MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -  RMU Football Head Coach Bernard Clark, Jr. has announced that Dr. Cornelius Coleman will be the Colonials' defensive line coach.
 
Coleman, who will be in his third stint at RMU, joins the staff after serving as head coach at Waynesburg for the last four seasons. In his time with the Yellow Jackets, he coached 25 All-PAC players.
 
His 2020 and 2021 seasons were spent at Duquesne, where he led the Dukes to an 11-4 overall record and an appearance in the 2020-21 NEC title game.
 
Prior to Duquesne, he served as the defensive quality control coach at Pitt for the 2019 season, working primarily with assistant head coach Charlie Partridge and the Panthers' defensive line. During Coleman's season with Pitt, the Panthers led the country in sacks while sitting ninth in the nation in tackles for loss on the year.
 
Before his time with Pitt, Coleman was the defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator at St. Vincent in 2018, where he was also the co-special teams coordinator for the Bearcats.
 
During his four-year tenure as defensive line coach at Robert Morris, Coleman developed multiple All-NEC performers and led a unit that consistently ranked among the nation's best. Under his guidance, the 2015 defensive front tied a program record with 34 sacks, helping the team finish 21st in the country for total defense. Subsequent seasons saw continued success, with the Colonials ranking in the top 20 nationally for red zone defense, sacks, and fumble recoveries.

Coleman began his coaching career at Averett University, mentoring 14 all-conference players and two All-Americans. His leadership propelled the defense to national prominence, including a 2008 program record for sacks and a top-ten national ranking in turnover margin in 2009. Beyond on-field coaching, he managed essential program operations such as strength and conditioning, recruiting, and administrative compliance.
 
Coleman was selected twice for the NFL/NCAA Future Head Coaches Summit in 2012 and 2015. This prestigious program provides former NFL players and collegiate coaches with specialized leadership tools and networking opportunities to accelerate their coaching careers.
 
As a four-year starter at defensive end for Waynesburg University, Coleman was a standout athlete who earned both all-conference and All-America honorable mention honors. In 1999, he led the PAC in sacks, tackles for loss, and blocked kicks, following a 1998 season where he helped the Yellow Jackets secure their first conference title.
 
Following his collegiate success, Coleman played professionally across multiple leagues, starting as a defensive end for the Indoor Football League's Dayton Skyhawks in 2000. He later transitioned to the Arena Football League in 2002, where he contributed as both a defensive end and tight end for the Roanoke Steam.
 
Coleman began his career in higher education at his alma mater, Waynesburg, where he served as the Director of Intramural Sports and Resident Director in 2001. He later moved to Robert Morris, working in the admissions office from 2003 to 2007 while concurrently serving as an athletic compliance assistant for the final two years of his tenure.
 
Coleman holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication and an MBA in business management from Waynesburg University, earned in 1999 and 2003, respectively. He furthered his expertise with a Master of Science in sports management from Robert Morris in 2006, obtaining a Doctorate of Education in educational leadership from Argosy University in 2014.
 
Coleman currently resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, Erica.
 
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