2005-08) at Christian Brothers (Calif.) High School (2017-18). As Christian Brothers' head coach, he led his squad to consecutive league championships and was named the 2017 Capital Athletic League Coach of the Year.
