Football
- Title:
- Secondary
- Email:
- football@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-3350
Justin Hood joined Kent State as the secondary coach in the spring of 2019. Hood joins the Flashes after 8 years of experience coaching. Hood was most recently in charge of the outside linebackers at Western Carolina.
Hood led the secondary and helped the Golden Flashes to a 51-41 victory over Utah State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. The victory was the first bowl win in program history.
The Hood-led secondary was a huge part of the Flashes success in 2019. Jamal Parker earned a spot on the all-MAC second team for his play at the third level. His 10 pass breakups ranked fourth in the conference while his three interceptions tied for fifth in the MAC, leading the Flashes in both categories. Qwuantrezz Knight led the Flashes with 10.5 tackles for loss, while Keith Sherald Jr. led all secondary members with 86 total tackles and tied Parker with a team-high three interceptions, including the game-clinching interception against Eastern Michigan to send Kent State to its fourth bowl game in school history.
Hood is a Youngstown,Ohio native and has experience playing and coaching in the Northeast Ohio area. Head Coach Sean Lewis said, "He's an excellent teacher of the game. To get an in-state guy that has the expertise and experience that he does, is a great upgrade for us. We're looking forward to everything he brings to the development of our young men."
He spent the last three years at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, and coached for two seasons at Davidson prior to joining Western Carolina. While at Davidson, he served as the safeties coach and recruiting coordinator in 2016 and was promoted to defensive pass game coordinator in 2017. In December of 2017, Hood served as the interim head coach for the Wildcats.
Prior to Davidson, Hood was the defensive coordinator at Capital University for two seasons.
In 2013, Hood worked with cornerbacks and special teams as a graduate assistant for Illinois.
Hood was also a part of two Top 5 finishes in the AP rankings at Oregon in 2011 and 2012. As an intern and quality control coach, he assisted in coaching running backs and working in all phases of recruiting. During his two seasons, the Ducks won back-to-back Pac-12 championships, finished as the national runner-up in 2011 and won the Rose Bowl in 2012.
Hood also spent time working with the New York Giants as an intern in the summer of 2013.
As a cornerback at Ashland University, Hood was a four-year starter. He was a two-year team captain and earned All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team honors.
