ITTA BENA, Miss. – Mississippi Valley alumnus Sam Washington was named the 19th head football coach of the North Carolina A & T State University on January 9, 2018.
Prior to his appointment as head coach, Washington served as the N.C. A&T defensive coordinator and secondary coach for seven years. In 2015, he was promoted to associate head coach.
Under Washington's leadership the Aggies have only finished outside the top-20 in total defense only once nationally, and they never finished outside the top-30. In two of those seasons, they were second nationally in total defense.
Before arriving at A&T, Washington spent four seasons as Grambling's defensive backs coach under Broadway. Washington played a significant role in the Tigers' dominating defense in 2007. Nationally, the Tigers ranked 12th in total defense. During the next season, Washington's defensive backfield played a vital role in Grambling being one of the most opportunistic defenses in the country. Grambling led the nation in turnover margin and were third in scoring defense. Defensive back Desmond Lenard returned one interception for a touchdown and was ninth in the nation in interceptions per game. Three other defensive backs ranked among the Top-50 in interceptions per game that season.
Before Washington's arrival in Grambling, he spent five years at his alma mater Mississippi Valley State. Washington served as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in addition to his customary role as the defensive backs coach. In his first season at MVSU, he transformed the Delta Devils defense from one of the worst defenses in the SWAC into the league's No. 2 ranked defense.
Washington also spent eight seasons at N.C. Central as the school's assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Led by All-American Buddy Crutchfield, Adrian Jones and Trei Oliver in 1996, Washington put together one of the best defensive backfields in Division II as the Eagles went 8-3 with the best pass defense in the CIAA.
In 1992, he began work at Johnson C. Smith. He was named the assistant head coach. His other duties included being the defensive and special teams coordinator, the defensive backs coach and the head track and field coach.
Washington's coaching profession also includes a stint with Bethune-Cookman (1987-92), where he helped the Wildcats take a share of the 1988 MEAC championship. In 1998, he secured an internship with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers under legendary head coach Tony Dungy. Washington is no stranger to the NFL. He spent four seasons in the NFL with stops in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington intercepted at least one pass in five consecutive games during the 1984 season.
Washington earned a B.S., degree in physical education from MVSU in 1982. He was inducted into the MVSU Hall of Fame in 2006.
