Landius Wilkerson / Photo contributed by UTCFormer McMinn Central High School athlete Landius Wilkerson has been added to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coaching staff, head coach Rusty Wright announced Monday afternoon.
Wilkerson will be the Mocs' recruiting coordinator and coach the defensive line, a position that opened when Kenny Baker was hired at Western Kentucky earlier this month. The 2000 McMinn Central graduate played at Alabama State and has extensive background as a collegiate defensive coach, spending the last two seasons as defensive ends coach at FCS power Jacksonville State.
"We are excited about adding Landius to our staff," Wright said in a UTC release. "I was impressed with how they played based on our game with them last year, and everyone I talked to had great things to say about him as a person. He has ties to the areas we heavily recruit, and I am looking forward to working with him in our program."
The 2018 Gamecocks led the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked seventh nationally in tackles for loss and was 15th in FCS in total defense. Before going to JSU, Wilkerson worked eight years at Division III Huntingdon College in Montgomery, winding up as the Hawks' defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. In his last three seasons there they won 28 games and three USA South titles.
"I am excited about the opportunity to work for Coach Wright and help him continue to grow the program at UTC," said Wilkerson, who was a two-time all-state selection at McMinn Central. "I am from East Tennessee, so this was a chance to get back closer to home and be a part of a strong program."