Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay has been hired as NC State’s nickels coach, head coach Dave Doeren announced in a press release Friday. Aughtry-Lindsay replaces Aaron Henry, who is expected to become the defensive backs coach at Vanderbilt. The hire should be the last of many this offseason, with wide receivers coach George McDonald the only remaining assistant from the 2018-19 season.
Aughtry-Lindsay is a former linebacker for NC State, best known for his game-winning interception return for a touchdown against UConn in 2003. He finished his collegiate career with 266 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Aughtry-Lindsay joins former teammate and current strength and conditioning coach Dantonio “Thunder Dan” Burnette as yet another former Wolfpack player on Doeren’s staff.
“It’s always great when an alum of your program can join your staff, so I’m very excited that Freddie is coming back,” Doeren said in the release. “He’s a North Carolinian with experience recruiting our state from top to bottom, east to west, and has a great relationship with the high school coaches in the state. I know he will do a great job with our nickels and be a great addition to our defensive staff.”
Aughtry-Lindsay is a rising star in the coaching ranks. His first collegiate job was as a defensive grad assistant with NC State in 2009. He later moved on to Elon, becoming the defensive coordinator in 2014. He was hired at Campbell as run game defense coordinator and linebackers coach in 2015, then moved on to Ole Miss as a senior player personnel analyst in 2018. In 2019, Aughtry-Lindsay was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at North Carolina Central University.
“I’m very excited to be back home with my Wolfpack family,” Aughtry-Lindsay said in the release. “I’ve always kept up with the Pack and I believe that Coach Doeren’s leadership and vision has built a program that develops young men to be great in every aspect of life. This opportunity gives me the ability to pour into a place and the people that helped me become the person that I am today! Wolfpack Nation, let’s get to work! Hard, tough, TOGETHER!”
