Former Carolina Panther Reggie Howard was named Campbell’s co-defensive coordinator in February 2022.
Howard, who joined head coach Mike Minter’s staff as the defensive backs coach prior to the 2021 season, will continue to coach CU’s defensive backs in addition to his coordinator duties.
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 at his alma mater, the University of 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 three children: daughters Allegra and Kristen and son, Reggie Jr.
