Football | 1/9/2023 2:29:00 PM

Naval Academy head football coach Brian Newberry announced Monday that Eric Lewis has been hired as the safeties coach and defensive passing game coordinator, while Brenten Wimberly is joining the staff as a defensive assistant and will assist defensive coordinator P.J. Volker with the linebackers.
 
Newberry also announced defensive line coach Jerrick Hall, strikers and raiders coach Joe Coniglio, cornerbacks coach Robert Green and defensive assistant / assistant defensive line Va'a Niumatalolo will return.  Additionally, Coniglio will have the added responsibility of being the special teams coordinator. Newberry had previously announced Volker would be the defensive coordinator as well as coach the linebackers.
 
"I am thrilled to welcome Eric Lewis and his family to the Naval Academy," said Newberry.  "Coach Lewis is an excellent football coach and a great person. His experience as a defensive coordinator will bring valuable insight to the defensive staff room. His previous working relationship and friendship with coach Volker will provide another coach in that room that he knows and trusts."
 
"I could not be more excited to become a part of this elite academy and football program," said Lewis. "I'm looking forward to working with some of our nation's best young men and working under coach Newberry, who is so well respected in our profession. Our discipline, toughness and effort will be unmatched! We will not be denied in our pursuit to make the Naval Academy and Navy football family proud! Go Navy! Beat Everyone!"
 
"I am very excited to welcome Brenton Wimberly to the Naval Academy," said Newberry.  "Brenton is a great person that will be a great fit with our staff and student athletes.  I was fortunate enough to coach him at Kennesaw State and watched him grow as a coach over the last few years.  His experience at Georgia Tech and Alabama the last three years will have invaluable here."
 
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to coach at the Naval Academy," said Wimberly. "I would like to thank Coach Newberry for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity.  I believe in Coach Newberry and his vision and I'm excited to work with this great staff and the finest young men in the country!"
 
Lewis comes to Navy from Bowling Green, where he had been the secondary coach for the last three years and the defensive coordinator for the last two seasons.
 
This past year, he helped lead the Falcons to the Quick Lanes Bowl as the Bowling Green defense tied a school record and finished 16^th in the nation with 38 sacks. Defensive end Karl Brooks finished with 10 sacks, which was tied for 13^th in the nation and third in school history. Brooks was a First-Team All-American by Pro Football Focus and was PFF's top graded edge rusher in the nation.

In 2021, Lewis' first as the defensive coordinator, the BGSU defense led the MAC as it recorded its best season defensively since 2013, allowing opponents only 373.7 yards per game.
 
Lewis joined Bowling Green following a stint coaching the defensive backs at Boston College in 2019 and coaching the secondary at Colorado State in 2018.
 
While at Colorado State Lewis helped the team improve 28 spots nationally in pass defense.
 
Lewis was a quality control assistant at Tennessee in 2017 after spending the 2015 and '16 seasons at Georgia State. While at Georgia State, Lewis' 2016 secondary ranked sixth in the NCAA in passing efficiency defense and eighth in passing defense, while allowing the fewest passing touchdowns in FBS (8).
 
In 2015, his Georgia State team was the most improved defense in the country in terms of scoring defense (allowing 15 points per game fewer than the previous season), rush defense and passing defense efficiency.
 
Other stops for Lewis include the secondary coach at Buffalo (2014), defensive coordinator at Weber State (2012-13), defensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan (2009), cornerbacks coach at Louisville (2008), defensive quality control coach with the Green Bay Packers (2006-07), safeties coach at Ball State (2003-05), defensive backs coach at Bucknell (2002) and graduate assistant at Michigan State (2001).
 
Lewis earned his bachelor's degree in business administration (finance) from San Diego State, having played for the Aztecs from 1994-98. He was a 2014 inductee into the St. Francis High School Hall of Fame. Lewis was a four-year starter at San Diego State and finished as the Aztecs' all-time leader in career pass breakups.
 
He is the son of long-time college and NFL coach Sherman Lewis. He and his wife Elizabeth have four children – Taylor, Harper, Emerson and Micah.
 
Wimberly comes to Navy from Alabama, where he was a graduate assistant for one year.  Wimberly helped the Alabama defensive staff put together one of the top defenses in the nation. The Crimson Tide ranked sixth in pass efficiency defense, ninth in scoring defense, 11^th in total defense and 36^th in rushing defense.
 
Wimberly came to Tuscaloosa from Georgia Tech, where he spent the previous two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant (2020-21) and earned his master's degree in building construction and facility management.
 
Wimberly is a 2018 graduate of Kennesaw State where he played linebacker for two years on the football team.
 
Wimberly appeared in 25 games and totaled 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery while helping the Owls to a Big South Championship and the FCS playoffs in 2017. His position coach his senior year was current Navy defensive coordinator PJ Volker, while Navy head coach Brian Newberry was his defensive coordinator both years.
 
After earning a bachelor's degree in integrative studies, Wimberly transitioned into a graduate assistant role at his alma mater, working primarily with the Owls' safeties and nickel backs. He helped lead Kennesaw State to another Big South title (2018) and two more FCS playoff berths (2018 and '19) as a GA.
 
Wimberly transferred to Kennesaw State after spending his first-two collegiate seasons at Georgia Military College.  A native of Albany, Georgia, Wimberly was an honorable mention all-state performer at Westover High School.