Football
- Title:
- Defensive Ends Coach
- Email:
- football@kent.edu
Updated June 2026
Kent State head football coach Mark Carney announced the addition of Allen Gant as the program’s new defensive ends coach in the spring of 2026.
In 2025, Gant led a Fordham defense that ranked 30th nationally in run defense, allowing only 133.3 yards per game. Gant also coached the nation’s leading tackler, James Conway, with 159 tackles. Conway also had eight tackles for loss, five sacks, and an interception. Conway was named a First Team AFCA All-American and set the NCAA Division I career tackles leader. Gant also had another 100 tackles player in Andrew Osmun, who had eight tackles for loss and an interception.
In 2024, the Fordham defense led the Patriot League and was tied for 10th in the country with three defensive touchdowns, and was second in the league in both first-down defense and red-zone defense. Fordham also led the Patriot League and was 34th in the nation in tackles for loss (6.2/game). The Rams were led by All-American and Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Matt Jaworski, who led the conference and was 17th in the NCAA FCS in tackles for loss (1.3/game), along with fellow All-American Nahil Perkins, who led the Patriot League and was second in the NCAA in passes defended (1.7/game).
In 2023, Gant directed a Fordham defense that finished second in the Patriot League in scoring defense (24.7) and rushing defense (135.7 yards/game). The Fordham defense was led by linebacker James Conway, who was second in the League and fourth in the NCAA in tackles/game (11.7), defensive back Nahil Perkins, who led the League and was fourth in the nation in passes defended (1.5/game), and defensive lineman Matt Jaworski, who led the team and was 12th in the NCAA FCS in sacks/game (0.82).
In his second year at Rose Hill, Gant coached two All-Patriot League selections, grad student Ryan Greenhagen and sophomore James Conway, both First Team picks. Greenhagen was also named a CSC Academic All-America®, the Patriot League Student-Athlete of the Year for football, and was a finalist for the Walter Campbell Trophy. Conway, a 2022 HERO Sports Sophomore All-American, led the Patriot League and was seventh in the NCAA FCS in tackles/game (10.6), while Greenhagen was third in the Patriot League and 24th in the NCAA FCS in tackles/game (9.4).
In 2021, the Fordham linebackers helped the Rams lead the Patriot League, and rank 20th in the NCAA FCS, in fumbles recovered, and rank third in the League in both tackles for loss and sacks per game. Ryan Greenhagen broke an NCAA record with 31 tackles in the opener at Nebraska and was leading the NCAA FCS in tackles/game when he suffered a season-ending injury at Lafayette. At the same time, freshman James Conway was named Second Team All-Patriot League.
In 2019, Gant served as the defensive backs coach at Slippery Rock, where he helped guide The Rock to the NCAA Division II semifinals after claiming the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title. Gant returned to his alma mater, Michigan, for the 2018 season as a defensive intern. He assisted with the Wolverine outside linebackers and analyzed opponents’ pass games.
Gant was an outside linebacker and safety for the Wolverines from 2012 to 2015. His father, Tony, also played for Michigan as a safety and punt/kick returner from 1983-1985.
The Sylvania, Ohio, native graduated from Michigan in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Literature, Science and Arts. Gant and his wife, Lia, have a son, Allen Jr.
