Reggie Howard - Assistant Coach / Defensive Backs - Football Coaches

Reggie Howard

Title:
Assistant Coach / Defensive Backs
Email:
football@memphis.edu
Phone:
901-678-5119

Reggie Howard enters his first season as cornerbacks coach for Memphis in 2024. Head football coach Ryan Silverfield announced Howard's hiring on Jan. 11, 2024. Howard returned to Memphis with nine years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and NFL levels. After lettering for two seasons for the Tigers, Howard played seven seasons in the NFL.

“We are excited with the addition of Reggie Howard to our staff,” Silverfield remarked at the time of Howard's hiring. “It’s great to add another Tiger alum to the staff. Reggie will make a make a terrific impact not only on our cornerbacks, but on our defense as a whole and our entire program.”

Howard returned to Memphis after serving as a defensive quality control coach for the Washington Commanders in 2023.

“I am extremely excited to return home to the University of Memphis Football program and I'm all in.” Howard said. “I would also like to personally thank Coach Silverfield for providing this amazing opportunity.”

Prior to Washington, Howard was on staff at Campbell University for two seasons. In 2021, he served as the defensive backs coach before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator for the 2022 campaign. Before departing for the Commanders, Howard was promoted to associate head coach following the 2022 season.

In 2022, three members of Howard’s defensive unit earned Second-Team All-Big South honors – defensive ends Brevin Allen and Josh Johnson, as well as linebacker Keshawn Thompson.

In his first season in Buies Creek, Campbell’s defense ranked fourth in the FCS in turnovers gained (25) and defensive touchdowns (4) at season's end.

Darion Slade was named Second Team All-Big South, ranking 10th in the league in tackles per game (6.8), collecting 61 stops for the season, including 5.0 for loss with two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, a pass breakup and a defensive touchdown. Defensive back Levi Wiggins was also named to semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, as well as the Big South’s All-Academic team, making 32 tackles with 2.0 stops for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and three pass breakups after starting at both cornerback and safety in 2021.

Howard came to Campbell after spending the 2020 season on staff at Memphis, where he was the program’s director of high school relations.

Howard spent seven years in the NFL, initially signing with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2000 following a standout college career with the Tigers, going on to play for Carolina (2000-03, 2006) alongside Minter, the New Orleans Saints (2000) and the Miami Dolphins (2004-05). He finished his NFL career with 251 tackles, six interceptions, 4.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

He intercepted New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady in the 2004 Super Bowl while with the Panthers. Howard was inducted into the Memphis Hall of Fame in 2018.

After his playing career, he began the Reggie Howard Foundation (2006-08). He then became the president and executive director of the United Athletes Foundation (2008-present). He followed his interest in coaching with a pair of stops in the NFL Bill Walsh Minority Coaches Internship Program. He was with the Denver Broncos (2014) and the Chicago Bears (2016).

He began coaching at Lane College as the secondary coach in 2015 and 2016. There, he helped six players on defense earn all-region honors, including second team all-conference defensive back Anthony Blackmon.

He then returned to Memphis, serving as the defensive coordinator at Kirby High School (2016) before spending the 2017 season at his alma mater as a defensive assistant. As a defensive assistant at Memphis, he was part of a team of coaches that helped freshman TJ Carter earn USA Today and ESPN Freshman All-America honors, along with AAC Rookie of the Year and second team all-conference honors.

Howard spent the past two seasons (2018, 2019) at the University of Central Arkansas as cornerbacks coach. There, he helped cornerback Robert Rochell earn a pair of FCS All-America and first team All-Southland Conference honors. The Bears claimed a share of the Southland Conference Championships in 2019 and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.

A 2000 graduate from Memphis with a degree in marketing management, he also completed the NFL Entrepreneurship Internship Program at Stanford University. He also completed the NFL Business Internship at Northwestern and the NFL Wealth Management Internship at Wachovia Bank.

He has four children: daughters Allegra, Kristen and Marley and son, Reggie Jr.

Howard At A Glance

Alma Mater	Memphis, 2000
Playing Experience	Memphis (1998-99) Defensive Back Two-year letterwinner with the Tigers Played seven seasons in the NFL
Family	Children - Allegra, Kristen, Marley and Reggie Jr.

Coaching Experience

Lane College	Assistant Coach, Defensive Backs (2015)
Kirby HS	Defensive Coordinator (2016)
Memphis	Defensive Assistant (2017) Director of High School Relations (2020) Assistant Coach, Cornerbacks (2024-Present)
Central Arkansas	Assistant Coach, Cornerbacks (2018-19)
Campbell	Assistant Coach, Defensive Backs (2021) Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs (2022)
Washington Commanders	Defensive Quality Control (2023)