LA Tech announces football coaching staff changes

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie announced coaching staff changes with the additions of linebackers coach Cortez Carter, defensive line coach Jacori Greer, and safeties coach Nate Johnson while promoting analysts Myles Carelock to cornerbacks coach and Teddy Veal to running backs coach.

Cortez Carter
Carter arrives at Tech after spending the previous three years on Florida State’s staff, serving as a senior analyst on defense for the Seminoles.

Before Florida State, he worked on Mike Norvell’s staff at Memphis as a graduate assistant in 2019. That year, Memphis won a school-record 12 games, earned the program’s first outright conference championship since 1969 and played in the Cotton Bowl. Carter was a defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Lock Haven University in 2018.

He was a graduate assistant for two seasons at Marshall, working on offense in 2016 and the defensive staff in 2017. The 2017 team won eight games and finished the year with a victory in the New Mexico Bowl. He began his coaching career at Brookpoint High School in 2015.

Carter was a four-year letterman at Marshall and appeared in 51 games during his collegiate career. He helped the Herd win 35 games, including the 2014 Conference USA championship, and play in three bowl games. As a senior, he helped lead Marshall to its first conference title since 2002.

Carter earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration management from Marshall in 2014 and completed his master’s in continuing education from Marshall in 2017. He also holds a master’s from Memphis in sports hospitality management, earned in 2019.

Jacori Greer
Greer comes to Ruston after spending the past three seasons at Texas State.

During Greer’s time at Texas State, he helped defensive lineman Nico Ezidore earn Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors after recording 66 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.

Before Texas State, Greer served three years in a similar role at Abilene Christian. In 2019, Abilene Christian ranked 10th nationally in team sacks with 36. One of Greer’s defensive linemen, Temisan Kuyatsemi, ranked among the top 20 NCAA Division I FCS leaders after averaging 0.77 sacks per game (8.5 sacks in 11 games). The Wildcats averaged 3.09 sacks (34 in 11 games) in 2018 to rank among the top eight FCS teams in the country.

He also produced a pair of All-Southland Conference defensive linemen in 2019 and two honorable mention selections in 2018 and 2019. Defensive tackle Cole Burgess was named Third-Team All-SLC after he tallied 35 tackles (16 unassisted), 9.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and three quarterback hurries. He also forced and recovered a fumble and broke up one pass. Kameron Hill was named a Third-Team All-SLC defensive end after he tallied 24 tackles, 16 solo stops, 9.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and six quarterback hurries.

Prior to Abilene Christian, Greer spent two seasons as a defensive line coach at New Mexico Highlands and a season as a defensive graduate assistant at SMU in 2013.

A native of Dallas, Greer joined the Lobos’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant before following Archie McDaniel to SMU and serving as a graduate assistant for the Mustangs in 2015.

Greer earned a bachelor’s degree in intercultural communications from New Mexico in 2013 and a master’s degree in sports administration from New Mexico in 2014. He played four years (2009-2012) on the Lobo’s defensive line and was an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention selection in 2012 before serving as a team captain as a senior.

Nate Johnson
Johnson joins Cumbie’s staff after spending the previous three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Central Washington University.

He spent the 2019 season at Stephen F. Austin. During his one season with SFA, Johnson oversaw the safeties group. He helped guide a secondary that pulled down a combined 10 interceptions on the year and had 33 pass breakups.

Before his stop in Nacogdoches, Johnson was at Minnesota-Duluth. During his lone season at Minnesota-Duluth in 2018, Coach Johnson helped the Bulldogs to an unblemished 11-0 regular season, a perfect 7-0 conference record, a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) co-championship and a spot in the Division II playoffs. Working with four All-NSIC selections and an all-region pick, Johnson’s secondary led the league in pass defense by holding opponents to a mere 146.5 yards per game through the air and a completion percentage of only 41.9. With the assistance of the secondary unit, Minnesota-Duluth was tops in the NSIC in both scoring defense (12.4 PPG) and total defense (205.4 YPG).

Under the tutelage of Johnson, the Bulldogs were able to pick off 11 passes and break up another 46 as senior safety Sam Lynch garnered Don Hansen All-Super Region Four Second Team honors after being named All-NSIC North Division First Team. Lynch claimed 49 total tackles on the year, including 34 solo stops, made a pair of interceptions and broke up a team-best 11 passes. Senior cornerback Tareq Abulebbeh was also tabbed All-NSIC North Division First Team after recording a team-high five interceptions to go along with 23 tackles and four pass breakups. Both junior free safety Bill Atkins and sophomore cornerback Michael Kirkendoll earned All-NSIC North Division Second Team plaudits.

Prior to his time at Minnesota-Duluth, Johnson supervised the safeties for three seasons (2015-17) at Central Washington. During Johnson’s final season at Central Washington in 2017, the Wildcats posted an 11-0 regular season record, captured the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship, and secured the Super Region Four’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA II playoffs. While coaching at Central Washington, Johnson helped produce five All-GNAC honorees and one D2CCAAll-Region pick, Jackson Huerta, as Central Washington went 23-9 overall.

Before joining the Wildcat staff, Johnson coached for three seasons (2012-14) at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, where he was the defensive backs coach. Johnson got his start in the collegiate coaching profession at his alma mater, St. Cloud State, taking on a graduate assistant (wide receivers) role from 2009-11. In Johnson’s final year in St. Cloud in 2011, the Huskies were Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-champions and qualified for the NCAA II playoffs for the second-straight season.

A native of Austin, Minnesota, Johnson culminated his four-year playing career at St. Cloud State in 2008 by attaining All-NSIC status as a second-team wide receiver. In addition to lettering in football, Johnson competed for four seasons on the baseball diamond.

Myles Carelock
Carelock spent the 2022 season as a defensive analyst at LA Tech working primarily nickel backs.

Before arriving in Ruston in 2022, Carelock spent three seasons at Stephen F. Austin, where he was a defensive quality control assistant. Carelock played a big role in the Lumberjacks rebuild as they went from 3-9 in his first season in 2019 to 6-4 in 2020 and 8-4 with an FCS Playoff appearance in 2021.

He spent the 2019 season on staff at Miami (Ohio) as a graduate assistant coach for the Redhawks’ offense.

Carelock’s first coaching stint was at Central Washington, where he was a defensive graduate assistant and oversaw the development of the team’s nickel backs from 2015-2018.

During his collegiate career, Carelock suited up for a pair of teams – Southern Utah and Central Washington – and competed in a total of 25 games. Through his two-year career at FCS program Southern Utah, he logged time in 15 games and finished with nine tackles and a pair of interceptions. For his senior year, Carelock headed to Ellensburg, Wash., to play at NCAA Division II Central Washington where he picked off five passes and racked up 28 tackles through 10 games.

Teddy Veal
A former Louisiana Tech standout wide receiver, Teddy Veal has elevated the coaching ranks at Tech following his playing career. Veal was promoted to running backs coach after serving as an offensive analyst in 2022 and a graduate assistant from 2020-2022.

After prepping at West Jefferson High School, where he was an all-state selection as a senior and helped led the Buccaneers to three state playoff appearances, Veal signed with Tulane. After spending the 2014-15 seasons at Tulane, Veal transferred to LA Tech where he lettered and garnered all-conference honors in 2017 and 2018.

During his two seasons as a Bulldog, Veal caught 144 passes for 1,666 yards and eight touchdowns while also returning 20 punts for 168 yards and a touchdown.

The Bulldogs begin their first spring practice tomorrow morning. LA Tech will have 15 dates of spring practice including the spring game which will take place at Joe Aillet Stadium at 11 a.m. on April 22.