SEARCY, Ark. – Harding head football coach Roddy Mote announced the program's full coaching staff for the 2026 season on Tuesday, finalizing a group deeply rooted in the culture of "The Brotherhood."

The staff features a mix of championship-winning continuity and the return of several decorated alumni who have established themselves as elite coaches at the collegiate and high school levels. Of the 10 full-time staff members, all 10 hold degrees from Harding University.

Executive Leadership
Paul Simmons, the winningest coach by percentage in program history (92-16), remains with the team in the newly created position of General Manager of Harding Football. Simmons, a two-time National Coach of the Year, will oversee high-level program sustainability, fundraising, and roster management.

Defensive Staff
Mote, who served as defensive coordinator for the past nine seasons, has promoted two longtime assistants to lead the unit that ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II scoring defense in 2025.

Luke Tribble has been named the Defensive Coordinator. Entering his 15th season, Tribble will continue to serve as the Defensive Backs Coach. Tre'von Biglow, entering his ninth season, has been promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator and will continue to lead the Defensive Line.

Joining the defensive staff is Neil Evans, who returns to his alma mater as the Linebackers Coach. Evans spent the last eight seasons building a dynasty at Harding Academy, where he won four state championships and compiled a 95-21 record as head coach.

Offensive Staff
The offense will be led by former Rimington Award winner Bryce Bray, who returns to Harding as the Offensive Coordinator and Fullbacks & Tight Ends Coach. Bray, who previously coached quarterbacks and running backs for the Bisons, spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Rogers (Ark.) High School, where he was named the 7A West Offensive Coordinator of the Year.

Eric Kelly returns to Searcy as the Recruiting Coordinator and Slotbacks Coach. Kelly spent the last four seasons at Friends University (NAIA), where he was named the 2025 FootballScoop NAIA Coordinator of the Year after engineering the highest-scoring offense in college football.

Will Francis returns for his second season on staff as the Quarterbacks and Fullbacks Coach. In his debut season, Francis helped mentor Harlon Hill finalist Andrew Miller and directed a backfield that set NCAA records for rushing yards and touchdowns.

Gavin de los Santos joins the staff as the Offensive Line Coach. A former All-American lineman for the Bisons, de los Santos spent the last six seasons on the coaching staff at Conway High School.

Special Teams / Wide Receivers Cameron Tucker rounds out the new hires as the Special Teams Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach. A 2024 Harding graduate, Tucker returns to the program after coaching at Palisade High School in Colorado. He will lead the Bisons' special teams units and mentor the wide receiver corps.

Graduate Assistants
The staff is bolstered by five graduate assistants, including several former Bison standouts. Kendale Allen, Will Dunn, Ryan Sellars, and Jhalen Spicer will assist with the defense, while Tyler Bruns will assist with the offense.

2026 Harding Football Coaching Staff

• Roddy Mote: Head Football Coach

• Paul Simmons: General Manager of Harding Football

• Tre'von Biglow: Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach

• Bryce Bray: Offensive Coordinator / Fullbacks & Tight Ends Coach

• Luke Tribble: Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs Coach

• Gavin de los Santos: Offensive Line Coach

• Neil Evans: Linebackers Coach

• Will Francis: Quarterbacks and Fullbacks Coach

• Eric Kelly: Recruiting Coordinator / Slotbacks Coach

• Cameron Tucker: Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers Coach

• Kendale Allen: Graduate Assistant (Defense)

• Tyler Bruns: Graduate Assistant (Offense)

• Will Dunn: Graduate Assistant (Defense)

• Ryan Sellars: Graduate Assistant (Defense)

• Jhalen Spicer: Graduate Assistant (Defense)