Following a disastrous 2-10 season, North Carolina A&T head coach Shawn Gibbs is shaking up his coaching staff. Per a report by the Greensboro News & Record, outside linebackers coach Terry Lanz, recruiting coordinator Nate Poole, and Offensive line coach Ron Mattes. Mattes is retiring, while Poole and Lanz were let go from their respective positions.
The move comes after Gibbs said that changes to his staff were imminent but didn't elaborate on what positions would be affected. Before the Elon game on November 22nd, he said, per Greensboro News & Record, “To get this program to where we need it go, we need coaches and players who are ready and who believe we can get it done now,” Gibbs said before the game against Elon. “Not later. And not when things settle. Not when we get our players in here. Get it done today. Get it done now.”
Following the game, in which Elon won 55-17, Gibbs signaled that change was indeed needed.
“I’m tired,” he said, per comments obtained by the Greensboro News & Record. “I’m tired of coming up here, week after week, and saying the same things. But as the head coach of this football team, I understand that is my responsibility. I have to own the way that we’re playing. And quite frankly, it’s embarrassing. I’m fully committed to changing this program for the better.”
North Carolina A&T showed some level of incremental success, winning two Division I games after going two seasons without a Division I victory. They won thrilling games over Hampton University and Campbell University, but it was offset by some ugly losses, including against North Carolina Central and Monmouth, where both teams scored 60+ points.
