This HBCU football offseason has been one for the history books, and now Tennessee State appears poised to secure the services of one of the best offensive coordinators in the country. Per a report by FootballScoop, North Carolina Central Matt Leone is preparing to depart the Eagles to join Reggie Barlow's staff at Tennessee State.
“Sources tell FootballScoop that Barlow is bringing in Matt Leone as the Tigers' new offensive coordinator on the heels of Tennessee State's 2-10 2025 season,” John Brice wrote for FootballScoop.
Leone has been with the Eagles on Trei Oliver's coaching staff since January 2020. In that time, he's been the architect of some of the most prolific offenses in HBCU football. His playcalling and development with former star North Carolina Central quarterback Davis Richard led North Carolina Central to a MEAC Championship and a resounding victory in the Cricket Celebration Bowl in 2022.
They found success in 2023 despite not winning the MEAC Championship and securing a spot in the Cricket Celebration Bowl. They earned a trip to the FCS Playoffs, having an impressive showing in their matchup against Richmond. The past two years show Leone's penchant for coaching up a high-powered offense.
With Walker Harris under center, North Carolina Central was the top-ranked scoring offense in the MEAC in 2024 as they averaged 35 points a game in that season. In 2025 they were still among the best offensive teams in both the MEAC and HBCU football, averaging 33 points per game, including putting up 62 points against North Carolina A&T and 45 points versus Florida A&M.
Leone will surely be transformative for Tennessee State's offense, as they ranked last in scoring offense in the OVC-Big South this past season.
