Newland Isaac | Liberty University

After helping guide Coastal Carolina to unprecedented success during the past half-decade, Newland Isaac joins Liberty’s coaching staff as the Flames’ Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach for the 2023 season.

Named the 2021 AFCA FBS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Isaac was promoted to co-offensive coordinator at Coastal Carolina in February 2019.

Isaac, who is also in charge of the Flames’ running backs, has a long history with head coach Jamey Chadwell. Isaac worked under Chadwell for eight seasons over three stops, including Charleston Southern (2013-16), Delta State (2012), and North Greenville (2099-11) before rejoining him at Coastal Carolina (2018-22).

On top of being named the 2021 AFCA FBS Assistant Coach of the Year, Isaac was also a Broyles Award nominee.

As the co-offensive coordinator during his final four seasons at Coastal Carolina, Isaac helped the Chants go from 5-7 in 2019 to 11-1 in 2020, 11-2 in 2021 and 9-4 in 2022. In each of his last four seasons, the offense has also ranked in the top-10 nationally in all of FBS in multiple statistical categories. 

In 2021, the Coastal offense outscored all their opponents 532-281 on the season, including totaling 100-plus points in each quarter on the year.

Coastal Carolina was one of only four teams to rank in the top 25 in both total offense (5th) and total defense (25th), one of only seven teams nationally to rank in the top 30 in both most first downs on offense (25th) and fewest first downs allowed on defense (27th), and one of only eight teams to rank in the top-25 in both scoring offense (5th) and scoring defense (25th).

Under Isaac’s watch, the offense also finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally in average yards per rush on the season (5.84 ypr) and in third-down conversion percentage (53.8 percent). The Chants were also second nationally in yards per play on offense (7.74 ypp) and ranked fourth nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage (76.9 percent).

On the ground in the running attack, the Chants ended the season ranked No. 6 nationally in rushing offense (228.8 ypg) and in rushing touchdowns (36), as senior running back Shermari Jones ranked No. 8 nationally in rush yards per carry (6.54) and No. 24 nationally in rushing touchdowns (13).

The offense also finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally in scoring offense (40.9 ppg) and was one of only five FBS schools to average over 40 points per game on the season.

In 2020, the Chanticleers won the program’s first-ever Sun Belt Conference title, posted an 11-1 overall mark, including an 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record, and played in the program’s first-ever FBS postseason bowl game.

The 2020 season marked Coastal Carolina’s first-ever undefeated regular season and the first time that the Chanticleers were ranked in either the Associated Press Top 25 Poll or the Amway Coaches Poll presented by USA Today Sports.

Overall, the offense in 2020 led the conference in scoring offense (37.2 points per game), third-down conversion percentage (52.3 percent), fourth-down conversion percentage (76.5 percent), time of possession (33:50), completion percentage (66.6 percent), fewest interceptions thrown (5), and team passing efficiency (177.72).

In his first season as co-offensive coordinator in 2019, the Coastal Carolina offense recorded over 400 yards of total offense five times, including a season-high 636 yards in the road win at UMass. The Chants were 23-for-29 (79.3 percent) on fourth-down attempts which was the second-best percentage both nationally and in the Sun Belt, while the 23 fourth-down conversions were tied for the third-most nationally behind only Army and Navy with 26.

In his first season at Coastal Carolina in 2018, the Chants’ offense led the Sun Belt and ranked in the top 25 nationally in rushing yards per game, red-zone offense, time of possession, first downs, and both third and fourth-down conversion percentage for much of the season. CCU finished the year ranked in the top 10 nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage (68.8), fewest penalties (52), fewest penalties per game (4.33), and fewest penalty yards (493).

In the summer of 2018, Isaac was selected to participate in the 2018 NCAA-NFL Coaches Academy which provides current, full-time college football coaches at NCAA member schools and some former NFL athletes the opportunity to expand their knowledge and insight into the world of college football coaching.

Isaac spent the 2017 season as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Albany State where he helped the Golden Rams finish first in the SIAC in scoring, passing offense, and red-zone offense while ranking second in both rushing and total offense. Three Golden Rams were named All-SIAC on offense while lineman Jamie Glenn added all-region honors.

Before his time at Albany, Isaac worked on coach Chadwell’s staff at his alma mater Charleston Southern, serving as the running backs coach. Overall, he spent four seasons (2013-16) in that capacity while adding the responsibility of recruiting coordinator in January 2017 before his departure for Albany State in May 2017.

Isaac helped the Buccaneers produce one of the nation’s top rushing attacks in his final two seasons at CSU. The Bucs won Big South championships in 2015 and 2016 while also earning NCAA playoff berths each season.

Isaac also coached running backs at Delta State in 2012, guiding a group that combined to average almost 200 rushing yards per game and nearly 5.0 yards per carry in 2012. Running back Rondreas Truesdale was a first-team All-Gulf South selection.

Before his season at Delta State, Isaac coached running backs and slot receivers for the Crusaders at North Greenville for three years from 2009-11. The Crusaders captured the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association national title in 2010 (9-3) and appeared in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in 2011 (11-3).

At North Greenville in 2011, Isaac coached All-American Idris Anderson and All-South Region performer Teyran Rucker. NGU’s offense averaged 250 rushing yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry to rank among the nation’s top 10.

During North Greenville’s NCCAA title season, the Crusaders averaged 281.1 rushing yards per game and scored 43 touchdowns on the ground.

Isaac was a four-year letterman under former Bucs’ head coach Jay Mills at Charleston Southern. The Hopkins, S.C., native was a former walk-on who worked his way to a scholarship at wide receiver for the Bucs. He helped CSU capture the 2005 Big South Conference title.

Isaac holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Charleston Southern (2009) and an MBA from North Greenville (2011).