NSU Announces Additions of Hill-Eley, Gregory to Football Coaching Staff

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE ATHLETICS

 

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State University football coach Pete Adrian announced Friday the hiring of long-time coaching veterans and Virginia natives Donald Hill-Eley and Gordon "Greg" Gregory as assistant coaches.

Both coaches will work on the offensive side of the ball for NSU. Hill-Eley, the former head coach at Morgan State, will serve as the Spartans' offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Gregory, who has 30 years coaching experience at FCS and FBS schools, will serve as quarterbacks coach for the Spartans.

"I'm very excited about adding so much quality and experience on the offensive side of the ball," Adrian said. "Adding two former head coaches and offensive coordinators should help strengthen our offensive unit. Our players can't wait to get to work (next week) in spring practice."

Hill-Eley recently completed a 12-year stint as head coach at Morgan State from 2002-13. The Suffolk, Virginia native is the third-winningest coach in Bears' history, having led MSU to its first four winning seasons since 1979. He began his career in Baltimore by finishing one game out of first place in the MEAC standings in 2002, and went 6-5 overall in 2003 to secure the school's first back-to-back winning seasons since 1970-71. This past season, the Bears tied for third with a 5-3 mark in MEAC play. MSU had the MEAC's No. 3 rushing offense last fall, averaging 182.8 yards per game.

"I'm excited to be a part of the NSU community and get back closer to home," Hill-Eley said. "I grew up hearing about the green and gold, so this is an opportunity to make an investment in a great program."

Several MSU players reached the professional ranks after playing for Hill-Eley, including tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and running back Chad Simpson. Shiancoe played with four different NFL franchises between 2003-13. Simpson played three years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts following the 2009 season. Most recently, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Prior to coaching at Morgan State, Hill-Eley helped Hampton win two MEAC titles and a black college national championship during his tenure as offensive coordinator from 1997-2000. Hill-Eley also has professional coaching experience, as he worked on the staff of three Grey Cup championship teams in the CFL from 1995-97.

The 44-year old Hill-Eley is a 1991 graduate of Virginia Union.

Gregory, who was born in Suffolk and raised in Richmond, served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Hill-Eley on the Morgan State staff last season. Prior to joining the Bears, Gregory has served as offensive coordinator at South Alabama (2009-11), South Florida (2007-08), Ohio University (2001-03), the University of Richmond (2000) and Army (1989-97). He was also head coach at Missouri Southern from 1998-99.

"I'm very excited to be here," Gregory said. "NSU has been one of the upper echelon programs in the MEAC for some time now. We need to improve at every position, but if we can do that, we think we can put ourselves in the hunt for a championship."

At FCS start-up South Alabama, Gregory's offensive charges averaged at least 400 yards and 40 points per game in two of his three years there.

Gregory worked as an assistant at USF from 2005-08 and served as offensive coordinator in his last two seasons there. One of his protégés at USF was quarterback Matt Grothe, who ranked in the top 30 in the nation in total offense in 2007 and 2008. The Bulls averaged over 400 yards of total offense per game in those two seasons, went 17-9 and made two bowl appearances. Gregory was on staff for the first four bowl berths in USF history.

With Gregory on staff, the University of Richmond won the 2000 Atlantic 10 football championship and finished the year 10-3, which included a first-round Division I FCS (I-AA at the time) playoff victory over Youngstown State.

Prior to serving at UR, Gregory spent 16 seasons in various capacities at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., including serving as offensive coordinator from 1989-97. Army made the first four bowl appearances and led the nation in rushing four times during his tenure with the program. Gregory also coached an NFL draftee in quarterback Ron McAda.

A three-year letterwinning quarterback at Richmond, Gregory, 56, earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from UR in 1980.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION