NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State head football coach Brad Laird has two of his coordinators set for the 2022 season, adding a pair of coaches with Southland Conference ties.
Laird announced Monday the additions of Campbell University’s Weston Glaser as the Demons’ new defensive coordinator and Incarnate Word’s Cody Crill as NSU’s offensive coordinator. Both hires are contingent upon approval of the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System, which governs Northwestern State University.
“These are home run hires with Weston and Cody,” Laird said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with them in leading this football team. Their success speaks for itself. Our players are fortunate to be able to learn from coaches are not only great coaches but even better men.”
Glaser comes to Northwestern State after spending the past three seasons as Campbell’s defensive coordinator and the 2021 season as the Camels’ assistant head coach.
A member of the 2019 American Football Coaches Association’s 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership institute, Glaser coordinated a Camel defense that was the No. 2-ranked pass defense in its abbreviated four-game 2020 season. That season, Campbell faced four Football Bowl Subdivision teams – Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State and Wake Forest – and surrendered 185.2 passing yards per game.
During his Campbell tenure, Glaser’s defenses twice led the Big South in pass defense and helped the program post a 6-5 mark in 2019, marking the second of back-to-back winning seasons which had not been done at Campbell in the school’s modern era (dating to 2008).
As the interim defensive coordinator for the final three games of 2018, Glaser’s defense led FCS in fewest passing yards allowed (122.5) and ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense (103.27).
Campbell defensive lineman Brevin Allen was named the 2021 Big South Defensive Player of the Year under Glaser’s tutelage, giving Glaser six all-conference selections since the 2019 season.
A former Sam Houston quarterback, Glaser began his coaching career at his alma mater, spending four seasons (2010-13) on the Bearkat staff, helping Sam Houston post a 31-10 record, capture two Southland Conference titles and reach consecutive FCS National Championship Games.
Glaser, a 2012 Sam Houston graduate in history who played quarterback for the Bearkats, worked with UTEP’s linebackers and defensive backs from 2013-15 and served as an assistant pit crew coach for Hendrick Sports’ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, driven by Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. from August 2014-January 2015. During his time with Hendrick Motorsports, Glaser also worked for the Cleveland Browns scouting department.
“As a former player and coach in the SLC, Weston’s familiarity with his league — and the success he had at Campbell – makes a great fit for NSU,” Laird said.
Glaser continued his coaching career at Texas A&M in 2016 working with the defensive backs and spent the spring of 2018 as the defensive coordinator at Howard Payne University before moving to Campbell.
Glaser and his wife, Laura, have two sons, Deacon and Brooks.
“I am very thankful and appreciative of the opportunity that coach Laird has given me,” Glaser said. “Northwestern State is an unbelievable place with a lot of history and tradition. My family and I are excited to be able to join this great university and the Demon football program.”
While Glaser’s time in the Southland was at the beginning of his career, Crill has spent the past four seasons as the offensive coordinator at UIW, helping build the Cardinals into conference champions.
The Cardinals claimed the 2021 league title behind an offense that ranked second nationally in points per game (39.5) and third in yards per game (487.2). Under Crill’s tutelage, Cardinal quarterback Cameron Ward was the spring 2021 Walter Payton Award winner as the top freshman in FCS. Ward earned second-team STATS Perform All-American honors in the fall after leading the nation with 47 touchdown passes and ranking in the top three nationally in completions per game (29.54), passing yards (4,648) and total offense per game (363.5).
Ahead of Ward’s ascension, Crill also tutored 2018 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and STATS Freshman All-American Jon Copeland to two standout seasons that saw the Cardinals set then-school records for pass completions (303), completion percentage (57.9), all-purpose yards (6,283) and points (358).
Crill’s first season at UIW culminated in a five-win improvement, a Southland Conference championship and an FCS playoff berth as Copeland became the first UIW quarterback to surpass 2,000 yards passing (2.984) and set school records for touchdown passes (22), passing efficiency (137.3), yards per pass (8.1), passing yards per game (298.4), touchdowns responsible for (25) and total offense (3,061).
“We’re excited to bring this type of offense to NSU,” Laird said. “His success at UIW, not only scoring points but also winning games, makes for a great combination here at Northwestern State.”
Prior to joining the UIW staff, Crill spent nine seasons at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, serving as the head coach in the final three years of his tenure.
Crill led Navarro to a 19-11 mark in his three seasons as head coach and a 97-24 overall mark in his nine seasons on staff, including the 2010 NJCAA national championship.
In his final season leading the program, the Bulldogs went 6-4 and earned a spot in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference semifinals, finishing with a No. 17 national ranking. The previous season, Crill led Navarro to a 6-3 mark and a No. 9 NJCAA ranking.
Crill’s first season as head coach saw the Bulldogs post a 7-4 record and finish as the SWJCFC runner-up.
Before being named offensive coordinator in 2014, Crill served as Navarro’s offensive line coach, helping send 30 offensive linemen to the Division I level and a handful to the NFL.
In 2014, Crill’s offense averaged 52.8 points per game and led the nation in rushing yards per game (335.1). The Bulldogs also ranked second nationally in rushing yards and third in total offense (612.3) while setting a school record points per game.
A two-time Angelo State graduate, Crill helped the 2012 Navarro offense set a then-school record by averaging 43.4 points per game while leading the NJCAA in rushing (307 yards per game) and ranking seventh in total offense (484 per game). Those Bulldogs won the SWJCFC and Heart of Texas Bowl titles.
Ahead of his time at Navarro, Crill spent three seasons as the offensive line coach at Winston-Salem State. He also coached offensive and defensive line, running backs and fullbacks at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.
Crill began his coaching career at his alma mater, Angelo State, coaching defensive ends.
Crill has two daughters, Cathryn and Kaylee, a fiancée, Brandi, and her daughter, Whitley.
“First, I want to thank coach Laird for this opportunity,” Crill said. “I am extremely excited to join the Northwestern State University family. I believe coaching is all about relationships and cannot wait to start building them with the team, university, and community.”
