North Carolina A&T head football coach Vincent Brown announced Keith Henry as an assistant football coach on the Aggies staff on April 5, 2023. Henry will be making his second stint with the Aggies football program as an assistant coach. He will coach safeties in his return to Aggieland.
Henry brings three decades of collegiate coaching experience on all levels, including more than 15 years on the NCAA Division I-FCS level. He comes to N.C. A&T after serving as the Western Carolina Catamounts special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach since 2019.
Before going to Western Carolina, Henry made coaching stops at Charlotte (2017-18), Catawba College (2013-16), and Wake Forest (2001-11), where the Demon Deacons went to five bowl games during Henry’s 11-year stay.
At Catawba, Henry served as the Indians defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for four seasons. During that span, All-America linebacker Kyle Kitchens earned South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and region defensive player of the year during the 2015 season, leading the Indians to the SAC championship. In addition, the defense forced 28 turnovers, including a league-leading 11 interceptions, and ranked second in NCAA Division II in scoring defense.
A bulk of Henry’s career was spent working on a Jim Grobe-led staff. Henry spent 17 seasons with Grobe, including six seasons with Grobe at Ohio University as the outside linebackers, defensive end and special teams coach. The Bobcats went 27-20-1 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during Henry’s tenure there.
Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC title and earned a berth in the 2007 Orange Bowl that same season. From 2006-08, the Demon Deacons posted a 28-12 record, including three consecutive bowl appearances. Henry coached outside linebackers, defensive ends and defensive backs over the 11 seasons he spent in Winston-Salem, NC.
Henry’s first stint coaching on the East side of Greensboro produced a championship, but it was not in football. Henry was at N.C. A&T from 1993-95, where he coached linebackers, wide receivers and defensive backs at various times.Â
He coached baseball at A&T from 93-94, helping the Aggies baseball program win the MEAC title in ‘93. In 1994, Henry earned MEAC coach of the year honors. His other football coaching stops include a one-year stop at Charleston Southern and one season as a graduate assistant at Gardner-Webb.
Henry also accepted a summer internship with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, serving as an assistant with the inside linebackers during training camp and into the preseason.
Before coaching at Catawba College, Henry played for the Indians from 1984-88. He earned All-America honors from his safety position and was named All-SAC all four years. He also served as team captain for two years, won the Harvey Stratton player of the year award, and graduated with a then-school record 398 career tackles and 20 interceptions.
Henry graduated from Catawba in 1989 with a degree in physical education from the Salisbury, N.C. school. In addition, he has his master’s degree from N.C. A&T in athletics administration. Catawba inducted Henry into its Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He was inducted into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame a year later. Henry played professionally in the Arena Football League.
Henry and his wife, Nicole, have four children: Kristie Foster, K.J. Henry, Maya Henry and Isaiah Henry, and two grandchildren: Makhi and Malachi.
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