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Bryan Whitehead

Bryan Whitehead

Nickels Coach

Whitehead joined the Hokies as nickels coach in 2025 following three seasons at Southern Miss, where he served as the lead defensive analyst before coaching nickels in 2024. The Golden Eagles were third in the nation in sacks (44) and tackles for loss (108) in 2022.

Whitehead spent two seasons (2020-2021) at Wisconsin-La Crosse as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, helping the Eagles to an NCAA playoff appearance in 2021. In two years at Wofford College, he assisted with the defensive line in 2018 and coached safeties in 2019, as the Terriers won the Southern Conference and made FCS playoff appearances in each season.

Whitehead’s coaching career began in 2016 at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Platteville where he served as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. The Pioneers were an NCAA playoff qualifier in 2016.

Whitehead was a three-year letterwinner at wide receiver at Platteville.

He received his bachelor’s degree in health and human performance from UW-Platteville in 2015 along with a master’s in education from Missouri in 2019. He and his wife, Ilse have a son, Mason.