ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Naval Academy Director Chet Gladchuk announced Monday that Brian Newberry will become the 40th head football coach.
The news comes a week after Gladchuk announced former coach Ken Niumatalolo would not return for the 2023 season.
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“Coach Newberry is respected and was highly endorsed by many within the Navy football family,” said Gladchuk. “Brian is organized, innovative, intelligent, inspirational and brings an expectation of competitive toughness that has made Navy one of the top defensive units in the nation. The span of his experience at a number of institutions, coupled with four years in Annapolis has allowed him to create a vision for Navy football that is all encompassing and very logical as it pertains to the way ahead. Often there comes a time in the careers of highly-accomplished coaches in our profession when documented credibility aligns with logical leadership opportunity and Coach Newberry's time is now.”
Newberry was named as the interim coach when the announcement was made. He served as the defensive coordinator at Navy for the last four seasons.
“I want to thank Chet Gladchuk and Admiral Sean Buck for this incredible opportunity and for their ongoing support and belief in me,” said Newberry. “I also want to thank Coach Niumatalolo for taking a chance on me four years ago.”
Prior to his arrival in Annapolis, Newberry served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kennesaw State from 2015 to 2018, leading the Owls to the FCS quarterfinals in each of his last two seasons.
in 2017, Kennesaw State ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense and third in turnovers gained.
Newberry joined Kennesaw State after spending the 2012 season at Northern Michigan.
Newberry’s coaching experience also includes four seasons (2007-10) as defensive backs coach at Elon and five years (2004-06, 2001 and 2002) as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Washington & Lee. He also served as a graduate assistant/defensive line coach at Rice during the spring of 2004, spent one season as an assistant defensive backs coach at Lehigh in 2003 and began his coaching career at Southern Arkansas where he was a graduate assistant coaching the defensive backs and wide receivers in 1999 and 2000.
With all the experience over the years, Newberry is ready to take on the head coaching position at the Naval Academy.
“It is a great honor and privilege to lead this program,” continued Newberry. “It is a great responsibility that I fully accept and embrace. I could not be more excited and optimistic about the future of Navy football. The Naval Academy is a special place and we have great young men in our program. Our culture remains strong. I believe whole heartedly in the mission here and have seen firsthand the impact this institution has on the lives of the young men and women who graduate and serve. We will facilitate the values and the mission of the Naval Academy within our program. We will make the Navy football family and all associated with the Naval Academy proud, both on and off the field! Go Navy! Beat everyone!”
